There are several lovely luxury hotels in Victoria.

But if you’re looking for more homey accommodation, you’ll want to know about some of the best Airbnbs in Victoria, BC.

We live in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

But before moving to the city, we stayed at several Airbnbs in different close-in neighborhoods while searching for a house to buy.

We’ve also since looked at Vrbo (like Airbnb) for additional options.

Below you’ll find our picks for the 5 best Victoria, BC, Airbnbs and Vrbos.

Note: Rates shown here are in Canadian dollars. If you’re coming from the U.S., lucky you! After factoring in the exchange rate, these properties will be about one-third cheaper for you.

Best Airbnbs in Victoria, BC

It was the first time we had used Airbnb – and for the most part, we were very happy with what we scouted out. (We paid for our accommodation, by the way, and Airbnb isn’t paying us for this post or our views.)

Three of the four Airbnbs we stayed at turned out to be delightful and spickety clean. (The fourth one, despite great reviews, was a bit of a disappointment, so we’re not going to comment further on it.)

One of those Airbnbs we liked is no longer rented out as an Airbnb in Victoria.

But, not to worry, we’ve scouted out additional properties that meet our exacting standards and boast great locations!

Tips for finding the best Airbnb in Victoria, BC, for you

We were careful to pick Airbnbs with great reviews and whose hosts were quick to respond to our emails.

And we only wanted to stay at suites which are rented out exclusively as a business (not used personally at all) and are professionally cleaned after each stay.

We also didn’t want to spend a lot, as we were in Victoria for a month all told looking at houses. (We wanted to spend the money instead on our permanent house!)

You can find some really sweet Airbnb accommodations in Victoria for a couple in the $200 to $250 CAD per night range.

Other tips for sussing out great Airbnbs?

Choosing a place with “Superhosts” almost always guarantees a good experience.

Superhosts are top-performing hosts. They’re responsive and go the extra mile to provide a great guest experience

Also look at properties that are “Guest Favorites.” 

Best Vrbos in Victoria, BC

We mentioned above that we’ve also looked at Vrbos in Victoria.

You may know Vrbo stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner.

It’s like Airbnb, but Vrbo specializes in whole houses, cottages or apartment units (no single rooms or shared space in a house, which Airbnb offers).

We’ve used Vrbo to book lovely houses and cottages in BC’s Okanagan Valley and in Kauai – and have been extremely happy with the results.

We’re sure you’ll love the Victoria Vrbos we’ve hand-picked. They’re in fabulous areas we know very well. And they get rave reviews.

Tips for finding the best Vrbo in Victoria, BC for you

Plug in “Victoria” and your dates, and the Vrbo website will show you what’s available.

But for the best rental experience, you’ll probably want to only pick properties with “Premier Hosts” (like Airbnb’s Superhosts).

Set in a 1912 character home with a grand porte cochere, this newly renovated, ground-level, one-bedroom suite has fir floors and coved ceilings.

We loved sitting out on Adirondack chairs on the private garden terrace, relaxing over a glass of wine in the evening or sipping our French Press coffee in the morning – and eating all the chocolates that awaited us!

The light and bright gourmet kitchen and living room overlook the lush back garden. There’s also a TV with Netflix.

The bedroom is cozy, with a queen bed and a half window above grade.

You can hear a few squeaks from the floor above when hosts Lisa and her partner walk around, but we didn’t find this bothersome.

If you’re staying a week or longer, you’re welcome to use their washer and dryer in the basement area.

Suitable for

A couple.

Location

This Victoria, BC, Airbnb is located in the Rockland neighborhood (where we live!), one of Victoria’s oldest areas. It’s only steps away from Craigdarroch Castle and just a short walk to the beautiful Government House grounds and Victoria Art Gallery.

(Check out the Rockland walk we like to do in our post on easy scenic walks in Victoria, BC.)

The cool Stage Wine Bar is only a few minutes’ walk away too.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can walk to downtown (30 minutes).

Do you need a car?

Yes, you’ll want one.

2) Downtown Victoria, BC, waterfront studio

Gawk at smashing full-on water views from this oh-so-hip studio in the heart of Victoria.

This downtown Victoria Airbnb is one of the condo units in the 7-story concrete extension of the restored brick Janion Building.

The extension is prow-shaped, resembling the front of a ship – fitting, since it juts out into the Inner Harbour (spelled the Canadian way! – we also spell it the U.S. way here, as a friendly nod to our American friends).

Everything is light and bright in this contemporary and open living space. Think white walls, white bed coverings (queen-size bed) and white cupboards, along with pale hardwood floors.

Leather furniture in the living area is positioned to take advantage of the curved floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water. And you have a cozy full kitchen plus a small balcony too.

Suitable for

A young-at-heart couple (of any age) who want to stay smack-dab in downtown Victoria.

