I live in beautiful British Columbia. That’s literally our tagline… no, for real, it’s on our licence plates.
I choose to live here because we have four definite seasons: a lovely, brisk, sunny – (sometimes rainy) Spring, a warm, green, (sometimes rainy) Summer, a brisk, casual, (sometimes rainy) Fall, and a bracing, chilly, (sometimes rainy) Winter.
I do not choose to live where there are below zero temperatures, howling winds for days, blizzards that end in the snow compacting on to thick, slippery ice covered roadways & therefore, having to forgo work. But this is what we have so far, in the first month of 2020.
I shouldn’t complain. It’s not like Alberta or other places where you have to plug in your vehicle so it doesn’t seize up. It’s not like I couldn’t decide to just go to the town where I grew up & where my work is & stay there for the rest of the week’s weather warning. So I do.
Across the street from my work is a Coast Hotel www.coasthotels.com/hotels/bc/chilliwack/coast-chilliwack-hotel/ So in-between the snow flurries, my husband & his 4×4, take me across the frozen tundra that was Highway 1 just two days ago… I’ve booked in for a few days because I have a business to run. I’ve call forwarded the phone to my mobile but there’s so many other things to do. I can easily go back & forth from here. In my snow boots. And mitts.
As I enter the lobby, the warmth rushes out at me through the automatic sliding doors, and I already feel better. It’s a very pretty, spacious lobby.
I check in, the girl at the desk is friendly & efficient. I found a discounted rate online when I booked because I have an Aeroplan card, so that’s impressive. Apparently there is a rewards club where you can also earn a discounted room rate.
I head up to my room, loaded down with my laptop for work, eReader & clothes for a few days. The door opens on the first try, thank you, my hands are very full. Nice room, two beds, and a view of the pretty, semi-frozen duck pond & local library www.fvrl.bc.ca/locations/chilliwack.php There is also a Save on Foods grocery store directly across the street, along with STARBUCKS!! www.starbucks.com Chopped Leaf www.choppedleaf.ca Subway www.subway.com, some other food stores, a clothing store called The Top Shop, a dollar store, liquor store, dentist etc. There are city buses running around this neck of the… uh woods… so it’s not hard to get around. Anyway, back to the hotel.
Loving the nice touch of the paper cranes on the neatly made beds with their crisp linens. I check… yes, extremely clean beds & in the closet ~ extra blanket & pillows. Check.
There’s a good desk & chair where I’ll likely do more writing & work over the next few days.
Decent sized television. Nice spot to sit & read with good lighting.
Very nice, clean bathroom with a BIDET. Wow now this is living.
There are plenty of towels. I’m really liking their implementation of large size shampoo, conditioner, body wash & body lotion instead of all the tiny, less earth friendly ones. There’s never enough shampoo or conditioner in those anyway. I’ve chosen their ‘Go Green’ option, which means they don’t clean your room every day. I have enough towels & I’m not an untidy person so really don’t need to have daily maid service. There’s a good size mini fridge for my lactose free milk. And what do I see here?? The complimentary coffee. Starbucks. Yesssssss. There are plenty of drawers & adequate clothes hanging space plus an iron & board.
I decide to unpack (I use packing cubes so everything goes into the drawers in those), stow my suitcase, charge my mobile, computer, iWatch & eReader (plenty of outlets, yessss) & order the steak bite appetizer I know they serve downstairs in Prestons restaurant. prestonsrestaurant.ca/chilliwack Then I see they also have clam chowder… I’m in. Prestons looks out over the duck pond & I can see the indoor pool from there too. Next door is Prestons lounge, which is also good & a little more casual. Sometimes they have live entertainment, which has been great each time I’ve stumbled upon them after a meeting or function here.
It’s quiet here, which is hard to believe when we’re smack in the middle of Downtown Chilliwack, but it’s a relief. There are plenty of other restaurants in walking distance, plus a hair salon www.michaelsonmainstreet.com with a boutique spa studio70skincare.ca There’s an escape room www.4descape.com and an antique store m.facebook.com/circavintagefinds.darbytrudeau and so many other great stores to get lost in for a few hours.
Let’s recap:
✔️clean rooms & linens
✔️well appointed
✔️quiet
✔️decent price per night
✔️excellent location
✔️indoor pool
✔️restaurant on site
✔️good food
✔️meeting & events rooms
✔️bar & lounge
Note to self: being stuck overnight in your old hometown in the not-so-great weather… not so bad.
More things to do: tourismchilliwack.com
For Info about Chilliwack: www.chilliwack.com
History of Chilliwack: www.chilliwackmuseum.ca
If you’d like to do business in Chilliwack: