The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
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1003 Ocean Pl, Port McNeill, British Columbia V0N 2R0 Canada
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About
#1 of 10 in Port McNeill
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The Artists Point offers two large guest suites which include a living room, a bedroom and a private bathroom, totalling 60sqm/645sqft. Our property is 2.3 acres with an ocean view, only 3 minutes to a beautiful peaceful beach. The Upper Suite has two additional bedrooms, ideal for families, which are only rented out to the same party.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Free breakfast
Boating
Golf course
Hiking
Non-smoking hotel
Room features
Refrigerator
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Location
Full view
Contact
1003 Ocean Pl, Port McNeill, British Columbia V0N 2R0 Canada
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Port McNeill car hire
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We booked a tour with Rolf Hicker in July 2019 to do a four day tour in September 2020 costing $6200 Canadian dollars. Due to the terrible situation with COVID-19 we initially questioned Rolf re our booking in March 2020. He replied that hoping by September all would go ahead as planned. In June we asked Rolf if our non refundable deposit could be moved to 2021 as a 50% deposit was a substantial amount. He advised us that it was a non refundable deposit and our deposit plus more money besides had already been spent. We kept up communications with Rolf to try to find a resolution and also contacted the Canadian Better Business Bureau. We initially did not want a refund we wanted to move our booking and deposit to 2021 but this met with the answer from Rolf that our deposit was spent and IF he got any bookings this year he would try to offer a 20-30% discount off a future deposit. At this point all confidence and trust in Rolf was lost. Our dissatisfaction is the fact that our deposit would not be transferred. We were fortunate that our insurance saw in favour of our claim.…
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Date of stay: August 2020
4 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Rolf Hicker, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Sep. 5, 2020
I always point out specifically that being a one-man seasonal business I have to charge a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit. I explained at the time that the deposit is taken and is used to pay the fixed upfront costs of running your tour. Your money was spent on these costs, it is not sitting in my pocket, not a cent of it is in any way a profit for me. You agreed to these terms at the time of booking the tours. I understand you are dissatisfied that the full deposit could not be moved to next year but this would require me to run your tours next year at a loss which as a one-man business with a family to support after already losing an entire season of income due to COVID, is simply impossible. When something unexpected arises that is out of your or my control, for example, a global pandemic, that prevents my guests from coming then it becomes a matter for the insurance company to compensate for your loss. That is the entire reason travel insurance exists in the first place. Your insurance did cover it and you received your money back. I don't think it is fair to blame this on me, especially after you followed what I had recommended, which is —to get travel insurance-- which I always recommend to all my guests upon booking. You also don't state facts here in regards to the 20-30% I offered to you, which basically means you would have gotten parts of the deposit back. Again, you recovered your full deposit via insurance so I don’t really understand why you felt the need to hurt my very personal business and family with a negative review. All the best to you, Rolf Hicker
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A beautiful place to stay near Port McNeil. We stayed because we arranged tours with Rolf Hicker Photography; the stay here was maximally convenient for that. The lower level has an outdoor patio that overlooks the water. We had a view of nesting bald eagles, the water, and occasional wildlife. The space is large and comfortable with a nice bed, couch, mini-fridge, large bathroom and included breakfast. Very pleasant and relaxing wildlife-focused trip. Would not hesitate to recommend or stay here again!
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Mar. 7, 2020
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this review and for your recommendation. I really appreciate it. Rolf
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The quality of the surroundings, the warmth of the welcome, the expertise of the host and the stunning scenery and wildlife made this the trip of a lifetime and one which we would not hesitate to repeat - time and money permitting. Many memories created which will last a lifetime, and around 3,000 images to process. If you are a photographer considering this trip, my advice would be to ensure you have plenty of memory cards. Large ones! Would advise hiring a car for the trip, as the B&B is not within walking distance of Port McNeill but is a 10 minute drive.
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Date of stay: September 2019
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Oct. 3, 2019
Thank you Bruce for taking the time. I'm so glad it was a trip of a lifetime - that is the greatest compliment I can get for my tours and B&B. THANK YOU!!
