Family-Friendly Hotels in Nanaimo, British Columbia
Nanaimo works well for a family stop on Vancouver Island, between the ferry terminals at Departure Bay and Duke Point and the beaches further north. For this page I chose hotels whose listing offers something concrete for children or parents: indoor pools at the Courtyard by Marriott and the Days Inn, lake-view rooms with a hot tub at the Inn on Long Lake, kitchen suites and breakfast at the Travelodge, and free parking with breakfast at the Best Western Northgate. Downtown, the Coast Bastion and the Best Western Dorchester put the Harbourfront Walkway and Maffeo Sutton Park within a short walk.
Nanaimo is a working port city of around 100,000 people on the east coast of Vancouver Island, and for many families it is the first stop after the ferry from the mainland. The centre faces the harbour, Newcastle Island sits just offshore, and lakes such as Long Lake lie within a short drive of downtown.
Pools, Kitchens and Lakes for Nanaimo Families
A family hotel in Nanaimo should solve the practical side of travel with children: a pool for a rainy afternoon, a kitchen or a fridge for meals, breakfast included and free parking for the car you arrived with on the ferry. The hotels below cover those needs in different parts of town, from the harbour to Long Lake.
Pools carry a lot of weight on a family trip, and two hotels here have indoor ones. The Courtyard by Marriott Nanaimo, near the harbour, adds a hot tub, a fitness centre and a restaurant serving all meals, and each air-conditioned room includes a sofa bed, which helps with a third sleeper. Its rating is 8.5. Note that the building also houses a casino, which children cannot use. The Days Inn by Wyndham Nanaimo offers a heated indoor pool and a hot tub with harbour views, about 5.5 km from the Departure Bay ferry terminal, for a rating of 7.5.
The Inn on Long Lake is the option for families who prefer water outside the window to a pool: rooms look onto Long Lake from a balcony or patio, ten minutes from downtown Nanaimo. A continental breakfast is served daily, and parents can use the hot tub, the dry cedar sauna and the gym equipment once the children are in bed. Its rating of 8.5 over more than a thousand reviews is one of the most consistent in town. A shuttle to Nanaimo Airport is available, which simplifies arrivals for families flying in rather than taking the ferry.
For families watching the budget, the Travelodge by Wyndham Nanaimo combines a deluxe continental breakfast, free parking and some suites with a kitchen and dining area, a few minutes from the BC Ferries terminal and the city centre; guestrooms come with balconies. The Best Western Northgate, rated 8.5, takes a similar approach further north, about 13 km from the town centre: free parking, a daily continental breakfast and a microwave in each room. The Grand Hotel Nanaimo, a ten-minute drive from Departure Bay, gives rooms a refrigerator and coffee machine and runs a restaurant serving West Coast cuisine.
Downtown, two hotels trade a pool for the waterfront. The Coast Bastion Hotel, rated 8.7, is two minutes on foot from the Harbourfront Walkway, where children can follow the shore to Maffeo Sutton Park and the seasonal ferry to Newcastle Island; select rooms include a refrigerator. The Best Western Dorchester Hotel faces the Seaplane Terminal on the Inner Harbour, so the floatplanes landing in front become part of the stay. It offers free parking, accepts pets and has two places to eat, The View restaurant and Top Notch Burgers in the lobby, a simple option for a family dinner.
A traveler's takeFor a family with young children, I would choose the Courtyard by Marriott Nanaimo: an indoor pool, a hot tub and a sofa bed in every room, near the harbour. If your family prefers the outdoors, my recommendation is the Inn on Long Lake, with lake-view balconies, breakfast included and an airport shuttle, ten minutes from downtown.
4.4Coast Bastion Hotel
Family-Friendly · 900 reviewsHarbourfront hotel with ocean views and a short walk to downtown Nanaimo
Why guests love itCoast Bastion puts families in the centre of Nanaimo, a two-minute walk from the shops and restaurants of the Harbourfront Walkway, where children can watch floatplanes and ferries. Rooms have ocean or city views, so ask for the ocean side. An on-site restaurant and a fitness room are available, and select rooms include a refrigerator and bathrobes. There is no pool listed. Pets are welcome. The 8.7 rating from about 900 reviews is strong.
