A private estate on Shawnigan Lake.
Two houses, two acres, one west-facing dock. Sleeps two, or eighteen.
4.96★ on Airbnb · 24 verified stays · From $999/night · Replies in 4 hours
Two acres on the sunny side of the lake.
Two acres on the sunny east side of Shawnigan Lake, forty-five minutes north of Victoria — close enough that the kids haven't asked "are we there yet" twice. Six bedrooms in the main house, two more in the cottage — take one, or take both. Eighteen people fit without anyone tripping over each other. The water is 14°C in May (bracing), 22°C by late July, and peaks at 24°C in late August (warmer than the Pacific gets all year). In the evenings the loons start in around dusk and the firepit on the beach is lit by nine. We host couples, families, and small companies, year-round.
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What this place is, plainly.
Shawnigan Retreats is a private 2-acre lakefront estate on Vancouver Island, 45 minutes from Victoria. Two houses — a 6-bedroom main house and a 2-bedroom cottage — sleep up to 18 across the property, with a sandy private beach, a 60-foot west-facing dock, a Finnish sauna, hot tub, regulation pickleball court, and 300 Mbps fibre.
It's the closest lakefront vacation rental to Victoria, and the only private-estate option within 45 minutes of YYJ that includes a sauna, hot tub, dock, and pickleball court. The lake hits 24°C by late August — warmer than the Pacific gets all year. Weddings up to 50 seated guests (70 standing) get exclusive use of both houses for the weekend; the wedding party doesn't leave the property. We hold a 4.96-star Airbnb rating across 24 verified stays, plus private wedding and corporate clients.
Eight things, two acres, one lake.
We've watched what guests actually use. The list below is most of what people write home about.
Dock and beach
Sixty-foot dock, twenty steps from the kitchen door. Two paddleboards, two kayaks, and a swim float thirty feet out. The water is 22°C by late July.
Decks and firepit
Adirondack chairs facing west. Gas firepit on the lawn — no wood, no smoke, no ash.
Kitchen
Lacanche induction range, Sub-Zero fridge, an island that seats six. Big enough to cook for fifteen without anyone being in your way — the coffee grinder is by the window, so the early riser doesn't wake the house.
Wi-Fi and a desk
Fibre at about 300 Mbps. A desk facing the lake, in case you have to take a call — most of the time the call goes faster with the water in view.
Sauna and hot tub
Finnish sauna, wood-interior, 90°C in forty minutes from cold. Six-person hot tub at the lakefront. The lake is twelve paces from the sauna door.
Pickleball
Regulation court. Paddles in the bin by the gate, kids play till dark.
Theater
Eighty-five-inch screen, tiered seating, Apple TV. Bring your own snacks.
Gym
Cardio and free weights, so you can pretend you'll use them before spending the afternoon on the dock instead. (The dock wins about four times out of five.)
Up the Malahat, then a left at the lake.
Up the Malahat from Victoria, forty-five minutes if there's no traffic, longer on Fridays after four — most of you will arrive then, which is fine. Take the Shawnigan Lake Road exit and the lake will be on your left for the last seven minutes. The driveway is gravel and unmarked except for the cedar slab with the house number burned into it; if you've passed the trestle sign you've gone two driveways too far.
Brianna will text the door code the morning of, plus a short voice note in case you'd rather hear it. If you arrive before four, leave the bags in the car and walk down to the dock — the kettle is on the counter, and there's a quart of milk in the fridge so the first coffee doesn't turn into a grocery run. The good chairs face west.
The property, in pictures.
Tap any image to see it full-size.
Two houses, one estate.
Two acres, one shared dock, sauna, beach, and pickleball court. Take one house, or take both.
The Lakeside House
Six bedrooms, a chef's kitchen, sauna, dock, sandy beach, and the lake out every west-facing window. Bookable on its own or with the cottage next door.
See the house
The Cottage
Two bedrooms steps from the dock. Quiet, simple, and right on the water — for a couple, or a fourth and fifth pair when the main house is full. Loons at dusk in May; the kids are off the dock from June onward.
See the cottage4.96 stars across 24 verified stays.
Peak weekends book six months out.
Peak weekends book six months out, and we'd hate to be the answer that came too late. Tell us roughly when you're thinking — Brianna writes back within four hours with real availability and a hold on the calendar. No deposit yet.
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