Hastings House Country House Hotel

Lovely hotel staff. I would like to call out Will, Issac, Jeremy and Jack. They are such hard workers and truly are customer centric. It is a lovely place to visit when on Salt Sptinh Island. I recommend two nights here as it is a small island. The famous chef is just that famous for creating masterpieces. The first night he was there and I had the lamb roast with a mustard seed sauce, very tender, zucchini with the squash blossom I so appreciated and lots of veggies. The endive salad is very special. They are very lucky to have such an incredible chef who makes this a R&C restaurant awards abound on the walls. I recommend the Somerset room if you want a/c and a large expansive lovely room with a view. Farm East/West were booked for a large family gathering as well as they took out all of the tables from other rooms to accommodate a local couple's anniversary so thank goodness the weather outside was divine otherwise you have to go into a conservatory with no charm and are not able to dine in the historic part of the property which is why I came to this country home. The wait staff and kitchen are managed separately and do their own thing so it is not consistent service with the rest of the property. If the servers are in a good mood it lifts the energy if not it can be a bit of a negative vibe going on with the workers. I am senstive to energy and all it would take is a nice smile and a welcoming attitude. It does not need to be so serious it is suppose to be a joyous time. You will meet people who come to dinner from their boats, hotel guests and locals.

Excellent property with great attentive, friendly and professional staff and management. The rooms were very clean with excellent daily service. We loved the daily delivered fresh made morning muffins to our suite. Dining room was exceptional and the selection was perfect. We enjoyed the Salt Spring Island lamb and it was the best we ever had!

My wife and I stayed here two nights as part of a self-guided cycling trip we were on. When you first arrive, you aren't sure what this place is going to be like! It's on a large piece of land, with all kinds of different small "houses" that are the rooms. We stayed in the Hayloft room and it was spectacular! It had a sloped ceiling and a huge (tall) King bed that was the most comfortable bed we've ever slept in! Their bedding was high quality and you just felt like you were snuggled down into an amazing nest! Our breakfasts were included in our package and they were delicious. The dining room has a fantastic view of the Ganges Harbour and there is no bad table in there. We had one dinner here and it was AMAZING! The staff are all extremely professional and the atmosphere of the room was very quiet so very different from a lot of other loud/boisterous restaurants we are all used to going to. The food came out in a timely manner that was neither rushed nor delayed. It is by far the best meal we've had out in a long, long time. Can't say enough about the food/service here! They have many quiet and beautiful places outside to just sit and read or enjoy the scenery. They also have a bocci ball and crocket area! The staff was very helpful with regards to storing our bikes, and someone happily came in early the day we were leaving to get our bikes out of storage, as we had a very early ferry ride to our next island. If you are going to Salt Springs Island, do not miss staying at this Gem or at least dining there!

Really beautiful location, great views over the harbor and quaint pub like decor. Waitress was really sweet but not on top of it. However, for $150+ dollars food was not great. Shepphard's pie delivered cold, sent back and waited 20 minutes then when it came it was dry and poor quality while my husband ate his main course of cod, never got the bread we ordered so we cancelled it; dessert was ok but not for the price. Local wine was really good. I would not recommend it.

The Hastings is well-located relative to the downtown of Ganges. With many restaurants available, it's nice to be able to walk almost everywhere. And some of the best hikes are a short drive away. The grounds of the hotel are kept in very good condition, with a nice garden to tour. There are very good views of the harbour at multiple levels. Though the rooms are showing their age, they are kept very clean and they can be spacious. Some do provide a water view, though that view may be quite limited. You may wish to bring your own extension cord, as outlets won't be in the best locations, and there are no USB ports made available...so bear that in mind. Bring a good, long cord for you ipad. The wifi worked well for us. It would have been great to have the television in the living room rather than the bedroom. No complaints about the gas fireplace, as it provided the necessary 'warm up'. The restaurant served very good breakfasts, with chef specials providing some nice options. A bit stingy with the slices of toast, but I imagine they could bring more if needed. Waiters will expect a tip, which isn't included. Very good coffee. We did enjoy one quite expensive dinner, but did support the local restaurants afterwards - thank goodness they remain open, as the town itself shuts down pretty early. A very expensive stay, but then, you're on Salt Spring Island !