Rowena’s Inn on the River

After helping some dear friends/​clients buy a house up in the new Harrison Highlands/​Mt Woodside community, they wanted to treat us for all our efforts, and treat us they did! An evening out at Rowena’s. Located at Morris Valley Rd, in the small Harrison Mills (Pop 79!), you would think you have stepped back into the luxury of the Hotel Vancouver of the 1920’s or the Banff Fairmont (the boutique house hotel). Situated alongside Harrison River and about 3 Km from the historic frontier town of Kilby — it may seem an unusual place for such class and atmosphere — but as it is joined to the Sandpiper Golf Course, it thus becomes a perfect mix creating a ‘destination’ experience, especially the dining, which requires no memberships.
The views are exceptional and the restaurant itself a combination of rustic and modern. We had the fantastic fortune of having the company of |Betty Anne Pretty, whose family history makes up the incredible backstory to how Rowena’s came to be. As owner, you will see her around — it is well worth it to make her acquaintance if you are a history buff, or just enjoy the tales of a still owned family business that has been around and made it through many different eras.
The food was extraordinary, myself having the Duck. The best I have had up to this point was at ‘The Girl & The Fig’ in Sonoma, CA and thought it could not get better, but Rowena’s topped it. The Croquet was perhaps the most perfect I have ever had, and they are hard to get just right. It was! The dishes may seem elegant, but are surprisingly hearty and filling. Later upon seeing the Chef was a younger lady, I just knew she has big things in front of her, she has the absolute touch of a master Chef. So make sure to dine here while they have such extraordinary employ!

My wife and I have stayed at Rowena’s cottages over the last 10 years, so we are very familiar with it’s offerings. This review is specifically for the accommodation in the cottages as we have never stayed in the Inn.
The resort has gone through some service team changes lately. I have to say after our recent stay there, I am very pleased with the new changes. The biggest surprise was the dinner and breakfasts in the Inn dining restaurant. Not to be mistaken for the River’s Edge restaurant that is also part of the resort. In the past, they would serve a hot breakfast, brought directly to the cottage each morning. We were always very impressed with the quality and amount of food. It was a huge selling point for us, not having to leave the comfort of our cottage in the morning and have this amazing breakfast brought to us. When we heard that this was no longer being offered and instead breakfast was served at the Inn’s dining room, we were kind of disappointed. However, after experiencing breakfast in the Inn, I must say, we had no reason to be. It was VERY impressive. The Inn dining room is so elegant and inviting. The service was great and the food top notch. We were so pleasantly surprised by how good it was that we have now completely forgotten about how nice it was to have the breakfast brought to the cottages. I have learned a valuable lesson that change is definitely something to embrace at times.
On our first night, we had dinner at the Inn, and it was absolutely perfect. Again, the Inn has a very comforting, inviting atmosphere that just makes you not want to leave. Our table was right in front of the large wood burning fireplace, which set the cozy mood for our elegant meal. The dishes were very good. I had the steak and barley with port reduction. My wife had the salmon Wellington, equally as good. The wine menu had an excellent selection, paired very well to our meals. The service was very friendly and professional. This is fine dining at its best. Similar to an experience one would find at Le Gavroche in Vancouver.
The cottages are a treat that everyone who enjoys coziness with a loved one should experience. Heated floors, wood burning fireplace with wood that is stocked for you, a complimentary welcome wine and cheese plate at check in, and spectacular views of the grounds and river. If you stay there between November and January, you can watch the bald eagles and listen to the trumpeter swans right from the comfort of your bed.
It has taken me 10 years to finally write a review on this favourite spot of ours. I have always feared that I could not write enough or well enough to properly and fully convey the unique and special experience this place has to offer. After this recent stay, I had to finally share how amazingly special this place truly is. We are very fortunate to have a unique place like this to visit so close to home, yet feel so tucked, far away. In recent years, there may have been some slips in quality, however with the new service team, along with the high standards in quality of Betty-​Anne, the owner of the estate, Rowena’s offers elegance and tranquility in an award winning style. Many more visits anticipated in the future.

The setting is gorgeous, but the entire serving experience was a huge amateur mess. When our party arrived, on time for a reservation made a week earlier, our table wasn’t ready. Then, they got several things wrong with both our appetizer order and our entrées; the service was beyond slow despite there being more than enough waitresses on shift to handle an early-​afternoon crowd; we had to clear our own table between courses; and we had to send one dish back for being overdone and get corrections to several missing sides.
To their credit, when we complained, the head chef did discount the egregiously erroneous items and comp our pops… But given the comedy of errors, well, we still left less than impressed. When we were leaving, a couple at the table behind ours mentioned that they’d been there 40 minutes and hadn’t even had somebody ask them for their drink order!
When it finally arrived, the food wasn’t bad, but not outstanding by city standards; the only way they can charge what they do is because of the breathtaking view and the fact that they’re the only fancy restaurant for fifty miles.

This is a review of the B&B and of the golf course.
The bed and breakfast is located next to the golf course and is owned by the the same family that owns the course. Best described as a resort. It is located out of the way from Harrison Hot Springs and it is in a tranquil and quiet area next to the Harrison River.
The original house on the property has been renovated, and a golf course was added by the descendants of the original owner of the property. The main house has been renovated so that each room is a guest room. In addition, each room bears one of the names of the original ancestral occupants of the house.
There are also cottages that are available for overnight stays. The cottages are separate from the main guest house and is nestled a little more into the forest that surrounds this property.
Dinning is offered by the River’s Edge Restaurant, that also serves the Sandpiper Golf course patrons. Foodwise, it is OK.
The Sandpiper Golf Course is a very nice place for a round. It runs along the Harrison River on a couple of holes and also has old growth trees on a few others. There is also an airstip near one, possibly two holes. Don’t knock you balls onto the airstrip, it is OB! I’ve seen planes land there on ocassion.
A very nice place for an escape from the city, or for a round of golf. I’ve played here several times.