The Story Behind the Magic

Sometimes the best ideas come from the places we escape to in our minds.

Back in 2013, I was just another burnt-out corporate consultant who'd spend my weekends buried in fantasy novels and gaming sessions. My friends used to joke that I lived more in Middle-earth than in Vancouver. They weren't exactly wrong.

One rainy November evening - and if you know BC, you know that's basically every evening - I was sitting in yet another cookie-cutter hotel room after a client meeting. Beige walls, generic art, the usual soulless vibe. I thought, "what if someone actually built a place where you could live inside those stories we all love?"

Took me three years of planning, convincing investors who thought I'd lost it, and finding this perfect spot in Whistler. The building itself had history - an old mountain lodge from the 1920s that'd seen better days. Instead of tearing it down, we restored it, adding our own magical touches.

I partnered with set designers from the film industry, fantasy authors, and even a few Renaissance fair veterans (yeah, really). We wanted every corner to tell a story, every suite to transport you somewhere else entirely.

Opening day in 2016 was terrifying. Would people actually want this? Turns out, there were way more of us fantasy nerds out there than I thought. We've been fully booked most weekends ever since.

What makes me proud isn't just the fancy suites or the awards we've won. It's watching couples get engaged in our Moonlight Glade, kids' eyes light up when they see their dragon-themed room, or groups of friends finally living out their D&D campaigns in real life at our banquet hall.

We're not trying to be the biggest or the fanciest. We're just here for folks who want their vacation to feel like stepping into another world - even if it's just for a weekend.

- Helena Eldrathen, Founder & Dream Keeper