Forty-five minutes from Victoria

A private estate on Shawnigan Lake.

Two houses, two acres, one west-facing dock. Sleeps two, or eighteen.

4.96★ on Airbnb · 24 reviews · From $999/night · Replies in 4 hours

The property

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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The main house, dock, and beach at Shawnigan Retreats viewed from the lake at golden hour

What's here.

Eight bedrooms, two acres, one lake. The list below is the rest.

We've watched what people actually use. Eight things, two acres, one lake — that's most of what we hear about when guests write back.

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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.

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Decks and firepit

Adirondack chairs facing west. Gas firepit on the lawn — no wood, no smoke, no ash.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Pickleball

Regulation court. Paddles in the bin by the gate, kids play till dark.

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Theater

Eighty-five-inch screen, tiered seating, Apple TV. Bring your own snacks.

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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.)

Shawnigan Lake on a clear day, with the boathouse, dock, and grass beach in the foreground
Where we are

Cowichan Valley, at the heart of it.

Up the Malahat, then a left at the lake. Coastal Douglas-fir on the way in, the Kinsol Trestle a short drive past. Unsworth, Blue Grouse, and Merridale are within fifteen minutes for tasting; Genoa Bay Café and the docks at Cowichan Bay are about twenty. Victoria International is forty-five minutes; the Tsawwassen ferry to downtown Vancouver is a ninety-minute sail and a fifty-minute drive on the other side.

From Victoria 45 minutes
From downtown Vancouver ~2h 20m via ferry
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How to find us.

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.

Two houses, one estate.

Two acres, one shared dock, sauna, beach, and pickleball court. Take one house, or take both.

Luxurious Lakeside House
Sleeps up to 14

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.

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Charming Lakeview Cottage House
Sleeps up to 4

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.

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What guests say.

"This home was magnificent - the perfect place for some R&R. A beautiful place to watch the sunset, hang out by the lake, chill by the firepit, relax in the sauna and cozy up on the remarkable sofas after a long day."

Christian
Christian
Guest

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.

Tell Brianna your dates