La Belle Vie Bed & Breakfast:
Your Gulf Island Retreat in Silva Bay!
We offer two private rooms with queen-size beds, bathroom, indoor and outdoor showers, several gardens, and a pond with benches for relaxing and listening to the abundant birdlife.
Our menu for breakfast changes with the season, with a combination of fresh scones and homemade jams, fruit in season, toasted slow-rise bread and eggs, along with organic coffee or tea to enjoy in your room or in the gardens.
Whether you join us for one night or a week-long holiday, your stay will surely be a fabulous Gulf Island experience. Silva Bay has much to offer. Enjoy the quiet beaches and forest, book a fishing charter, or go on a kayaking adventure.
Our property is intended to be a relaxing and rejuvenating retreat, so you won't find televisions in the rooms, but there is standard WiFi.
Your dream holiday awaits — book today!
4 Guests
2 Bedrooms
1 Bathroom
Gluten Free Options
About The Property
When you come down our driveway, you'll be greeted by our hobby farm alpacas and hens, and you'll see the pond with a bridge and bench where you can sit and listen to the owls and frogs. Keep going to reach our on-site herbal wellness studio built from cordwood/stack wall. Then you'll see our stunning Velsen Homes residence, and you'll continue on to the private entrance to your room, where beauty and comfort await. Enjoy your stay here.
Optional add-ons: Join Josée for a morning or evening meditation routine. Some days it’s on the property, and at other times we'll be in the forest or at the beach for sunset meditation. Please pre-book.
Nearby Things To Do
Prepare to be in awe of Gabriola Island! You can choose to be quiet and still in nature, and have a picnic at the beach. Or you can be active and explore by biking, hiking, kayaking or fishing. There truly is something for everyone on the Island of the Arts.
Happy guests at La Belle Vie B&B
"Thank you also for the incredible hospitality and all of the great suggestions of places we should visit. This has been a week filled with wonderful memories and a new appreciation for the perennials that grow in our garden! I will be taking what I learned from Josée and experimenting with different flowers to create tea blends to give away to my friends and family. Thank you so much! We will miss you! We will also miss Bella, who I forgot to mention until now! Sorry Bella!” —Jenn and Dwayne, Kelowna, BC
“A delightful stay with Josée and Adam. Thank you for your hospitality. It was a wonderful two-day break. Got to see more of Gabriola Island. Thank you!" —Ruth and Bert, Parksville, BC
“Such a nourishing, healing place! Bowing deeply in gratitude.” — Marla, Tucson, Arizona
“Dear Josée and Adam. You two are a delight and we felt very welcomed into your home. A very precious place with overflowing energy and kindness.” — Charles S, Arizona
“We thoroughly enjoyed our week-long stay at La Belle Vie! The highlights of our stay here were making teas and facial tonics with Josee, feeding the hens and roosters, along with feeding Albert and Noel! Thank you for letting us be a part of your morning chores! Danica is certainly going to miss cuddling the chickens!" —Jenn, Dwayne, Alex, and Danica“Stayed two nights and had the best sleeps in years! Your breakfasts are amazing and you are fantastic hosts! Thank you for sharing your beautiful place."
Your Host: Josée Velsen
Josée Velsen is a herbalist and artist, creating herbal teas, tinctures, facial scrubs and sprays, and she would love to share her wellness studio with you. Add a workshop to your getaway! Josée has several to offer: Ancient Ayurvedic Lifestyle, Meditation for Beginners, Energy Medicine and Movement, Daily Routines and Rituals. These workshops can be one hour, a half day, or a full weekend retreat custom designed for you.
Green home designer/builder Adam Velsen of Velsen Homes, along with Josée and their two children, built their dream home with an eye to sustainability as well as beauty. The home has been featured in Canadian magazine Home and Cottage and others. Building with a conscience for healthy people and planet is the company's motto. Adam also offers a one-hour workshop/talk on tiny homes, and the building and designing process here on Gabriola Island.
See you soon! Josée and Adam
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you close to the beach?
It’s a five-minute walk to Silva Marina and Restaurant or a five-minute drive to Drumbeg and many other beaches, for swimming, hiking, walking, boating, fishing and kayaking, an amazing spot for playing in the bioluminescence — so magical!
Are there restaurants on the island?
Yes! There are several to choose from. We suggest that you make reservations: Woodfire Pizza and Grill, The Kitchen, The Surf, Roberts, and The Haven, Mad Rona’s Cafe for coffee and lunch.
What kind of animals do you have on the farm?
We have two alpacas named Noel and Albert. We gave them to our children 10 years ago. They are wonderful animals. We collect their fibre in the spring to turn into the cozy socks that we sell in our on-site studio. Alpacas live around 20 years. Noel and Albert have been well-loved and give us much joy, our children were in 4H and learned a lot about caring for our hens, alpacas and horses. There are free-range chickens, and of course, our dogs and cats.
What is there to do on the island?
Gabriola is rich in the arts, and outdoor nature time, many hikes and parks around the island. We have a tourist info office where you can find out what is happening while you are visiting. Our local newspaper is also informative.
Be sure to pick up a Chamber of Commerce brochure when you arrive at the ferry crossing or at the tourist office. We have them here at the Bed and Breakfast as well.
Is there dangerous wildlife on the island?
We have lots of deer, so please drive safely. There are raccoons and mink, and apparently we now have an elk that has swum across to join us! There are no bears or cougars on the island at this time that we know of.
Is the B&B in a separate building?
The B&B is in our natural house. Guests have a private entrance and a section of the house that can be closed off by a locked door for privacy. You are welcome to eat breakfast with us in our dining room, or enjoy it in your own part of the house.
Check-out time is 11 am.
Due to the intimate size of our Bed & Breakfast, cancellations affect us significantly.
Please note that there is a 2-day cancellation policy during low season, and a 14-day cancellation policy during mid and high seasons.