10 Best Hotels in Victoria, BC (An Insider’s Guide)

Vancouver might be the darling – it’s the better-known city in Canada.

But Victoria, the beautiful capital of British Columbia, is equally lovely and gets its fair share of tourism ink too.

There are oodles of fab things to do in Victoria. (Hello Butchart Gardens!) And the downtown Inner Harbor – with its yachts, sea planes and small ferries – is one of the most picturesque in the world.

Best hotels in Victoria, BC

All of its 200 rooms and suites have harbor views.

There are two wings at the inn, the Arthur Erickson Wing and the Laurel Wing.

They’re connected by a large public area which includes the hotel’s restaurant, bar and indoor pool.

Rooms

Accommodations in the Arthur Erickson Wing are more luxurious, Zen-like and filled with light.

The smallest are 400 sq. ft. studios. Suites range from 560 sq. ft to 1,105 sq. ft.

Marble bathrooms have deep soaker tubs, separate glass walk-in showers, L’Occitane bath products and sliding shoji doors.

Colorful Canadian landscapes decorate the walls.

And expansive balconies with glass railings are perfect for soaking up the sunshine, glass of wine or coffee in hand, as you gaze at the sea planes splashing down and taking off.

Rooms

There are several room types at Abigail’s Hotel, and each is decorated individually.

But all have bathrobes and fresh flowers.

Rose rooms on the top 3rd floor feature double-sided gas fireplaces between the bathroom and bedroom.

In the Main House, Ruby King rooms (300 sq. ft.) offer claw-foot soaking tubs and king-size beds.

We especially like the elegant Emerald rooms in the separate Coach House (where we stayed). They offer king-size beds, marble bathrooms with rain showers, writing tables and electric fireplaces.

Goodies

Rates include a delicious three-course breakfast. You have a choice of a light, sweet or savory option for the entrée – spinach frittata with chicken apple sausage and fried yams, anyone?

You’re also welcomed with freshly-baked oatmeal, raisin and cranberry cookies.

Complimentary appetizers are served in the lobby in the early evening.

Want a seaside holiday just a few minutes’ drive from downtown?

Then the Tudor-inspired Oak Bay Beach Hotel is the best place to stay in Victoria, BC, for you!

Don’t just take our word for it, though. It was recently recognized as the best hotel on Vancouver Island and the #7 hotel in Western Canada in Conde Nast Traveler‘s 2023 Readers’ Choice awards.

Outdoor pool and beach access

We love the hotel’s heated outdoor mineral pools, set on a rocky outcropping jutting out into the Juan de Fuca Strait.

Watch kayakers paddle by and eagles soar overhead as you sip on a glass of British Columbia Chardonnay from an acclaimed Okanagan Valley winery.

Step outside the hotel and walk along Beach Drive (one of the most scenic walks in Victoria), and you reach Willows Beach.

Willows Beach is a lovely long curve of sandy beach, perfect for spending a beach day in summer.

If you’re looking for beach resorts in Victoria, BC, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel is your best bet.

Rooms

This luxury boutique resort has 100 rooms and suites – you’ll want to book a room with an ocean view and private balcony or terrace.

Choose from rooms (375 to 500 sq. ft.) to one-bedroom suites (600 to 760 sq. ft.) with kitchens and dining areas. But even the rooms have small galley kitchenettes and fireplaces.

Restaurants

The latest addition to the hotel’s dining offerings is FARO, a café-cum-bistro specializing in serving hand-crafted pizzas from a wood stone pizza oven and local BC wines.

We’re addicted to their mushroom, gorgonzola and truffle pizzas. Pair that with their lightly-dressed arugula salad and you’ve got a perfect lunch or casual dinner.

You can sit at the tasting bar inside or on the outdoor patio with heaters and fire pits.

The Snug Pub is an attractive place for fish-and-chips or a burger and brew.

If you want to be in the heart of Victoria, then the Empress has the perfect location for you.

It’s right on the waterfront overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbor. It’s also just steps away from two of the city’s popular attractions, the Royal BC Museum and BC’s Parliament Buildings.

If you’re traveling to Victoria on a float plane from Vancouver or Seattle, it’s super convenient too, as the float planes dock right in front of the Empress Hotel.

(You’ll note we sometimes use the Canadian spelling of “Inner Harbour” – as we’re Canadian. But we sometimes use the U.S. spelling too, in deference to all our American readers who love visiting our city!)

