Without nature resorts, outdoor explorers would be forced to take shelter inside uncomfortable dwellings such as tents, igloos, and the inside of friendly bears. Balance wilderness and comfort with today's Groupon: for $289, you get a two-night stay in a one-bedroom lodge (a $488 average value in the low season) and a bottle of wine (a $45 value) at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, as well as a $50 voucher toward cuisine at Fetch. The one-bedroom lodge accommodates up to four people, but the third and fourth guests will need to pay an additional $20.

From its perch on Vancouver Island, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort offsets its gorgeous views of the rainforest with upscale dining and deluxe amenities. The one-bedroom lodge's floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the fecund forest scenery, and stone accents bring an outdoorsy vibe to your chambers minus the mounted moose heads that eerily intone, "You killllled me." The living room's two-person fold-out couch accommodates additional guests, who can snuggle with a complimentary bottle of vino in front of the fireplace or host impromptu cooking shows using the kitchen's countertops and Miele appliances. Otherwise, boogie to your favorite jams using the hotel's iPod dock, take a disco nap in the california king-size bed, or clean off the day's dirt and mis-thrown harpoons amid the bathroom's soaker tub, rainforest shower, and heated floors.

After a long day of hiking trails, playing golf, strolling beaches, and more among Vancouver Island's many attractions, quell any resulting hippo hungers with $50 worth of artisanal fare at Fetch. Named after an oceanography term, the restaurant insulates echoing bellies with locally caught fish, free-range eggs, and other earth-friendly fare. Whether you nibble on fresh Dungeness crab ($12) or dive deep into a loin of wild venison ($33), you'll be guaranteed a fresh, healthy alternative to most establishments, which season everything with a thin layer of unhealthy preservatives such as smog and hatred.

Reviews

Luxist.com named the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort one of its Top 10 Hotel Openings of 2009. The resort has been featured in the Vancouver Observer, and more than 110 TripAdvisors give it a 4.5-owl-eye average.

• As for the Black Rock Resort, I highly recommend it as a place to get away from the city, a place where you can instantly relax. I also recommend it to international travellers looking to find a luxurious yet informal lodging, a place to settle into for a week to experience at a relaxed pace the beautiful beaches, the old growth forests, whale watching, West Coast sunsets, and the many offerings of Ucluelet and Tofino. – Vancouver Observer