Haida House at Tllaal

My husband and I just spent 4 wonderful nights at Haida House. The staff were warm and welcoming and the restaurant was world class! It is an amazing property right between the river and the ocean that invites exploration. We saw deer every day and the weather changes every 10 minutes. It was purely magical and we highly recommend it. We will definitely be back!

Originally an old bear hunting lodge from the 1970"s and has been modernized, although the bathrooms let you know the era it was built, very small. Main dining area and check in look like an add on and is stunning with the wood work, totems and masks. Breakfast was included with our BC ferries package, no sauna, pool, or games room available. If you are shy of spiders, webs and living in a tree line - caution. Staff were friendly and tried to help out. We stayed in the lodge part but there are 12 cabins available with ocean view. Access to a very long sandy beach is not well marked from the lodge, a short road walk gives you a better access. Huge glorious beach front, you can literally walk for 2 hours out (and then 2 hours back) and not run out of beach. No lodge maps available and no restaurants close by, you have to drive into Skidegate or Port Clements. There is a lovely restaurant at the lodge, very pricey and very limited menu for dinner only. Breakfast was included and it was not open for lunch. So we ate while out and about exploring. Beds were comfortable, rooms was hot, got a screen put in the window so we could leave the window open at night without fear of something crawling in. There was a portable fan in the room but it was not enough for us. Showers are small so if you are large you would have trouble.

We had a pleasant stay in the lodge for 3 nights. The location is exceptional at the end of the road along the Tlell estuary; river on one side, beach on the other. The large grounds are a nice bonus. From this central location you can get easily to locations around Graham Island. The room was good but not exceptional. The beds were only made up once during our stay. After we booked we tried to get in touch with some questions but all emails and phone messages went unanswered; that could be improved. The grounds around the lodge could use a spring clean up. The lodge and restaurant staff - all Indigenous - were very courteous and knowledgeable on things to do and see. What they may lack in big resort details and professionalism, they make us with charm, comfort and local character. The resto food was very good, though breakfast was a little inconsistent. The long walk along the estuary and then back along the beach was sublime: get the Merlin bird app to id all those bird songs! Would love to stay in the Haida-style cedar beach cottages but bit out of my price!

The Haida House at Tllaal is a beautiful accommodation with a great story: In 2011, the Council of the Haida Nation purchased the final trophy bear hunting license on Haida Gwaii. This, in turn, paved the way for the transformation of the Tlell River House into the Haida House at Tllaal. Following some renovations and upgrades to the property, the Haida House opened for business in 2012. The following year, Haida House received the prestigious “accommodations award” from Aboriginal Tourism BC. They also received the nod from high level media, including the Vancouver Sun, NatGeo, and the Globe & Mail. More recently, the Haida House received the Global Vision Award from Travel + Leisure “for leading the way in conscious, environment-minded travel” (2023). All of this is to say the Haida commitment towards environmentally-friendly practices, land stewardship and yahguudang is being recognized and acknowledged worldwide, which is no small feat. And once you’ve had the pleasure of staying at the Haida House – and especially the cabins – you begin to see why. The Haida House Lodge, as noted above, opened in 2012. Featuring an in-house restaurant (the Dining Room), small gift shop, meeting space, patio seating, and ten guestrooms on the upper floor, this edifice serves as the proverbial hub of the Haida House. My partner and I had the pleasure of staying in the Lodge this past September and, overall, we enjoyed our 2-night stay. Our room featured two twin beds; contemporary light fixtures; flatscreen TV; complimentary WiFi; Haida art and pictures of notable places around Haida Gwaii (i.e.: Balance Rock); a mini refrigerator; and, lovely views of the adjacent Tlell River. While I can appreciate that some renovations were done some time ago, it’s clear the small bathroom was left out – it’s very much reflective of the 1980s, when the Lodge was first built (but then, it does have a charm about it). Overall, the Lodge proved to be a cozy space to rest after a day ambling about the Tlell River and Misty Meadows area. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that I struggle to find the full value for money in staying at the lodge. $856 for two nights in a fairly basic accommodation is pretty steep, even with breakfast included. The Cabins at Haida House are a much newer addition, opening late during the 2021 season. Located a couple minutes’ walk up from the Lodge, there are twelve, 2-bedroom cedar cabins nestled between sand and forest. Each cabin is designed to resemble a traditional Haida longhouse, albeit with a contemporary twist. Every cabin has its own deck with covered hot tub and outdoor shower. Inside, the interiors are very contemporary and warm. The living room features a large sectional couch, smart flatscreen TV and large floor-to-ceiling windows, giving you beautiful views of the forest (or beach, if you’re lucky to snag one of the beachfront cabins). The main living space also features a dish washer, sink and microwave; however, ther

A first visit to Haida Gwaii and we booked a four night package at Haida House. This included shuttles to and from Masset airport. The hotel is in a lovely location on a spit of land with the Tlell river to the front and the sea to the rear. Very, very quiet. We were in a cabin all of which face the sea and are accessed by a wooden boardwalk. The views are limited by a high sand dune but the beach is mere steps away. The cabins are very large and simply furnished with comfortable beds and a large sofa. There is a simple catering space which we didn't use. Storage for clothes was limited so we used the bed in the second bedroom which worked fine. All have a private hot tub on their deck. Great shower and plenty of towels. The restaurant is in the main house. Breakfast and dinner is honest and generous served by lovely staff and we enjoyed talking with fellow guests about our day's adventures. The lodge is a former bear hunting lodge, thankfully in the past, and is now owned by the Haida nation. Credit to them for running an excellent lodge and showing the island at its best. The package included opportunities to engage in learning about the Haida culture with unparalleled access to the carving houses and local creators. We learned a lot as a consequence. All the guides were excellent and the management do an excellent job of delivering the best experience for their guests in an area which is not mainstream tourism. Highly recommended.

My daughter and I enjoyed a lovely and relaxing stay at Haida House. We booked a 4 day package in one of the cabins. We arrived a day early and stayed the first night in the lodge. Kathy and every member of the Haida House team were completely professional, warm and welcoming. The food in the restaurant was quite good. The cabin was absolutely fabulous with a truly spectacular view. Every morning I enjoyed a quiet walk on east beach at sunrise and every evening a nice soak in the hot tub. The tours were so much fun and every guide was knowledgeable, informative and friendly. I can't recommend Haida House highly enough.