Tracy's hospitality is marvelous, and Artwood Cottage is a delightful space to relax and socialize in. Tracy greeted us with flowers and delicious fresh plums, pears, and apples from her garden, which was a very special treat. Shopping for groceries, necessities and gifts is available a 15 minute drive up the road to North Pender Is., at the Driftwood center, as is a great restaurant and a bakery. A pub is also in the area. A local map shows all the sea view lookout stops. Events at the community center on North Pender gave us a chance to meet and talk with members of the very friendly and helpful Pender Island(s) community. We would definitely stay there again.
Do not be dissuaded by the listing's mention of a composting toilet. The system Tracy has set up is very clean, efficient and easy to use, and is cleaned daily from the outside. If you have ever wondered what using such a system is like, this is a great opportunity, odor-free and trouble-free, to try it out.
One note about inter-island travel in the Gulf Islands: if you plan to visit more than one island, the best approach is to book lodgings at each, and visit them in sequence, rather than using one island lodging as a base. BC Ferry schedules make same-day going-and-return jaunts tricky, differ according to what day of the week it is, and require close attention to departure times of the last daily sailings.
We found exploring Pender Island to be a treat in itself, with the Saturday market and a local musicians concert a lot of fun. But the highlight was definitely staying at Artwood.