ALOHA WHISTLER ACCOMMODATIONS BLOG

Our community has been working closely over the past months to ensure Whistler’s return to tourism is managed thoughtfully and responsibly, with enhanced safety protocols in place. Now BC has entered Phase 3 of the BC restart plan, Whistler is certainly ready to welcome visitors.

 Let’s interact considerately, Let’s play simply, Let’s explore responsibly, Let’s enjoy patiently!

Whistler Blackcomb has started spinning their gondolas on June 29^th for mountain biking and sightseeing. The Whistler Village Gondola, PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and Blackcomb Gondola will be operating to bring sightseers and hikers up the mountains. To do this you’ll need to purchase a PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Experience Ticket, which gives you access to all the gondolas. Our recommendation is to do this in advance online to reduce contact and save time.

At this time hikers and sightseers are being directed to upload via the Blackcomb Gondola in the Upper Village and bikers in the Whistler Village Gondola to help ease possible congestion points at the base of the mountains.

The Peak Chair, which accesses the highest part of Whistler Mountain where the Cloudraker Skybridge and snow walls are located, will not be open this summer. Some higher alpine hiking trails are still under snow (which is typical for this time of year), but will hopefully open later this summer.

Whistler Farmers Market

The first Whistler Farmers Market of the summer has taken place, restarting July 5^th at a new location,  The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre parking lot and bus loop. You can find fresh local produce, tasty food and artisan goods. Some of the local vendors include: Laughing Crow Organics, Maple Sugar Shack, Plenty Wild Farms, The Garden Shed, Whistler Wood Fire Pizza Company and many more.

Whistler Business Update

Few more local businesses have recently opened up their doors to guests and visitors such as Scandinave Spa Whistler, The Adventure Group with popular Vallea Lumina experience, or Cross Country Connections. Whistler is certainly getting busier and we can see more visitors who are hoping to “Adventure Differently” this summer. For the full list of local businesses open hour and their practices, please click here.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions!

Whistler businesses are reopening in alignment with BC’s Restart Plan and the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s guidelines for a safe restart. While the advisory against non-essential, personal travel remains in effect, we are hopeful that BC will transition to Phase 3 in June, which means we will be ready to welcome BC residents soon. In the meantime, for Whistler locals looking to get out, or visitors planning ahead, this directory provides up-to-date information on what is open in Whistler and how businesses are upholding the highest of standards in health and safety for all.

There are many possibilities for enjoying Whistler’s award-winning food and beverage establishments with restaurants, pubs and cafes now offering take-out, delivery and patio seating. Support local and take your lunch to the park, dine leisurely on an outdoor patio, or feel at ease with physically distanced seating indoors. Remember to check hours directly with businesses as hours are changing frequently.

View Your Whistler Summer 2020 Guide

CURRENTLY WORKING FROM HOME & JUGGLING CHILDREN? WHY NOT WORK AND PLAY IN WHISTLER?

Now you have the chance! At Aloha Whistler Accommodations, we are offering exclusive fortnightly & monthly discounts for your Summer Staycation. Work from a fully equipped, self-contained property while being surrounded by nature. Offer applicable for BC residents only!

All our homes are deep cleaned & have been vacant for a minimum of 54 hours between reservations! Ready for you to move in!

Click here for our featured properties and more information about this fabulous offer!

Looking for more options? We have a large selection of homes, so don’t wait any longer, it is time for your Whistler Summer Staycation to come true!

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As we enter Phase 2 of the BC Restart Plan, we can see our local community showing signs coming back to life! However, even as our local businesses and parks start to reopen with their new safety measures, the travel advisory for non-essential travel is still applicable.

Many BC parks and recreational sites have re-opened for day-use, and overnight camping resume June 1^st. Note, some provincial parks that typically attract large crowds, or whose opening could pose a potential health risk to nearby communities, will remain closed until further notice.

With the opening of Whistler’s parks and trails, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is encouraging residents to get outside and exercise – as well as make smart choices about physical distancing, staying safe and staying local. Almost all of Whistler’s off-road recreational trails are snow-free and open for public use.

Whistler Bike Park, originally scheduled to open May 15^th has been delayed. The team is working hard at to reopen to the public, while ensuring their staff and community stay safe. This is the same for their sightseeing activities.

Some of Whistler’s restaurants and cafes have opened for dine in options, with new restrictions. These include Hunter Gather, Earls Restaurant, Cranked Coffee, Caramba Restaurant and Pizzeria Antico! Other establishments are hoping to open up in the coming weeks. To see an updated list of who is opening up for business, click here

Along with many other local businesses open for pick up or delivery, the usual quality and variety is still present in our amazing resort town. Whistler community is very strong and has really come together to support local businesses.

Many activity providers have also started to welcome sport enthusiasts through their doors. Canadian Wilderness Adventures, Whistler Golf Club and driving range, Whistler Photo Safaris, Canadian Outback Rafting, Nicolas North Golf Club and Whistler Creek Athletic Club are now open for reservations.

