MAYNE ISLAND - 3 BR/2 BA OCEAN FRONT 2 LEVEL HOME

Our week on Mayne Island was a delight, pure and simple. We had the good fortune to arrive just in time for the annual Fall Fair, a festive local event replete with a parade, pipes and drums, and vintage cars. The 3 local grocery stores are small but have a good variety of food, and there is locally grown produce as well.

The house itself is in an ideal location, right on the ocean waterfront. One can sit and watch the many local ferries tootling about their business to the various local islands, enjoy the West Coast scenery, snooze in a hammock, or actually look at the city of Vancouver itself through the provided telescope and binoculars. On a clear day, majestic Mount Baker can easily be seen as well.

Upstairs there are two cozy bedrooms, and a large living room with an abundance of comfy seating which opens onto the spacious deck. Lovely artwork - indoors and out! - adorn the walls, including many excellent photographs taken by one of the owners. The large flat screen TV brings in some local channels and includes a DVD player. The kitchen area is a food lover's delight, well stocked with all the accoutrements a serious cook would need plus a cupboard full of spices and condiments which the owners generously allow renters to dip into. There is both a charcoal and propane BBQ as well as an extra fridge downstairs for beverages.

Downstairs there is another bedroom, next to the ocean - a sure cure for insomnia, as well as a second bathroom, laundry facilities, and yet another comfortable space for relaxing with a view, couches, small piano, and a stereo surrounded by thousands of CDs collected by one of Canada's most beloved radio hosts.

We enjoyed several hikes, with ocean views and dense forests with aromatic cedars. There is a good range of trails, some easy, others more challenging. We also found kayak and canoe rental, and good local tennis courts.

We both enjoyed ourselves immensely and would return in a heartbeat.

We spent a dream-like two weeks at this perfect location. Spending hours on the huge deck, sipping wine while our fresh seafood was grilling, we watched seals, otters, eagles, and even a whale go by! The house is large, with every convenience, and the beds are very comfortable. Mayne Island is a quiet refuge away from it all, where the islanders are friendly and helpful. We highly recommend this vacation home.

What an amazing week we had at this Mayne Island home. It had everything. We have been to other properties that had nothing in the kitchen. This one was a cook's delight. Nothing missing. The beds were great, lots of room and the view is to die for. Quiet, relaxing and just plain awesome! We would go back in a heartbeat.