I had the great pleasure to stay at the alert bay lodge several weekends in a row. The rooms were very clean and the service was absolutely excellent. The common area was very unique. The ambiance was fantastic and so relaxing next to a fire and nice music in the background. The morning welcomed me with coffee, juice and an awesome mixed breakfast. I would definitely recommend the Alert Bay Lodge.

We travelled to Alert Bay to go on a grizzly bear watching tour (see my separate review for Tide Rip).

Our experience was a mixed bag. We took the ferry from Port McNeill and weren't sure where to park as the closest lot was 5/day and the machine took only change. A "colorful" local suggested we park in the dirt lot on the other side of the street which worked well (thanks!)

The woman we had made our reservation with had told me that we would not need our car in Alert Bay as "her grandmother could walk to the hotel with her bags with no problem". In retrospect, her grandmother is one tough customer! Or she is a better packer...
Seriously, the walk is about a 20 minute brisk walk without bags, but with our bags it was a bit silly (ask the locals who shouted comments such as "need more bags, ladies?")

When we got to the lodge, it looks much as expected, and, as in most Canadian households, you are asked to remove your shoes. We waited about 10 minutes before the manager showed up (he was back in his room and said he didn't hear us)
We had been moved to a larger room than we had reserved due to booking issues, and this was nice. It was the room with the new deck built off of it and it is right next to the playground. The bathroom, which was not especially well kept, was out in the hall however.

The walls are pretty thin and if you are a light sleeper, I would recommend ear plugs, which I used and slept soundly.

There was a strong smell of incense off and on throughout our stay, which we could have done without. The main lodge room is very cosy and inviting with a fireplace and candles, and Brian (manager) was kind enough to get up and make us coffee and breakfast on both of our early morning outings. I would not expect him to cater to any special requests regarding food preferences, however. As stated by a prior reviewer, Brian does make his appearance at breakfast in a robe, which this reviewer found amusing!

Overall, for the price, this is an acceptable lodge.

Our party of 4 ( all over 50 yrs) spent 2 nites at the Alert Bay Lodge and enjoyed the scenery and serenity of the location.
Our room was spacious and clean and had a deck to ourselves, which we used to watch the sunset. Besides, the home made breakfast ( hot porridge and home made muffins) was just right to start a day of bear watching.
The big rustic living room is so welcoming that guests often linger to chat. I found the other travelers most interesting as they were knowledgeable and warm and enjoyed the laid back atmosphere on Alert Bay as much as we did.
The house might do with some upgrade but the atmosphere of the Lodge definitely beats any motel or hotel.

We went to Alert Bay simply because we had never been there - we are not hikers, kyakers, whale-watchers. I say this because Alert Bay is definitely geared towards these activities - there is not much else to do except enjoy the serenity and take in the beautiful scenery. When we arrived at the Lodge (which was originally built as a church, then was used as a hostel, and is now registered as a B&B), we were greeted by a gentleman who was barefoot, in shorts and a T-Shirt. He turned out to be the manager and he was not expecting us as the internet had been down for a week! We told him the room numbers we had booked and he asked us to remove our shoes at the front door. We obliged and were shown to our rooms - 4 & 5. We were taken aback by the sparseness and rustic nature of the rooms, but because it appeared very clean, decided to stay. Room 5 was advertised as having its own bathroom, but travellers should be aware that the bathroom is actually in the hallway, although we were told only the occupants of room 5 would be using it. We enjoyed some refreshments we had brought with us in the common room, which was obviously the main part of the church at some time, and is a beautiful room with lots of atmosphere. We then strolled to "town" (about 15 minute walk) to Pass n Time for dinner. We had an excellent dinner and can highly recommend this little restaurant. Next morning the manager showed up at breakfast (warm muffins, fresh fruit and coffee) in his pyjamas and bathrobe. We found this most unorthodox, but then again, we were in Alert Bay! Lots of love and attention and some upgrading will put this little treasure of a building on the map as a B & B.