Vancouver Island Ferry Guide
Stay Near the Ferry

Hotels Near Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal: All the Options Compared

Quick answer

There is no hotel on the ferry causeway itself, and Tsawwassen has only a handful of places to stay. The best-known hotel is the Coast Tsawwassen Inn in the town centre; smaller options include the Beach Grove Motel, Seagrass Guest House, and Ocean Edge Eagle Retreat. Families and groups of up to six often find a private suite with parking works better, especially before an early sailing. All are a short drive from the terminal.

On this page
  1. The honest picture
  2. Places to stay in Tsawwassen
  3. Hotel or suite?
  4. Booking tips
  5. Frequently asked questions

The honest picture

Searching for a “hotel near Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal” turns up a lot of results in Richmond, Surrey, and Vancouver, because there is very little accommodation in Tsawwassen itself.

The community behind it is a small residential town with one established hotel, a motel, and a few guest houses and short-term rentals. That is the entire list.

~36 min ~27 min 1 h 35 min 2 h Downtown Vancouver YVR airport Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal Tsawwassen Swartz Bay Victoria Duke Point Nanaimo Schematic — not to scale. Ferry routes simplified. Ferry route Driving leg
Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal1 Ferry Causeway, Delta, BC V4M 4G6 Google Maps Apple Maps
All the accommodation is in Tsawwassen town, back along Highway 17 from the causeway; there is nothing to sleep in at the terminal.

This is not a problem so much as a planning point. Tsawwassen is quiet, the beaches are close, and from anywhere in town the terminal is a short drive. If your reason for staying is an early sailing to Victoria or Nanaimo, being here rather than in Richmond saves you the pre-dawn drive down Highway 17 and the worry about traffic on the causeway.

Places to stay in Tsawwassen

We list these by name only. Prices, amenities, and availability change, so check current listings directly before booking.

OptionTypeWhereBest for
Coast Tsawwassen InnHotelTsawwassen town centreCouples, business travellers, one-night stops
Beach Grove MotelMotelBeach Grove, TsawwassenBudget stays, drivers
Seagrass Guest HouseGuest houseTsawwassenCouples, small groups
Ocean Edge Eagle RetreatGuest house / retreatTsawwassenQuiet stays near the water
Our suitePrivate 3-bedroom suite (upper level of a hillside home, own entrance, one level inside), sleeps 6Tsawwassen, about 10 min by car to the terminalFamilies, groups, multi-night stays
Hotel, motel, or private suite?
1

Hotel

Best for
Couples, business travellers, one-night stops
  1. Coast Tsawwassen Inn, in the town centre near shops and restaurants
  2. Check in, walk to dinner, drive to the ferry in the morning

The default for a single night when you do not need a kitchen or much space.

2

Motel or guest house

Best for
Budget stays, couples, small groups, quiet stays near the water
  1. Beach Grove Motel, Seagrass Guest House, Ocean Edge Eagle Retreat
  2. Each has a limited number of rooms, so book ahead in summer
  3. Confirm parking arrangements when you book
3

Private suite (upper level of a home, one level inside)

Best for
Families, groups of up to six, multi-night stays, early sailings
  1. Three bedrooms, a private entrance, and a full kitchen for breakfast before the sailing
  2. Free driveway parking, about 10 minutes by car to the terminal

Per-person cost is often lower than the equivalent hotel rooms.

Coast Tsawwassen Inn

The one full-service hotel in the community, in the town centre near shops and restaurants. It is the default answer for a single night before a sailing when you do not need a kitchen or much space.

Beach Grove Motel, Seagrass Guest House, Ocean Edge Eagle Retreat

Smaller, independently run places in and around Tsawwassen. Each has a limited number of rooms, so book ahead in summer and confirm parking arrangements when you do.

