Stirling Suites Hotel in the town of Nelson, in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains
Lifelong residents of Nelson, British Columbia, Marika and Elon Melville purchased a 1914 heritage building, a short walk from the center of this adventure-oriented community in western Canada’s Selkirk Mountains. After years of renovations, they’ve converted the four-story building into a contemporary all-suite hotel, which they opened in late 2022 as the Stirling Suites.
Here’s the scoop:
Sleeping area at the Stirling Suites
Guest Rooms and Amenities
The 16 units at the Stirling Suites all vary in layout, ranging in size from compact, 240-square-foot studios to expansive 600-square-foot one-bedroom units. The larger suites have either a sleep sofa or Murphy bed that unfolds from the wall in the living room, in addition to a separate bedroom, to sleep up to four people.
The suites have modern furnishings and soft goods in soothing shades of whites, greys, and creams. They all include up-to-date kitchens, with the larger units also adding a dining table. The kitchens are stocked with coffee from local roaster Oso Negro, which also runs a popular nearby café.
The larger suites have full, modern kitchens with dining tables.
The “garden suites” on the first floor open onto petite terraces adjacent to the parking area.
As you go higher in the building, you have better views. Some of the upper-floor units have expansive vistas over the town or to Kootenay Lake and the surrounding mountains.
Facilities and Services
The Stirling Suites operates as a contactless hotel. The owners provide access codes that guests use to check themselves in, entering the codes on electronic keypads to gain entry to the building and to your suite.
The building has no elevator — something to note, especially if you book a fourth-floor suite. However, if you let the owners know what time you’re arriving and that you’d like help with your bags, they can assist.
The complimentary gated parking area behind the building accommodates a limited number of small and smaller cars. If you’re not able to reserve a space, or if your vehicle is too large for the parking lot, you can park overnight for free on the surrounding streets. Just check when you need to pay the meter in the morning if you’re going to stay in the parking spot during the day.
A suite living room with a Murphy bed in the wall
What’s Nearby?
Stirling Suites guests receive an email after booking their reservation with recommendations for some of the owners’ favorite local restaurants and shops. When you arrive, you can scan a QR code in your suite to access an online guestbook with more information and recommendations.
If you want to take advantage of the kitchen facilities in your unit, walk around the corner to the Kootenay Co-op, an excellent local grocery store that sells some prepared foods, alongside produce, baked goods, cheeses, and other grocery products.
All of downtown Nelson’s cafés, eateries, and other businesses are within walking distance. Stop into the Nelson Museum to learn more about the town’s evolution or browse the outdoor gear stores and bookshops on Baker Street, Nelson’s main thoroughfare.
It’s a short but steep walk — Nelson is hilly! — down to nearby Kootenay Lake. A walking path follows the lakeshore into Rotary Lakeside Park, with beautiful views of the mountains and water.
Views of Kootenay Lake, the mountains, and across town from the suite terraces.
Renovating this heritage building was clearly a major undertaking for owners Marika and Elon. The result? A well-designed lodging in this mountain adventure town.
Rates
Double room rates at the Stirling Suites start at about CAD$200 per night (about US$150), depending on the suite size and amenities, and the time of year.
Check the latest rates for Stirling Suites online at Booking.com or Hotels.com.
On a tighter budget? Check out our review of Nelson’s Adventure Hotel.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller. Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, in partnership with the Stirling Suites, arranged my stay for review purposes, while I was road-tripping across British Columbia, researching a new edition of my guidebook, Moon Vancouver & Canadian Rockies Road Trip.
