We hear it all the time – “Hotel Zed is groovy,” and we get it. Walking into our lobby is like doing the time warp. The hotel takes you back to when disco was king and everybody was on roller skates. The 70’s were so cool they invented over a hundred ways to say cool – far out, funky, nifty, radical, groovy.

Lucky for us, our CEO Mandy Farmer had the 70’s in mind when she designed and conceptualized our newest Hotel Zed Tofino. Nestled in the rainforest, our Tofino location is a throwback to Happy Days and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Muted eggplant tones, burnt oranges and wood accents give off a warm 70’s vibe that feels like a toasty, nostalgic hug when you step out of the rainforest and into our swanky, retro-chic office.

Now, where exactly did we manage to find all this furniture from the 70’s?

All the furnishings and decor were hand-thrifted by Mandy herself in order to merge the Hotel Zed feel with the playful and carefree 70’s aesthetic – the happy colours and patterns, the kitschy shag carpets and the plethora of house plants. The sunken shag living room and the warm wood furniture all defined a groovy era. Each piece of furniture was thrifted, tested and approved by Mandy as she put together the vision for our Tofino spot.

In fact, peep into the retro office and check out the heirloom desk – the deck actually belonged to Mandy’s grandfather in the 70’s. The desk symbolizes three rad generations of the Farmer family doing things differently. Her grandfather started Farmer Construction, and out of that business, Mandy’s father became a hotelier and started Accent Inns. When Mandy took over as CEO, she created Hotel Zed and the rest is, well, historical.

Weaving in the story of Tofino as well are the photos on the walls. These are historic photos from the “War of the Woods,” one of the largest acts of mass civil disobedience in Canadian history, with almost 1,000 people arrested for protesting clear cut logging in Clayoquot Sound.

Beyond the off-the-hook furniture, Mandy also incorporated design elements from the era that scream disco queen. Literally. There’s a mini disco off the lobby. If you’re in the mood for some Donna Summer, boogie on down in the sequined, glitzy light-up mini disco. The 70’s was the time for rock ‘n’ roll, disco parties and the beginning of the digital age. The LED floor even lights up to match your fancy footwork.

Step down to lounge in the conversation pit, the quintessential 70’s sunken living room. The sunken living room is always a funky place to hang and snap a few pics. It’s got a fresh green shag, adding texture and making the space all the more cozy.

Moroccan decor was a popular trend during the 70’s, so of course, Mandy’s incorporated a Moroccan theme into the Psychic’s Den. Beyond the Moorish arch and beaded curtain lies rich, ornate wallpaper, mystic gear, thick, neon shag carpeting and comfy poofs straight from Morocco. It’s all about texture, patterns, rugs, and metal in jewel tones.

One of our favourite features though, is not very 70’s at all. In fact, it can’t be defined by an era because it’s the first of its kind in the world. We’re talking about the bike-through lobby. Yes, you heard that right. A bike path that goes right through our lobby connects the front desk with the Multi-Use Path in Tofino. Ride back from the beach, take a slight detour, and arrive right at our doors. Not bad.

So there you have it. A 70’s hotel in the middle of an ancient rainforest with the grooviest amenities around. We hope you’re able to kick up your heels before a cocktail at Roar and check it out for yourself. As they said back then – catch you on the flip side!