4.3Courtyard by Marriott Nanaimo
Family-Friendly · 653 reviewsWaterfront hotel with indoor pool, hot tub, and on-site casino
Why guests love itCourtyard by Marriott Nanaimo is a comfortable family base near Nanaimo Harbour, with waterfront access for walks along the water. The indoor pool and hot tub are ready in any weather, and rooms include a sofa bed, which gives extra sleeping space for a child. The on-site restaurant serves American food at every meal. A casino and fitness centre are on site too, though they are more for adults. Guests rate it 8.5/10 from over 650 reviews.
4.3Best Western Northgate
Family-Friendly · 186 reviewsComfortable stay with breakfast and free parking on Vancouver Island
Why guests love itEach room at the Best Western Northgate has a microwave and a coffee maker, handy for simple snacks with children, and the daily continental breakfast is included. Parking and WiFi are free, and there is a fitness centre and luggage storage. Nanaimo town centre is about 13 km away, so I would plan on a car for outings around this part of Vancouver Island. There is no pool mentioned for keeping kids busy.
4.3Inn on Long Lake
Family-Friendly · 1019 reviewsLakefront rooms with balconies, a hot tub, and a cedar sauna
Why guests love itFamilies love a lake view, and every room at the Inn on Long Lake has one, with a balcony or patio looking over the water. A daily continental breakfast keeps mornings easy, and the hot tub and dry cedar sauna give parents a quiet hour once children are in bed. Downtown Nanaimo is about 10 minutes away for the harbour and ferries, and a shuttle to Nanaimo Airport is available. There is no pool listed, so lakeside play replaces swimming indoors.
4.1The Grand Hotel Nanaimo
Family-Friendly · 577 reviewsConvenient Nanaimo hotel with a whisky bar and fitness centre
Why guests love itThe Grand Hotel Nanaimo is a handy base for families arriving on Vancouver Island by ferry, as Departure Bay terminal is a 10-minute drive away. Rooms include a refrigerator and coffee machine, useful for snacks and early starts, and some have a balcony. The restaurant serves West Coast cuisine, so dinner can stay on site after a day out. The whisky and wine bar and the fitness centre are more for adults. Guests rate it 8.2/10.
4.1Best Western Dorchester Hotel
Family-Friendly · 948 reviewsHarbour views, downtown convenience, and pet-friendly stays in Nanaimo
Why guests love itI would recommend the Best Western Dorchester to families who want downtown Nanaimo with water in view. The hotel overlooks the harbour, directly across from the Seaplane Terminal, so watching the floatplanes take off is free entertainment for children. Parking and WiFi are free, which keeps a road trip simple, and rooms have coffee makers. The View restaurant has water vistas, and Top Notch Burgers in the lobby suits a casual meal. Pets are accepted.
3.8Travelodge by Wyndham Nanaimo
Family-Friendly · 1242 reviewsBalcony rooms and a deluxe breakfast near the Nanaimo ferry terminal
Why guests love itTravelodge by Wyndham Nanaimo is minutes from the BC Ferries terminal and the city centre, which makes it an easy night before or after a crossing with children. A deluxe continental breakfast is included, many rooms have a private balcony, and some suites add a kitchen and dining area for families who want more space. Parking and WiFi are free. Guests rate it 7.6 from 1,242 reviews.
3.8Days Inn by Wyndham Nanaimo
Family-Friendly · 1207 reviewsHarbour views, an indoor pool, and pet-friendly rooms on Vancouver Island
Why guests love itDays Inn by Wyndham Nanaimo is a useful family stop on Vancouver Island, about 5.5 km from the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal, so it works well the night before or after a crossing. The heated indoor pool and hot tub give children something to look forward to, the on-site restaurant covers dinner, and the harbour views make the room more pleasant. Four rooms are designated pet-friendly. With a 7.5 rating across 1,207 reviews, I see it as a practical ferry-night base.
Local tips
- 1Book the Courtyard by Marriott if a pool is essential, and ask for a room with the sofa bed made up for a third sleeper.
- 2Request a suite with a kitchen at the Travelodge by Wyndham Nanaimo to prepare simple meals for the children.
- 3Ask for a lake-view balcony or patio at the Inn on Long Lake, where every room looks onto the water.
- 4Plan a half-day on Newcastle Island from Maffeo Sutton Park, a walk along the Harbourfront Walkway from the Coast Bastion Hotel.
- 5Choose the Best Western Northgate for free parking and breakfast if you are driving north rather than staying downtown.
- 6Watch the floatplanes from the Best Western Dorchester Hotel, which stands directly across from the Seaplane Terminal.