Our suite

A private 3-bedroom suite in Tsawwassen: the entire upper level of a two-level home built into a hillside, with its own private entrance and keypad self check-in (a short uphill walk and a few steps from the driveway; everything inside is on one level) (the hosts live in the separate lower suite, with no shared indoor space). It sleeps six in a king, a queen, and a double bed, with 1.5 bathrooms, a full kitchen, and free driveway parking. It is about 10 minutes by car from the ferry terminal and about 30 minutes (26 km) from YVR. Full details are on the 3-bedroom suite in Tsawwassen page.

Hotel or suite?

The right choice depends mostly on how many of you there are and what time the ferry leaves.

Families and groups

Two hotel rooms for a family of five or six means two bookings, two keys, and no shared space. A suite gives everyone their own bedroom, a kitchen for breakfast before the sailing, and a place to spread out the night before.

On a longer trip, a full kitchen and free parking matter more than they sound; on stays of five nights or more at our suite, a complimentary laundry service is included. For groups, the per-person cost of a whole suite is often lower than the equivalent hotel rooms.

Early sailings

Sailings to Nanaimo’s Duke Point start as early as 05:15, and the first Swartz Bay sailing is early morning, typically before breakfast — check the schedule. A hotel breakfast will not be open that early.

With a suite you can make coffee and eat before you leave, then be at the terminal in about ten minutes. Our early morning Tsawwassen ferry guide walks through the timing.

Arriving at YVR

If you are flying in and driving to the island, Tsawwassen is about 29 km from YVR, roughly 27 minutes by car. Rather than a Richmond airport hotel and a longer drive the next day, you can pick up a rental car, drive to Tsawwassen, and have a shorter morning. The YVR to Tsawwassen ferry guide covers taxi, rideshare, and transit options if you are walking on.

Leaving the car behind

Walk-on passengers to Victoria sometimes stay in Tsawwassen so they can leave the car at their accommodation and be dropped off at the foot-passenger doors, rather than pay the daily rate in the terminal’s long-term lot. Compare that with the rates in Tsawwassen ferry parking.

One night, two people

For a couple with a late-morning sailing, a hotel room in the town centre is the simplest option: check in, walk to dinner, drive to the ferry in the morning.

Booking tips

  • Check the check-in cut-off for your sailing and work backwards: 30 minutes before departure with a reservation, plus about ten minutes to drive from town.
  • Reserve the ferry for peak sailings so that staying nearby actually guarantees a spot.
  • Compare with Ladner and Richmond only if Tsawwassen is sold out; both add drive time, and Ladner is about 15 minutes from the terminal.

For a broader look at where to base yourself, including Richmond and Vancouver, see where to stay before the Tsawwassen ferry.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a hotel at Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal?

No. The terminal is at the end of a 2 km causeway with parking lots and a terminal building but no accommodation. The closest places to stay are in Tsawwassen town, a short drive back along Highway 17.

What is the closest hotel to the Tsawwassen ferry?

The Coast Tsawwassen Inn in Tsawwassen town centre is the main hotel in the community. Smaller motels and guest houses are also in Tsawwassen and Beach Grove; all are a short drive from the terminal.

Are there hotels in Tsawwassen with free parking?

Parking policies vary by property and change over time, so confirm with the property when you book. If you plan to leave a car while you walk on to Victoria, ask specifically whether you can leave it for the length of your trip.

Should I stay in Tsawwassen or Richmond before the ferry?

Richmond has far more hotels and is close to YVR, but it is a longer drive to the terminal. Tsawwassen has fewer options but puts you about ten minutes from the ferry, which matters most for early sailings.

Is a private suite better than a hotel near the ferry?

For two people on one night, a hotel is simpler. For a family or group of up to six, or a stay of several nights, a private suite with a full kitchen and free parking is usually more comfortable and often cheaper per person.

How early do I need to leave a Tsawwassen hotel for the ferry?

Allow about ten minutes to drive to the terminal from town, plus the check-in cut-off for your sailing: 30 minutes before departure with a vehicle reservation, and earlier on busy days.

Last updated . Schedules, fares, and parking rates change — confirm with the operator before you travel.

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