Charles McDiarmid

Managing Director at Wickaninnish Inn

Charles McDiarmid has been Managing Director of the Wickaninnish Inn since its opening in 1996. Opening a luxury inn on Vancouver Island’s rugged west coast had been a family dream since Charles’ parents first moved to the area in the 1950’s.

Charles is a Tofino boy, born and raised. Once in high school, Charles attended Brentwood College School and later graduated from Mount Douglas Secondary School in Victoria, BC. Upon graduation he attended Cornell University graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration.

After graduation, Charles was recruited by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He worked with the luxury hotel chain over 13 years in various operational and sales management roles in Calgary, Washington D.C, Dallas, Newport Beach California, and Seattle.

Once back in the Pacific Northwest, Charles started writing the business plan and in 1995, he moved his family back to Tofino to begin building the Wickaninnish Inn on Chesterman Beach. Coining the phrase “rustic elegance on nature’s edge”, it became the guiding focus of the overall design plan for the Inn.

The Inn opened its doors in August 1996, receiving significant media attention for its spectacular ocean views, cutting edge cuisine and hand-adzed detailing throughout the Inn. A year later the Inn was welcomed as a proud member of the Relais & Chateaux Family and in 2003 opened the Wickaninnish On the Beach Building, which added 30 rooms and suites to the Inn.

The popular concept of winter storm watching in Tofino was created and first marketed by Charles, which was founded on a family tradition of gathering, window-side, to watch 30 foot waves roll by the McDiarmid cabin located just west of the Inn.

Charles has served on several tourism industry boards including with Tourism BC, the Tourism Association of Vancouver Island (TAVI), and as the Chair of the Tourism Tofino Board of Directors.

He continues to be actively involved in the day-to-day operations and marketing of the Wickaninnish Inn.

Find Charles on Brentonian Connect: https://brentonianconnect.com/user/2091