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Ben and I are still on a high from our incredible trip to Kelowna for our ten year wedding anniversary. We have been to the Okanagan before, but this was our first time at the beautiful Eldorado Resort. We browsed the website and viewed tons of photos, but nothing could prepare us for the amazing weekend that awaited us.
The drive to Kelowna from Vancouver is a scenic one. We took a few stops along the way but mostly enjoyed the drive up. The weather was perfect not too hot, just right! We arrived at Eldorado Resort- Hotel Eldorado around 4 pm. We were greeted by the nicest Valet and he helped us get our car parked and pointed us to the hotel lobby. Our first impression of the resort was exactly how they describe it.
The front desk employees greeted us with a smile and quickly got us our keys and answered all our questions. We later got a tour of the property and I am so excited to share all the details below! I have no doubt that you’ll want to book a vacation here yourself after you see all the incredible features Eldorado Resort has to offer.
Hotel Eldorado
We stayed on this side of the resort for three nights. The Arms Luxury Lake View Suites are beautiful! Our King Bed was oh so comfy – I felt like I melted into it at the end of each day. As you can see in the photos, it was super spacious with a little kitchen equipped with a dishwasher, fridge and coffee maker. I also loved the soaker tub overlooking the lake. We enjoyed having our morning coffee with the most amazing lake view and overhearing families happily launching their boats and enjoying the day on the water. The roof top deck is so stunning in the evenings! We put on our robes and cuddled on the comfy day beds watching the stars.
Hotel Eldorado was established in 1926. Can you believe it? It’s very well known for its heritage and they do such an amazing job of maintaining it. We felt so at home instantly, it has such a small-town feel, everyone is so friendly, and the restaurants are open late (10pm) so you can enjoy the beautiful sunset and evening crisp air. This side of the Resort is home to the Lakeside Dining and The Boardwalk. Oh My Gosh, I cannot even tell you how delicious the food was. I will show you photos but quite honestly, they don’t do them justice. I love that they take advantage of all the incredible products available in the Okanagan and work with local suppliers for most of their menu selections.
Eldorado Marina
The Marina is also located on this side of the resort and is open 7 days a week. (Seasonal) If you are staying at Hotel Eldorado or Manteo, you get 15% off all boat rentals! They have something for everyone so whether you are a party of 12, or just yourself they have you covered. I also wanted to touch on the “Spirit Of The El”. You can rent it for up to 8 people for $2200 and it includes on board dining and a captain. The cool thing is that all the money goes to Kelowna General Hospital Foundation!
Manteo
We loved this side of the resort! Super family friendly with indoor and outdoor pools, fitness area and home to one of the best restaurants I’ve been to, Smack DAB. (Sharing more below!). The rooms are very spacious and homey. When you check in with kids, they let your little ones check in as well and are treated to a little gift. So sweet! Ben and I were already dreaming up how fun it would be to bring our kids here one day! The outdoor pool has waterslide and always a lifeguard on duty.
Dining
The food and drinks were unbelievable. We ordered the Arugula Salad and Argentinian Red Prawns to start. We also heard that the pizzas were to die for so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try! I recommend the Creamy Chicken Club. For the main course, Ben had the Grilled New York and I opted for the Truffle Spaghetti & Meatballs. The dessert menu was full of mouthwatering options, so I told our waitress to surprise us. She did alright! The Peanut Butter & Chocolate Parfait was every chocolate lovers dream. Smack DAB is an amazing place to hang out with good friends and the perfect date night restaurant.
Lakeside Dining
The Lakeside Dining Room is an award-winning Restaurant and it’s not hard to see why. It feels like your stepping back into the 1900’s in the best way possible. The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable, and the dining room was so inviting. We lingered and enjoyed our meals and wine till late. We had the Caesar Salad and Local Cheese and Charcuterie Board to start, New York Striploin Steak & Huli Huli Half Roasted Chicken for dinner. They also have their very own dessert Chef and I can’t say enough good things about the White Chocolate Cheesecake, just WOW! Of course, the wine was amazing as it always is in Kelowna! We also had breakfast here the next day and as you can probably guess, everything was beyond scrumptious.
The Boardwalk
We had lunch on the boardwalk with the best views of the lake. The tables are covered with umbrellas so we were staying nice in cool in the heat while enjoying our lunch. We had chicken wings (so good!) and I tried the plant life burger and it was very yummy! Such a great option if you’re vegetarian.
Sunday Brunch
Never have I seen a brunch spread like I have at The Eldorado! They are famous for their Sunday Brunch and to be honest, I would drive the four hours just to enjoy it again. It was all so beautifully laid out and everything was so fresh. From eggs benny, bacon, roasted potatoes, huge seafood selection to waffle and omelette stations, fresh fruit, pastries and a massive dessert table. There were also gluten free options too. This is an absolute must when your visiting!
Eldorado Lounge & Whisky Room
After our incredible dinner in the Dining Room, we walked over to the Whisky Room where we met Patrick, their very own Whisky Ambassador. I have never tasted Whisky before, so this was a new experience for me! Patrick put together a “flight” of four different types for us to try. Not for me, but if you’re a Whisky fan you will fit right in! They have a live DJ on the weekends so it’s a great place to hang out and grab a drink after dinner with friends.
Wine Tour with Okanagan Wine Country Tours
I was SO excited to go on my first ever wine tour! Marsha from Okanagan Wine Country Tours (first ever wine tour company to open here!) took us to a few of the amazing wineries in the Okanagan. We visited Cedar Creek Winery first, they have the most incredible views of the valley and a beautiful tasting room. We loved learning about all the different types of wine, how to “swirl” and taste the wine and I picked up a bottle of their delicious Rosé to take home.
Next stop was Kitsch Wines and they have the coolest story! The owner founded SAX underwear and after selling his business, opened his winery in the backyard of his parents breathtaking mansion. The wine tasting was so fun and super laid back. The staff was super friendly and we felt like we were among friends.
I highly recommend booking with Okanagan Wine Country Tours when you visit! Their fleet includes luxury SUVs, Mercedes Sprinters – the ultimate in wine touring comfort as well as Ford Transit Touring Vans.
Hotel Eldorado is located a couple blocks away from walking, biking and jogging trails. We enjoyed the resort so much, we only left for the wine tour, but it’s centrally located which I really love! Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back. Ben and I created memories here that will stay with us forever. If you have a honeymoon, anniversary or a special occasion trip coming up, The Eldorado Resort will take very good care of you. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Click here to view Eldorado Resort website
If you have any questions at all, feel free to post them below or send me a quick note: gracefullyglamblog@gmail.com. I would be happy to help! xx
