Ocean Trails Resort — Hotel in Parksville

We literally just returned after an amazing one week stay! My parents took myself, my husband and our two young kids (ages 3.5 years and 17 months). My brothers also came up for a few days each.

We had a 3 bedroom unit and we found it spacious, updated and especially loved the waterfall shower in the downstairs bath. Enough space for all of us and the kids loved the coziness of the upstairs as we don't have an upstairs at home. Good idea to bring salt and pepper as well as some food storage stuff for leftovers if you are planning on cooking. We also rented a BBQ for the week which was great. Loved that the outdoor table had a fold out extention leaf! Our kids also absolutely loved the foresty Grove outside our unit. They loved just playing in the dirt with their trucks.

We loved the proximity to Rathtrevor Beach (best beach with kids ever and also a very nice almost private stretch of beach at this point of the beach). One downfall is the ramp down, it's very steep which was a bit of a struggle with a younger child as well as anyone with mobility issues. Also the way the ramp is structured with the wood pieces you can't really pull a wagon up and down it so you have to haul all your stuff up and down by hand. Manageable but not easy with young children.

Others mentioned feeling like AC was needed, we were comfortable and never overly hot. Upstairs cooled off exceptionally well at night.

The pool is a WINNER for all and extremely family friendly. Our kids loved it! We all loved it! The hot tub is amazing as well and everything was always clean. We didn't use the playground much but it's a nice addition to the resort as well. Games, puzzles, sporting goods, books, etc available to borrow from the office also a nice touch!

Proximity to essentials like gas and grocery stores is less than 5 minutes. There is a mini golf place right across the street which was enjoyed by the adults. My husband and I also had a glorious kid free splurge at the Grotto spa at Tigh Ni Mara which is a 5 minute walk from the resort, we would highly recommend!

All in all we had a fabulous time, so fabulous that we already booked for next summer! Can't wait to go back!

Thank you to the friendly staff who answered all our questions and were prompt with...

This resort is such a nice place to escape and relax. Two minutes walking from the beach if you get a unit by the swimming pool. The swimming pool only 3 feet deep but it is great for kids. I recommend getting a unit close to the pool and the playground so it is more convenient if you have kids. The units are privately owned and each one has different layouts and options. I am sorry that I have to give this resort one star rating because there are many downsides at this resort. First, we were told after arrival that all condos , one bedroom, two bedrooms and three bedrooms have only one washroom. Second, No room service and you need to clean up before checking out. Third, checking in at 4:00pm and checking out at 11:00am and if you are late for checking out, you get charged $50 per hour. Forth, when you make reservation, you do not get a unit assigned to you until you arrive and that leaves you with limited options. Fifth, the rental office closed at 7:00pm when we stayed there. The staff did not give us the code for the gate to the swimming pool and the beach access gate. I called the office and they were closed. We had to ask other guests so we can have access to these facilities. Make sure you ask for the codes to the gates. Sixth, the condo we rented had no anti-slip mat in the bath tub and it is slippery. Be carful not to fall so your vacation is not spoiled. The mat in the bath tub does not cost that much and the owners should really consider putting one immediately so guests don’t end up falling and breaking their bones. Eights, the reservation staff should be more informative and provide all details about the resort. Ninth, the swimming pool had broken glass and one of my daughters cut her foot as a result. The pool should be cleaned and checked regularly. Tenth, the hot tub had so much debris from trees and from people walking bare feet around the tub. It should be monitored and cleaned regularly. The surrounding area should also be cleaned. It is very disappointing to see that such great resort is not looked after properly. Despite all of that, we had great time and the kids enjoyed being...

Title: "A Disastrous Dive Into Decay"

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

My recent stay at what was once a great example of hospitality has turned into a calamity of epic proportions. The resort, formerly a haven of tranquillity, is now an overpriced monstrosity wallowing in its bygone glory days.

Be forewarned, the price tag attached to this dilapidated establishment is as unjustifiable as it is shocking. It's an audacious gambit to extract the hard-earned money from unsuspecting guests for what is essentially a tour de force of negligence and disrepair.

To add insult to injury, the tranquil ambience one might expect from a resort of this purported caliber was entirely shattered by the cacophonous symphony of our neighbors. Their noise levels were so disruptive, it felt like we were unwitting participants in a raucous rock concert. If you value peace and quiet, steer clear of this obnoxious orchestration of chaos.

The staff, most of which were nice with exception of one obviously beleaguered by the crumbling infrastructure and disgruntled guests, were astonishingly grumpy. Their scowls were as prevalent and unwelcoming as the peeling wallpaper, and their service was as cold as the icy draft that seeped through the broken windows.

Dilapidation is the resort's new theme. The blinds, which hung as precariously as the resort's reputation, gave up halfway through the night, crashing onto the floor with a startling clatter waking my toddler The screen door followed suit shortly after, its rusty hinges finally surrendering to the ravages of time and neglect.

Even the alarm clocks, presumably in a bid to escape the resort's downward spiral, woke us up randomly in the middle of the night. It was a symphony of chaos that only underscored the glaring lack of maintenance and care.

In summary, this resort is a spectacular example of a paradise lost. From its pricing to its crumbling infrastructure, miserable phone staff, ear wigs and...