Location

You couldn’t ask for a better downtown waterfront location. The Janion Building (home to this cool Victoria Airbnb) is perched right beside the rebuilt Johnson Street Bridge.

Every time we bicycle across the bridge, we gaze at the building’s windows and wonder what it must be like to live so close to the action.

Do you need a car?

For an urban getaway, no car is needed.

You can walk across the Johnson Street Bridge and hook up with the Songhees Westsong Walkway for a great seaside walk.

And on the Victoria city side, you’re minutes away from lots of appealing cafés, great restaurants and shops.

To reach the Parliament Buildings and Royal BC Museum should take you about 10 minutes by foot along the picturesque Inner Harbour.

3) Garden retreat in James Bay

The third in our list of best Victoria Airbnbs is this beautiful one-bedroom cottage/studio.

Nestled in a lovely garden, it shares the property with the main house.

But it’s very private, with its own enclosed garden and patio area. (Feel free to pick veggies from the garden if they’re ready!)

Lots of skylights and windows make the place light and bright.

We love that it has a king-size bed with a quality Serta mattress and Egyptian cotton linens. A couch in the living area can be made up as a double bed for a child.

There’s a fully equipped kitchen and you have a private washer and dryer too. The bathroom has a large shower (there’s no tub).

Suitable for

A couple or family with one well-behaved child.

Location

James Bay is a fabulous location, boasting the best of both worlds. It’s right on the edge of downtown, but in a funky (quiet) residential neighborhood.

This cottage is a 5-minute walk to the Inner Harbor, Parliament Buildings and Royal BC Museum.

From there, it’s another 5 or so minutes of walking to reach the shops of Government Street and Victoria’s great downtown eateries.

Do you need a car?

Not necessary for a short city break. You can walk to the main sights from this downtown Victoria Airbnb.

4) Deluxe 2-story downtown penthouse

If you want a 2-bedroom ocean-view retreat in downtown Victoria, check out this modern top-rated penthouse condo.

The place was completely renovated in 2021 from top to bottom, so it sparkles like new.

But the best feature?

There’s plenty of room to spread out – some 1,585 square feet of space on two floors.

The master bedroom has its own patio, and there are 2½ bathrooms with heated floors.

The two main bedrooms are well separated for privacy, making this downtown condo ideal for two couples traveling together.

The unit can, however, sleep up to six people, as there are three beds (one in the additional den).

The kitchen is kitted out with a granite-topped island/bar and counter stools, as well as a dining table in the eating area.

The smart TVs come with Netflix.

Suitable for

Two couples or a family.

Location

In the heart of downtown Victoria, in the middle of Chinatown.

Do you need a car?

Not unless you want to explore beyond Victoria.

5) Luxury 4-bedroom oceanfront Victoria house

Fancy a 4,800 sq. ft. oceanfront home, just minutes from downtown Victoria and the beach?

Then these 4-bedroom/4½-bathroom digs are for you!

Master bedroom with a king-size bed and full-on ocean view through floor to ceiling windows? Check.

Well-stocked gourmet kitchen with a travertine island? You bet.

Gym and home theater (with 400+ DVDs)? Of course!

Add a gas fireplace, washing machine and dryer, BBQ, bicycles, huge private outdoor patios with uninterrupted water views and comfortable outdoor furniture – and you may not want to leave…

Suitable for

Two or three couples. Or a family. Or anyone who wants a great beach house with lots of room.

Location

In the upscale Fairfield area, this house has direct beach access for swimming. And, yes, we have great beaches in Victoria!

Laze about on your beach towel on the sandy beach – or maybe try SUP boarding (South Island SUP will deliver SUP boards to the beach for you). Keep your eyes peeled for curious sea otters and seals!

You’ll also love the beautiful oceanfront walks from here.

What’s more, this house is really close to the inner city – a scenic 20 to 25-minute walk to the Inner Harbor parliament buildings (or just a 5-minute drive).

In summer especially, you’ll feel like you’re enjoying a beach vacay at this Victoria vacation rental – but in the city.

Do you need a car?

Yes. You’ll probably want one to explore Victoria. And a car will be more convenient for getting to downtown.

Occupancy tax

In British Columbia, you have to pay an occupancy tax of 8% (provincial sales tax), along with federal tax of 5% and a municipal tax of 2% to 3%. This is levied on all accommodations (hotels, Airbnbs, Vrbos, RV site bookings, etc.) See here for details.

New short-term rental rules in BC

We mentioned that, as of May 1, 2024, there are new provincial government short-term rental rules that apply to Victoria.

Ask the host of any potential Airbnb or Vrbo you’re interested in if their property meets the new rules. You’d hate to book something, and then have the host cancel the booking because of these rules.

That’s a wrap for the best Victoria vacation rentals!

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Photo credits: 2 to 6 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 12 to 17 Vrbo | 18 South Island SUP | Remaining photos courtesy Airbnb

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