Hastings House Rainfest Celebrates The Wet Stuff

Jan 30 , 2007

Pack your rain slicker and brush up your rain dancing steps when you stay at Hastings House Country House Hotel on Salt Spring Island this spring. The first annual RainFest, between March 16 and May 31, 2006, celebrates the rejuvenating aspects of the season: young daffodils, warm sunshine, dewy meadows, promises of blossoms to come, and yes, even spring showers. Spring room rates apply at Hastings House during the RainFest, beginning at $295.00 CDN for a bed sitting-rooom, including wake-up hamper and afternoon treats.

boots Guests staying at this idyllic Gulf Island retreat will revel in all the pleasures that spring rain brings. If it rains during your stay, no need to stay inside: you’ll receive a gift of a Hastings House umbrella for exploring the gardens and gallery hopping in Ganges Harbour. You’ll also be entered for a chance to win a pair of decorative hand-painted Salt Spring Island gumboots created by Kristin Shoolbraid (www.paperstoneartworks.com), perfect as tall flower vases or a whimsical door stops. The RainFest menu is seasonal too, with Drenched Mussels, Duck Soup, Puddled Lobster, Rafted Venison, and Mud Pie, while rain-inspired drinks, Cloudy Bay Chardonnay, Mudslides, or London Fog, complement the spring theme.

Hastings House sits on 22 acres of verdant woodland, pastures and lawns, overlooking Ganges Harbour on Salt Spring Island, one of British Columbia’s idyllic Gulf Islands. The Hotel’s 18 individually designed suites, each with a fireplace and separate sitting area, are housed in charming cottages and restored farm buildings, many with private water-view porches. The intimate spa offers a range of body treatments, while Chef Marcel Kauer’s cuisine has won accolades in the Zagat Report and Sante Magazine.

Celebrate springtime at Hastings House as the first crocuses emerge, newborn lambs frolic in the fields, and a crackling fire awaits in your suite. For more information and to reserve your room during RainFest, please contact Hastings House at (800) 661-9255).