Accommodations

Under $100

Samesun Kelowna (245 Harvey St., 250/763-9814 or 877/972-6378, www.samesun.com [1], dorm $32, $74 s or d) is a centrally located, purpose-built backpacker lodge. Inside the distinctive three-story building are 120 beds, many in private rooms (with shared bathrooms), with communal kitchens, bathrooms, a large lounge area, and public Internet access. Out back you’ll find a pleasant grassed barbecue area and a beach volleyball court.

$100–150

South of downtown, Siesta Inn (3152 Lakeshore Rd., 250/763-5013 or 800/663-4347, www.siestamotorinn.com [2], $118–168 s or d) offers a beachside atmosphere one block from the water. Rooms open onto a wide balcony overlooking a courtyard and outdoor swimming pool. Many rooms have kitchenettes.

Highway 97 (also known as Harvey Avenue) north of downtown holds many motels tucked between shopping malls, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants. Along this strip is Days Inn Kelowna (2469 Hwy. 97 N, 250/868-3297 or 800/329-7466, www.daysinn.com [3], $129 s or d), with large, modern rooms decorated in Santa Fe style, as well as an outdoor pool and hot tub. As at all Days Inns, rates include a light breakfast.

$150–200

Built in 1926 and moved to its present location in 1989, the Hotel Eldorado (500 Cook Rd., south of downtown along Pandosy St., 250/763-7500, www.eldoradokelowna.com [4], $189–279 s or d) is a delightful lakeside accommodation offering just 19 rooms, each furnished with antiques and many offering a lake view and private balcony. Hotel facilities include a lakefront café, a restaurant, a lounge, and a marina with boat rentals.

North of downtown, Best Western Inn Kelowna (2402 Hwy. 97 N, 250/860-1212 or 888/860-1212, www.bestwesterninnkelowna.com [5], $169 s or d) is a good choice for those who want the amenities of a full resort but don’t want to pay for a waterfront location. Rooms are set around a grassed courtyard, complete with putting greens and an outdoor hot tub. Other facilities include an indoor pool, spa services, fitness room, and a restaurant and pub. The rooms are spacious and modern and come filled with niceties such as air-conditioning, bathrobes, hairdryers, Internet access, and free local calls. Rack rates include Continental breakfast, but as always, check the hotel website for deals and packages.

Over $200

Overlooking the same stretch of lake as the Hotel Eldorado is the colorful and modern Manteo Resort (3762 Lakeshore Rd., 250/860-1031 or 800/445-5255, www.manteo.com [6], from $240 s or d). This self-contained complex includes a 78-room hotel and guest and resident facilities such as a private beach, marina with boat rentals, pool complex with a water slide, tennis courts, a small movie theater, a lounge with billiard table, and a barbecue area. Rates start at $240 s or d for a contemporary-styled hotel room ($280 with a water view), but villas that sleep six can be rented for $560 per night. Outside of summer, bed-and-breakfast is around $160 per couple.

The grandest of Kelowna [7]’s accommodations is Delta Grand Okanagan Resort (1310 Water St., 250/763-4500 or 800/465-4651, www.deltahotels.com [8], from $289 s or d) is a sprawling lakeside development right downtown and integrated with local walking paths. Along the lake side of the resort is a convoluted lagoon, with its own private lock and watercraft rentals, while farther along are eateries and a bar with outdoor seating. Inside, once past the cavernous lobby, you’ll find a fitness center, spa services, restaurants, a lounge bar, and 205 luxuriously appointed rooms.

Lake Okanagan Resort, on the west side of Okanagan Lake, 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) north along Westside Road (250/769-3511 or 800/663-3273, www.lakeokanagan.com [9], from $205 s or d) sprawls over 100 hectares (250 acres) of absolute waterfront property. It offers tennis courts, a par-3 golf course, swimming pools, a full-service marina, and horseback riding. In the main lodge is a restaurant open daily for dinner, a more casual caf‚ where dining alfresco is the order of the day, a poolside bar, and an upstairs lounge. The spacious units are each kitchen-equipped and have a private balcony, but are in need of an upgrade.