Carolyn’s Blog

Thanks to Hotels Combined for another Award!

2018 RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE

Two Eagles Lodge

HotelsCombined

10.0 Rated by Guests

Grateful for another award!

Thank you to Hotels Combined UK for our recent award of excellence!  Here’s the text from the press release:

HotelsCombined, the Australian-based hotel meta-search company, has awarded Two Eagles Lodge with its “Recognition of Excellence 2017” award for being among the top 3% of accommodations in the world.

The recognition of Two Eagles and other award recipient properties is the result of  an extensive survey of millions of guest reviews of different types of accommodations in Canada; the survey was conducted by Hotels Combined.

The HotelsCombined Recognition of Excellence is not a ranking list but a group of outstanding accommodations chosen based on a strict set of criteria.

“We are thrilled to be working with the best accommodations in Canada, and Two Eagles Lodge is certainly among them” said Alberto Castellucchio, market manager of HotelsCombined Canada.  He adds,  “What is different about the Recognition of Excellence is the way information is gathered and analyzed: it all depends on the guest and his or her experience with that particular accommodation.”

At the time of the survey, Two Eagles Lodge had nearly 250 reviews with  a high satisfaction rating among guests and travel industry experts, netting an impressive rating of 9.8 out of 10.

According to Carolyn Touhey, co-owner of Two Eagles, “We are proud that our guests are pleased with their experience at our place, as well as our commitment to being ambassadors for our island.   For an international company as well-reputed as HotelsCombined to recognize us, we are honored.”

Two Eagles Lodge, which opened in 2007, is a built-for-purpose B&B and vacation rental in south Union Bay.   It is situated on 12 pastoral acres, offering breathtaking views of Baynes Sound and the coastal mountains east of Comox.  The B&B is also a venue for weddings, reunions, retreats, business and private parties.

For more details, visit: www.hotelscombined.ca or www.TwoEaglesLodge.com.

Snowbirds dazzle Comox–perspective from the air

Every year, the Comox Valley area of Vancouver Island is treated to a spectacular demonstration by our Canadian Snowbirds, similar to the Blue Angels in the US. This video gives a way-cool perspective that spectators never see. And, our pretty Comox Valley is in the background. Enjoy!! https://www.youtube.com/embed/tTnTEvKC-sE

House Concert Alert!

Two Eagles Gets CWF certification

The Canadian Wildlife Federation certified Two Eagles Lodge as one of fewer than 100 properties in British Columbia to be certified in their “Backyard Habitat Program.” Thanks to the Comox Valley Record for sharing our news! http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/business/369353311.html

Two Eagles Certified By Canadian Wildlife Federation–one of 74 in British Columbia

Union Bay, BC–Two Eagles Lodge, a waterfront B&B/vacation rental in the Comox Valley, just received certification by the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) through their Backyard Habitat Certification Program. Certification is valid for five years.

Two Eagles is one of 74 properties in British Columbia, and 939 in Canada, to be certified by the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) for proactive efforts to create “backyard habitat”, as of February 11, 2016.

According to the CWF website, “Our Backyard Habitat Certification Program, which started in 1999, recognizes the amazing efforts Canadians are taking to meet the habitat needs of wildlife. The program encourages Canadians to take action on behalf of wildlife by creating habitat that is pesticide-free and meets the four needs of wildlife: food, water, shelter and space.”

When Carolyn and Steve Touhey built Two Eagles in 2006, they worked with their contractors to maintain areas on their 12-acre property that would be wildlife friendly, including keeping heavily treed areas, select stumps, and seasonal streams that run through the property.

As part of their development, they added features, such as a large pond, fruit trees, and many gardens with carefully selected feeders, shrubs, and perennials that attract birds and butterflies. There are two resident eagles just off the property line, which grab sticks and branches from trees at Two Eagles to fortress their nest each year.

Each year, they also hang more than 40 flowering baskets around the porches to help with pollen. Raising honey bees is on the agenda for the coming year.

Ms. Touhey says, “We love nature and wildlife, so doing our little bit on our own property to help wild creatures live safely, while also creating a setting that is appealing to our guests, just makes sense. To receive recognition from such a respected organization for that effort is really cool and very rewarding.”

She adds, “Our feeders consistently attract more than 20 hummingbirds. They’re so crazy at sunset, we even posted their ‘Feeding Frenzy’ on the YouTube channel for Two Eagles Lodge. Our guests are often amazed by them, they sit by the feeders and snap, snap, snap—hoping to get the perfect photo.”

Since inception in 1962, the Canadian Wildlife Federation has “worked diligently to foster this Canadian way of life. We deliver programs that encourage people to experience the great outdoors, learn about the wonders of nature and the trials it faces. We also challenge government and industry to improve legislation and practices that negatively impact wildlife and habitat.”

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is recipient of the designation as “1 of the top 25” charities in Canada; there are more than 86,000 charities in this country. They have more than 300,000 supporters.

Two Eagles Lodge was built for purpose by the Touheys in 2006. Since that time, they have received numerous awards, including the 2015 induction into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame for five consecutive years of five-star ratings, two Vancouver Island BBB Torch awards, and 2011 Vancouver Island Business Excellence–Tourism/Hospitality Business of the Year (and finalist status this year). The property has also evolved into a popular venue for events—from retreats and business parties to house concerts and weddings. # # #

The Bear Forest is being Saved! Yeah!

Check out this story and celebrate with us! http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/final-agreement-reached-to-protect-bcs-great-bear-rainforest/article28475362/

Let It Snow…

Hoping you had a great holiday. We were busy being Santa and Mrs. Claus and then spending time with the grand kids (4 and 20 months), enjoying the wide-eyed wonderment of the season through their eyes. Lots of photos. Today, we’re actually enjoying a rare snow in the Valley. Thanks to our moisture, it’s sticking to the trees and is absolutely beautiful. Mount Washington, just 30 minutes away, is a winter wonderland, so we’re grateful to have such a great mountain so close…it beats going to the gym! With us, you can stay at the beach yet be in ankle-deep powder in minutes. Call to book today. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Seaplane Company offers Mail Run That is a “Bucket Lister” –AMAZING!

Corilair Seaplanes in Campbell River, just 1 hour north of us, offers an amazing, amazing opportunity for our guests and others.  They take passengers in their seaplanes when they deliver the mail to outlying fish camps and private islands in an area known as Desolation Sound, which is the southern part of the Inside Passage where the cruise ships go to/from Alaska.
The scenery is second to none, and the company is superb.  It’s family owned and they know  how to show people a beautiful part of the world in a way that is totally different than cruising through the fjords on a boat.   Be sure to check out their Mail Run when you visit this area of Vancouver Island.  And, if you stay at Two Eagles Lodge, you get a discount when we book your flight.

Scuba Diving Rocks on Vancouver Island

With the winter months ahead of us, this is the time to get out the dry suit and blow bubbles.  The visibility is at its best in the winter, with no algae to impact it.   Local dive operators, Pacific Pro Dive and UB Diving, have equipment to rent, and instructors to teach.

Vancouver Island is ranked #2 in the world for marine diversity and water clarity according to the Jacques Cousteau Society.

Plan your getaway now and come blow bubbles with us.   Visit the dive operators’ websites for some amazing photos and come see what you’re missing.