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We were fortunate to spend 5 nights at the Artists Point during which time we had 4 days out the with Rolf on his boat Ambient Light. Staying here for a vacation would in itself have been fantastic, but doing this as part of our tours with Rolf added significantly to our overall experience. Being able to talk through the days plan, debrief afterwards and relax on site was a real added bonus. The B&B is run for Rolf by Ivonne and Michael who both made us feel so welcome. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Each day they prepared a delicious filling breakfast; essential for a packed day ahead. We either ate in the B&B or if it's was an early start they packed it away for us to enjoy later on the boat. They also provided fantastic picnics to enjoy in the brief lulls between animal action. We stayed in the lower suite which had a very comfortable bed, a great view and a well appointed shower room. All essential after a long day on the boat. There is also good wildlife viewing around the property! And finally a big thank you to Sandy for making Maud and Aude so welcome!!…
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Date of stay: August 2019
Value
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Helpful
It has been a while since I have written a review. I did not find anything that important for me to share with others on the Internet. This has changed when we had the chance to start an adventure on Vancouver Island with Rolf, the owner of this charming B&B. We were travelling to Vancouver in July 2019 for holidays and my wife surprised me when we started planning for the trip by finding this place where we can stay and arrange photography (which is our joint passion) tours. Contacting Rolf by email proved amazing. Not only did he give us great advice on how to get there and what to do, he even answered our photography related questions which helped us decide on what camera gear to bring with us. Now the details. Rolf is an experienced and accomplished photographer from the days people like us shot film until the modern days where the advent of digital allowed my wife and I too shoot over 10,000 images on this trip. So if you need advice on photography, Rolf is your man. The most important thing about his tours is the limited size. You are in group of maximum 4 thus it is really a private affair. You get up early and start the day at a time that you are ahead of all tourists and their big boats. We were mostly alone wherever we reached bears, whales or bald eagles (not to mention sea otters, sea lions and seals). As you mostly travel on Rolf's boat, Ambient Light (nice name for a photographer), in this small group you have flexibility to adjust the day's activity in accordance with the weather conditions and the availability of wildlife (who do not follow the day's agenda by the way lol). This flexibility achieves results. We had been for example on at least four whale watching tours where we saw nothing or nearly nothing. Not with Rolf. He knows the area and has the flexibility to get us as close as possible to the whales (or bears) while respecting their wildlife nature and not cause them harm or anguish. It is really a great experience. I will share few of the great shots I took during this trip. By the way, part of what you pay goest for wildlife protections. Good job Rolf in what you do as you care for the guests, wildlife and the environment, keeping earth beautiful for generations to come. My wife and I have started taking it easy during our vacations. Thus on one day we had told Rolf we just wanted to be on our own and either do nothing or do something at our own pace. Here also Rolf came through with great advice on where to go and what to do. It was truly marvellous. Rolf arranged for us meals while we were on board. Your breakfast would be ready as you got on the boat and was arranging a nice spread for lunch where you made your own wraps with lots of items to choose from. In short, you were taken care of from the minute you left the B&B unit you got back. I hope Trip Advisor does not limit the number of characters here. In case I need to make cuts I will write a verse short summary sentence: Staying in this place is ideal for a photographer. You are treated as a friend an a member of the family. We were only with Rolf, Carmen, Ivonne and Michael for a few days but it felt that we said goodbye to livelong friends. This was not a simple vacation, it was a lifetime adventure. Thank you so much Rolf and all the best to your wonderful family. If you want to be treated as a tourist with pampering and no real results, book elsewhere. If you want an adventure with family and friends with great photos as a result then book nowhere else. If we are ever again on Vancouver Island in the future we will only stay in this B&B. P.S. on a couple of points below in the review I answered Not Sure for the following reasons: On airport transportation: Not sure because it is not something that would be routinely needed since people would most likely have their own cars and would need them to go about in the evening etc. However, during our email exchanges with Rolf this possibility was indeed offered if we wanted it from one of the local airports on Vancouver Island. On the style of being modern: The building is older and is a charming house but our suite had very nice comfortable furniture and more modern settings. On the issue of a flatscreen TV: The last thing we wanted to do was to watch TV as really this is a niche B&B. Why would one want to watch TV when the living room windows show you an amazing universe outside. Having said that, there was a TV nicely tuned away in a cabinet which we could have used if wanted but we did not even bother. Finally, on the issue of a safe: Well frankly we did not ask and really had no need to do so since the place is so calm and safe on its own. If such a need arises, I am sure Rolf will find you a solution.…
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Date of stay: July 2019
Location
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Sleep Quality
Room Tip: The lower level suite is for couples or smaller groups but it is ideal as it has its own entrance.
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Helpful
The main reason for staying here was for Rolf's nature tours but we were also delighted with the suite we stayed in. It was spacious, comfortable and great views across the water. Continental breakfast perfectly adequate. However, his tours were even better. We did a whale watching trip and a bear spotting trip with him. Both were highly successful in spite of very heavy rain most of the first trip. One very big plus on that day was the fact that as well as an open area Rolf's boat also has a fully enclosed cabin. It was needed! Rolf's passion for wildlife, knowledge of the area and heart for accommodating his guests' wishes couldn't be beaten. We really hope to be able to come again in the future.
