Ahhh… the Okanagan… it’s one of my must-do’s every summer, and why not? It’s only a few hours’ drive from the city! I find it to be a beautiful little getaway in Vancouver’s back yard. 4 hours away and you’re whisked into BC’s little “Mexico”. Of all the times I have gone up to Kelowna, I have never stayed at a more beautiful and relaxing resort as the Manteo / Hotel Eldorado.
Our experience started right at the front, no not the lobby, but with the parking valet! He was super helpful in directing us where to park as a guest of the hotel, and then ran off to find us a trolley for our luggage - all with a big smile on his face. The friendly hospitaility continued through the resort, from the front desk, to the restaurant staff, to any employee we walked by!
Manteo Lobby
Eldorado Hotel Suite
The rooms at both Manteo and Eldorado Hotel were very spacious and well laid-out. Aside from the beautiful rooms with breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake, there are also a lot of amenities that come with your stay, including a clubhouse (pool, slide, hot tub, pool table, sauna, etc), hot tubs, adult outdoor pool, exclusive beach, Eldorado Marina, just to name a few. I felt like we were whisked away into a different country all together. In fact, we did not leave the resort at all for the first 2 days there. It’s the ultimate way to unwind and relax in my opinion. Everything just moves a little slower and I am not complaining one bit about that!
Eldorado Marina
The Eldorado Marina has Okanagan's largest exclusive fleet of Mastercraft tournament boats and Waverunner rentals. You can rent one of their boats and rip around on Okanagan Lake during your stay, whether it be an hour, a day or for a week! You can also rent a SUP, kayak or bicycle from their Boardwalk shore! We rented a bike and biked from the hotel to Downtown Kelowna - what a fun ride, and a different way to explore the city.
This is the Spirit of the El - one of the owner’s personal 34 foot sedan cruiser. You can rent this beauty out for up to 8 passengers for $2200, comes complete with a Captain & Crew and will be catered. The thing that stood out to me the most is that the money collected will all be donated to the Kelwona General Hospital Foundation (KGH). It’s a way for the owner to give back - which is absolutely amazing!
Spirit of the El
We can’t forget about the food offered at both the resorts. We had an incredible dinner the first night there at Smack Dab (Manteo Resort) - it was so difficult to decide on what to order from their menu, but of course I ended up ordering the Lamb Rack. Chef Ryan Byrne did an amazing job! It’s no wonder they won Diner’s Choice 2019!
We then hopped over to the Hotel Eldorado side for the next few days of brunching, lunching and dining at Lakeside Dining - despite seeming like we are dining at the same restaurant for most of our meals, they have different offerings within their establishment - The Boardwalk, Dining Room, Lounge + Whisky Lounge. The Boardwalk is the perfect place for brunch and lunch - you are seated right on the boardwalk overlooking the Marina with the view of Okanagan Lake, while basking in the sun. We did a lot of people AND boat watching from this boardwalk while sipping on a latte. The Dining Room gives a slightly different vibe as the sun sets and the bottles of wine come out for dinner. You get a slightly different menu to choose from, and again, all the offerings are drool-worthy.
Wood fire oven at Smak Dab, Manteo
Eldorado Dining Room
Eldorado Boardwalk lunch - Plant Life Burger, Steak Frites + Arugula and Shrimp Salad
Eldorado Lakeside Dining Room - Filet Mignon with seared Quebec foie gras
On Friday night, we wandered over to the Whisky Room after dinner to experience “Friday at the El”. It was a cross between a lounge, bar, and club. The DJ was playing up some awesome tunes as we chatted with Patrick and Harry about their whisky selections. Along with their wide selection of whisky, they also have many whisky based cocktails, on-site barrel-aged cocktails and of course, flights of whisky. One of my favourites of the night is the Barrel-aged Old Fashion Sour that Harry had come up with - DELICIOUS!
Whisky Room
Whisky Flight
Aged Old Fashion Sour
Thank you for an absolutely relaxing getaway, it was a much needed weekend to unwind, and eat & drink our way through Kelowna. I can’t wait to be back at Eldorado Resorts next time I’m up in K-town!
