With a family tree that includes some of the earliest settlers in the Campbell River area, the Mailmans have played a pivotal role in shaping this North Island city of 37,000 people.
They had long been local leaders in construction, development, property development and philanthropy when, in 2017, they acquired an aging nine-hole golf course. Amanda Mailman made it her personal project and transformed it into the 18-hole Campbell River Golf Club. But her ambitions were much larger than that.
In May, her vision came to life when she opened Naturally Pacific Resort, a four-season, four-star destination property designed with a harmonious blend of warm colours and textures that bring the outside in. Mailman directed the project from concept to construction, pandemic notwithstanding.
Among the resort’s amenities is Carve Kitchen & Meatery, a modern interpretation of a classic North American steakhouse that boasts dictionary-thick cuts of marbled beef and an impressive international wine list. The kitchen also has its own 10,000-square-foot vegetable garden and an apiary producing honey for cocktails and dressings.
Guests can unwind at the on-site spa with its oversized mineral pool, take a swing at the virtual driving range or lounge around the firepits tucked under a sprawling pergola in back.
The resort is pet-friendly, too: Pooches are set up with water bowls, a dog bed and directions for dog walks.
All this luxury may be a leap of faith for the Mailmans, but their timing is opportune. Campbell River is shedding its image as a blue-collar resource town and embracing its potential as a tourist destination.
Its enviable proximity to mountains and sea is a draw, but there are also museums, live theatre, a burgeoning food scene and arguably the Island’s best croissants at Freyja (they also bake for the resort). There’s also cold-water diving, world-class salmon fishing and winter sports at nearby Mount Washington.
But is Campbell River the next Tofino? “We’re not trying to be the next anything,” says Mailman. “We’re trying to be the best Campbell River.”