Feel free to contact us for the most recent Whistler updates.

30 Hours between guests. After a guest leaves a home, we are waiting 24 hours prior to our housekeeping teams entering. Rest assured, they are taking the necessary procedures to clean your vacation home. 

Mountain views, forest trails and Lakeside Meadows…. all more desirable than ever following a time when travel and outdoor pleasures have been restricted. However, here at Aloha Whistler, we know guests will also be seeking reassurance that the inside of their holiday home will be just as enticing and welcoming as the outside environment here.

In this time of heightened hygiene awareness we want you to come and holiday with confidence, so our professional and experienced teams are working extra hard to keep both our guests and employees safe.

We have outlined below some of the measures we have put in place:

• We are following all guidelines given by Worksafe BC as well as for the accommodations sector.
• There will be a minimum of 30 hours between each stay and we will not be offering any back to back bookings at this time. This gives us time to safely and efficiently sanitise and clean our homes between each guest.
• We will be doing additional sanitation of high touch areas, including door handles, light switches and hard surfaces.
• Homes will also be thoroughly aired out between stays.
• All linens and towels are professionally laundered at a high temperature offsite.
• We inspect each home before each arrival, and will continue to do so.

We will still offer 24 hour assistance and will remain committed to providing our usual high standard of service and support. We will respect social distancing and are already well equipped to offer our services remotely. Whilst we would love to meet you on arrival in the resort, and during your stay, we will mostly only communicate by phone and email.

We are aware from time to time guests require additional items. Don’t worry, we will operate a system where we can do doorstep drop-offs – so whilst you may not see us, we will still be looking after you just as much as ever.

Should there be any maintenance issues whilst a property is occupied, these will be safely attended to whilst you are out enjoying the resort.

It is our intention to make sure there is minimal impact on your Aloha holiday experience during this time.

While we may not be able to see you, our quality of service will still be there.

For more information on the guidelines we are following, Click here.

Contact us with any questions you have, we shall be happy to assist!

Follow us for the latest Whistler updates!

Aloha Whistler have always offered a full concierge service and will continue to do so. We are as keen as ever to share our wealth of local knowledge to ensure you can get the best from your visit – we can also point you towards some of the hidden local gems.

With all guest communication available over the phone and email, social distancing is easy, while still having the 24 hour service and support you need to enjoy your stay. On arrival in Whistler, give us a call and we will greet you over the phone. As soon as your home is ready we will issue a door code so you can enter without the need of a physical check-in or key handover.

Your health and safety is of utmost importance to us and we are doing everything needed to meet the provincial health guidelines. We only ever work with housekeeping companies who offer the highest standards and who have now added Covid-19 related practices to ensure all areas are appropriately sanitised between each stay.

Please note, we will not be offering back-to-back bookings for the foreseeable future. This will give our dedicated housekeeping and aloha teams sufficient time to ensure each home is safe, clean and welcoming.

We are very excited to get back to what we do best – providing a friendly and first class service for guests, to ensure you get to enjoy your well deserved break, in one of the world’s most beautiful resorts.

Please note, we are following provincial and federal public guidelines and we will ensure all business operations continue to do so. For more information on these, please visit BC COVID-19.

Why visit Whistler during thIS sPRING?

Visiting Whistler this Spring? 2017 is Canada’s 150th Birthday – come celebrate with us! Looking for inspiration forthings to do in Whistler this spring?

WHISTLER, BC November 18, 2014 – Much to the delight of eager skiers and snowboarders, Whistler Blackcomb will be opening five days ahead of schedule on Saturday, November 22. The decision to kick off the winter season early was made possible after natural snowfall at higher elevations was followed by a streak of below average temperatures, providing prime conditions for snowmaking.

“Our snowmaking team has been working hard to take advantage of this early season cold snap in Whistler and has converted over 60 million gallons of water into snow over the past few weeks,” says Doug MacFarlane, Director of Mountain Operations at Whistler Blackcomb. “Their efforts, combined with the natural snowfall we have already received at higher elevations, has enabled us to get things rolling early again this year. And with more natural snow in the forecast for later this week, it should be a fun opening weekend.”

Whistler Mountain will be opening five days ahead of schedule on Saturday, November 22 with five lifts running. Guests will have the option to upload from either the base of Whistler Mountain via the Whistler Village Gondola, featuring brand new cabins, or the Creekside base via the Creekside Gondola. Blackcomb Mountain will open, as scheduled, on Thursday, November 27, 2014.

“With all the excitement of opening day, we want to remind guests early season conditions will apply, especially off piste,” says MacFarlane. “It is important to obey all mountain signage, ski and ride on open runs only and stay within the operational area marked by ‘Temporary Boundary’ signage.”