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Date of stay: September 2018Trip type: Travelled
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Oct. 2, 2018
Thank you very much for taking the time to write a review, I very much appreciate it! Yup, that sure were rainy days and yet I'm happy that it stopped when we were finding the bears. Glad you had such a beautiful time here and hope to see you again one day. Best Rolf
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Our experience at Artists Point was top notch from the spacious room overlooking the straits to the delicious breakfasts and of course the tours. This was a special bucket list trip to see the grizzly bears and we couldn't be happier. We love wildlife and we saw everything we hoped for and more including orcas playing and jumping, grizzlies searching for their lunch, and dolphins that were racing with us in the very beautiful boat, Ambient Light. We also saw black bears, sea lions, and a pair of eagles (right in the B&B backyard). Rolf was very accommodating and flexible with us. We never lacked for attention and good food. We hope to return for another trip to Beautiful British Colombia. It's going right back on our bucket list. Don't miss this very special trip. We are so grateful to have chosen this extraordinary spot. I should mention that the tours are limited to a maximum of 4 people, so you receive very individual attention.…
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Date of stay: September 2018Trip type: Travelled
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: We stayed in the lower suite with separate bed room, family room, and bath room.
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Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Sep. 20, 2018
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this beautiful review. I'm very glad that you had such a great time here and really hope to see you again. Best wishes for you Rolf
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When coming to Vancouver Island I wanted to see wildlife and take pictures with my camera. If you are a photographer or not, The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours is the place to stay in Vancouver Island North. I spent five nights at Rolf‘s place and booked three tours. I stayed at the lower suite, which consists of two rooms, shower/toilet and a private terrace with a beautiful view. The breakfast was rich (bread, cheese, granola, fruit, ...). On the tours, with only three participants, Rolf showed us the most beautiful places and always had some tips for photographing. I learned a lot shot a lot of pictures. We have seen son many animals (orcas, humback whales, bears, sea lions, seals, eagels, ...). It was amazing! The tours were always well prepared and we always had a nice picnic on board, which was prepared by Florence. We really felt as guests and could enjoy the tours. If you are on Vancouver Island this is really a must-do!…
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Date of stay: September 2018Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Sep. 12, 2018
Thanks so much Thomas for your review. Glad you enjoyed your time so much. Hope to see you again. Cheers Rolf
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...make sure you stay with Rolf at his lovely little bed and breakfast and take his tours. We had the most amazing four nights staying in one of his two rooms (the downstairs suite). It was comfortable, huge, had everything we needed and great views across the straits. We went on two tours: a west coast tour that involved driving gravel logging roads and then walking to two incredible beaches and a wildlife watching tour that involved a really early start (5.15am) but that had absolutely everything from watching grizzlies to dolphins, sealions and a humpback whale. All of this was made better by the warmth of Rolf's welcome and his genuine enthusiasm for what he does. He gave us plenty of information and advice on how to take good photographs and Rolf (and his assistant Eva) even managed to bring along a cake and some sparkling wine to celebrate a 50th birthday!! Rolf and Eva also helped us out a lot by dropping us into town for restaurants and the ferry to Alert Bay. A brilliant brilliant stay and I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Do make time to go to Alert Bay as well - 40 minutes on the ferry from Port McNeill.…
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Date of stay: May 2018Trip type: Travelled
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Jun. 21, 2018
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. I really appreciate it!!! With awesome guests like you nothing can go wrong. It was a lot of fun being on tour with you. I hope we can "rinse and repeat" one day again. Rolf
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All the other Tripadvisor reviews are correct. The Artist Point B&B is amazing. A beautiful location, very quiet with a beautiful view of the ocean and bald eagles right in the backyard. We had a lovely breakfast with homemade muesli and homemade bread. So good! Rolf is such a warm, welcoming host and I felt at home the moment I walked in. Stayed in the upstairs suite and it was very quiet and spacious. It was the highlight of our trip to Vancouver Island.
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Date of stay: June 2018Trip type: Travelled
Rooms
Location
Service
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from TheArtistsPoint, Owner at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Responded Jun. 21, 2018
Thank you very much Angie for your review. I very much appreciate it that you took the time to write one for the tour and one for your stay! Thank you Rolf
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LOCATION
CanadaBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandPort McNeill
NUMBER OF ROOMS
2
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours
Which popular attractions are close to The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Nearby attractions include U'mista Cultural Centre (5.2 km), Alert Bay Ecological Park, Alert Bay, British Columbia (6.3 km), and Namgis Original Burial Grounds (6.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Conveniently located restaurants include Pass'n Thyme, Coho Joe Cafe, and Archipelagos Bistro.
Are there any historical sites close to The Artists Point Bed, Breakfast and Phototours?
Many travellers enjoy visiting U'mista Cultural Centre (5.2 km) and 'Namgis Traditional Big House (5.4 km).