Rooms

The elegant rooms range in size from 230 sq. ft. to 430 sq. ft.

Signature Harbor View rooms have lovely views over Victoria’s Inner Harbor and come with a small sitting area in a nook by the window.

Suites vary in size from 420 sq. ft. to 850 sq. ft. (for the Signature One-Bedroom Harbor View suites) to 1,600 sq. ft. (for the Royal Suite).

In the summer months, you can ask for the “Empress Tea to Go” box (with iced tea instead of hot tea) – so you can enjoy a delicious picnic by the sea at one of Victoria’s best beaches or on the Empress lawns.

This is especially true if you’re on a business trip, staying for a while or traveling with kids, right?

Enter the urban-cool Oswego Hotel.

All 80 rooms at this 4-star Victoria hotel are suites with kitchenettes or full kitchens.

You can save a little money by cooking a few meals in – which means you have more to spend on enjoying Victoria’s sights or kicking it up a notch a night or two at some of its high-end restaurants.

The Oswego Hotel is located on a quiet leafy street, just a hop and a skip away from the downtown terminal for the Seattle passenger ferry.

A 5- to 10-minute walk along the Inner Harbour (spelled the Canadian way, this time) lands you in the center of downtown.

It’s spickety clean, well-maintained and offers great views.

Suites

Accommodations range from studios (420 sq. ft. in size) to one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

Contemporary in décor, the suites are dressed in a color palette of ivory and beige.

None of the suites have king-size beds, however (except for the top-floor One-Bedroom Rooftop Suite). They just have queen beds. So if a big bed is a must, this probably isn’t the hotel for you.

Otherwise, the Owego Hotel is one of the best places to stay in Victoria, BC, for both leisure and business travelers.

Bar 500

Wrought-iron railings, porticos and Tuscan-inspired columns all make you feel like you’ve been transported to a fine hotel around Lake Como.

Except then you see the views.

Set high on the Malahat mountainside 1,880 feet above sea level, the boutique hotel has gob-smacking views of the Saanich Inlet and Vancouver Island.

That’s when you realize, no this isn’t Italy. But it’s just as heavenly.

Villa Eyrie rooms and suites

No two spaces in the 38-room Villa Eyrie resort are decorated the same way.

For instance, the Cielo Junior Suite has hardwood floors, hand-woven area rugs, a fireplace and probably the best views.

But all rooms at Villa Eyrie have pillow-top mattresses and deep-soaker tubs.

If you’re a light sleeper, ask for a top floor room so you don’t hear sounds from above.

Alpina Restaurant

The Alpina Restaurant gets rave reviews as one of Vancouver Island’s best restaurants.

Indeed, it makes Villa Eyrie a foodie destination.

The chefs blend the flavors and cuisines of Europe’s Alpine regions to create an ever-changing menu.

Perhaps you’ll start your day with crepes, stuffed with roasted pear and pecans, or a three-egg omelet filled with goat cheese, bell peppers and house-cured back bacon.

If you stop for lunch, you might dine on simmered pretzel dumplings and four-hour braised short ribs in a celery root puree.

For dinner, how about mushroom ravioli to start, followed by seared scallops with lemon-mascarpone risotto – are you drooling now?

We thought the 64-room Magnolia Hotel was great when we stayed here years ago as visitors to Victoria (before moving here). And it’s still raking in the awards!

The hotel was voted the #3 top hotel in Canada in Tripadvisor’s 2023 “Traveler’s Choice Awards.”

It was also named one of the 15 best hotels in Western Canada in the 2023 Conde Nast Traveler “Readers’ Choice Awards.” (The year before, it ranked as the #14 best hotel in Canada in the magazine’s 2022 awards.)

You certainly can’t beat its central location!

It’s located a few steps from Victoria’s pedestrian-friendly shopping avenue (Government Street) and two blocks from the Inner Harbour.

We love that it has free loaner bicycles. Take out a map and explore Victoria by pedal power (the city has lots of bicycle lanes).

Magnolia Hotel rooms

The spacious rooms are serenely decorated in dove-grey and silver hues.

Book a “Diamond” harbour-view room for smashing views and a gas fireplace to cozy up to when temps dip.

Nightly turn-down service and chocolates round out a deluxe stay.

Courtney Room restaurant

Its Courtney Room has been named one of Canada’s best restaurants by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine.