First upload on the Whistler Village Gondola and Creekside Gondola will begin at 8:30am, with last upload at 2pm on November 22, with mandatory download off the mountain. Emerald Express, Big Red Express and the Franz Chair lifts will be running, allowing access to 1800 vertical feet of skiing and riding terrain. Runs set to open include Upper and Lower Ego Bowl, Upper Whiskey Jack, Upper Franz’s, Papoose, Orange Peel and Pony Trail. There will also be a small terrain park accessible from the top of the Emerald Express chair and green learning terrain serviced by a Super Carpet at Olympic Station. Guests can keep updated on the most current lift status information at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/lifts-and-grooming or from mobile devices via the Whistler Blackcomb LIVE app, powered by TELUS.

Opening day guests will have the first chance to experience the brand new Whistler Village Gondola cabins installed this fall. The new Sigma “Diamond” level walk-in cabins dramatically improve the experience for skiers, snowboarders, and sightseers with eight passengers able to sit comfortably on bench seating. The new cabin configuration also gives guests the option of bringing their ski/snowboard equipment inside with them or storing it themselves in the outside racks provided.

Opening day will be the first time skiers and riders at Whistler Blackcomb will experience the benefits of the newly introduced RFID technology around the mountains, including mountain access gates at most lifts. Guests are reminded to store their new RFID Access Cards in a left-side pocket away from cell phones, credit cards and foil in order to reduce signal interference at the access gates. For more information about RFID at Whistler Blackcomb, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/rfid.

Whistler Mountain dining locations set to open on November 22 include Essentially Blackcomb Cappuccino Bar and Garbo’s Grill in the Carleton Lodge, Dusty’s Bar & Grill and Dusty’s Backside in Creekside, the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain, and the Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler’s world-famous location for après.

Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations in Whistler Village is currently operating daily from 9am to 5pm. The Blackcomb Day Lodge and Creekside Guest Relations will also be open from 9am to 5pm daily beginning Wednesday, November 19. All three locations will be open from 9am to 7pm on Friday, November 21 and from 7am to 5pm on Saturday, November 22. From November 23 onwards only the Village and Creekside Guest Relations will operate daily from 8am to 5pm until Wednesday, November 26 when the Blackcomb Day Lodge will open again in preparation for Blackcomb Mountain opening for skiing/riding on November 27. The Hours of Operation for all Guest Relations locations can be found at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/hours-of-operation.

Ski and snowboard rentals will be available at the base of Whistler Mountain at Gondola Rentals, from 8am – 5pm, Essentially Blackcomb from 7am – 5pm, the Salomon Store from 8am – 8pm, and the Fairmont and Can-Ski Westin from 8am-6pm. Can-Ski Creekside will be open at the Creekside base from 8am – 5pm.

Private and adult Max 4 ski and snowboard lessons will be available on Whistler Mountain, and can be booked online or by calling 1-800-766-0449. Discover Whistler Days are on now through to December 14 offering 25 per cent off select group snow school lessons.

Beginning November 22, Whistler Blackcomb’s Snow Report will be updated daily throughout the season and can be accessed online or by calling 604-932-4211 in Whistler, 604-687-7507 in Vancouver, or toll-free at 1-800-766-0449.

For Canadian and Washington State residents, Whistler Blackcomb offers the EDGE Card, allowing guests to ski/ride from $69 (CDN) a day. EDGE Cards are valid for use all season long, and are available at early bird pricing until November 30, at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/save.

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The month of May is a very interesting time in Whistler. The sun is shining, the temperatures are soaring, the snow is melting, the beaches and golf courses are open, and the mountain bike trails are getting prepared for an opening in the very near future (May 17th, to be exact).
With temperatures reaching the 30’s (Mid 80’s for my American friends), it’s not uncommon to see the general population in Whistler wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops, while standing beside a skier or snowboarder who’s fully decked out in gear which looks WAY too warm.

(Case in point. PS, retro one-piece suits NEVER go out of style in Spring time)

That being said, the end of May brings about a new sport – the Whistler Triathlon (I wonder if we can turn this into an Olympic sport). The Whistler Triathlon isn’t your regular run of the mill triathlon. In fact for a very short period, between May 17th (opening of the Bike Park) until May 27th (last day of spring skiing on Blackcomb) opens up a window for the die-hards. Start the day off skiing or snowboarding, followed up with a downhill mountain bike ride in the afternoon, and topped off with a round of golf or a wakeboard at Green Lake in the late afternoon. Or for those feeling VERY adventurous, you can even possibly make it to Vancouver Island in time for an evening surf session.

You know you’re in a sports oriented town when these are serious discussions, of how many different sports you can accomplish in one day!

Maybe this is why no one seems to age in this town 😉

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One of my favourite Whistler photographers has released his first set of photos in his Whistler 2013 gallery.

A few of my favourites below:

(Harmony Chair)

(James Heim standing on top of the world….ok, 7th Heaven)

(Dana Flahr killing the powder on Blackcomb)

To view the entire gallery, click HERE

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