We’ve had dinner here and can attest that the food is indeed excellent! (Just know it’s pricey.)

Spa Magnolia

Adjacent to the hotel, the Spa Magnolia has seven treatment rooms and a private hydrotherapy area.

It’s right beside Government House, where BC’s Lieutenant Governor lives (and occasionally entertains royalty).

And if you love gardens, you’re in for a treat, as the gardens at Government House are one of the most beautiful gardens in Victoria.

The inn has its own claim to fame too – it’s been written up in numerous publications, from The Globe and Mail to Where magazine.

Rated the #1 Victoria B&B inn on Tripadvisor, the 125-year-old Italianate mansion is owned and run by Ross and Sylvia Main. (We’ve met them – a charming couple!) Stay here, and they’ll welcome you warmly.

Fairholme Manor rooms

When it comes to luxury accommodation in Victoria, BC, the Fairholme Manor’s six rooms and suites are some of the most beautiful.

There’s the Olympic Grand Suite on the second floor, with large bay windows, a wood-burning fireplace and private ocean view balcony (complete with a table and chairs for two, shaded by an umbrella).

Light and bright, with all-white décor, it has a king bed, polished wood floors and gilt-framed mirrors.

Or perhaps you’ll stay in the Fairholme Grand Suite, with lofty ceilings, a king-size sleigh bed and a separate spa room with double jetted tub.

But no matter the room, you’ll delight in the antique furniture, Persian rugs and welcome chocolates.

Elaborate breakfasts are served on the porch or inside in the art-filled dining room.

You may start with fresh fruit, French vanilla yogurt and fresh-baked cinnamon scones.

A hot entrée follows – maybe Eggs Benedict, cheese soufflé or fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes with fresh berries, crème fraiche and Canadian back bacon.

Rose petal garnishes from the garden are a lovely touch.

It’s just a 15-minute walk (very scenic!) over the Johnson Street Bridge to downtown.

The Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort has 236 rooms and 4 suites.

With a large indoor pool (big enough for laps), fitness center, electric scooter rentals in the lobby and even squash and tennis courts, it feels more like a year-round resort than an urban hotel.

For this reason, it’s one of the best resorts in Victoria, BC.

Songhees Walkway

Joggers and walkers will appreciate the Delta’s location right on the beautiful Songhees Walkway (aka Westsong Walkway or West Bay Walkway).

From the Delta hotel, it’s about a one-hour (return) waterside walk on this scenic pedestrian path to the boats and floating homes of Westbay Marine Village.

Delta Ocean Pointe Resort rooms

Fresh and contemporary in design, the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light to stream in.

Definitely book a waterview room if you can! You’ll get views of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings (which are lit up at night) and Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

All rooms feature flat-panel TVs, free Wi-Fi and large desks with ergonomic chairs and plug-in panels for charging all your gizmos – making the Delta the ideal city hotel for a business trip.

Restaurant

We’ve eaten a few times at LURE, the resort’s on-site restaurant and lounge.

It offers knock-your-socks-off waterfront views, especially if you sit outside on the outdoor patio (hands down, one of the hottest patios in Victoria).

An upscale all-suite hotel with 126 suites, it’s just two blocks from Victoria’s Inner Harbour and also only a short walk to Victoria’s signature Beacon Hill Park.

Swim in the 82-foot indoor lap pool, soak in the hotel hot tub and maybe take out one of the complimentary bikes to explore the bicycle-friendly city.

Also check out the koi pond in the plant-filled lobby.

We regularly pop in to the hotel’s casual café-cum-wine-bar Tre Fantastico for coffee or a light bite on the patio (good espresso, good food and good wine).

As part of its effort to be carbon neutral, the hotel doesn’t have air conditioning.

But you don’t really need A/C in Victoria in summer (unless it’s super hot, which is rare). With the windows open, the ocean breezes should keep you cool.

Clean and modern in décor, the Parkside also happens to be good value for money.

Parkside Hotel suites

The one- and two-bedroom suites range in size from 550 sq. ft to 1,000 sq. ft. (and there are several room types for the one-bedroom suites). The two-bedroom suites feature two bathrooms.

You’ll feel right at home here, as all suites have fireplaces, private balconies, European style washers/dryers and full kitchens with granite countertops.

Long stays

The hotel is ideally suited for longer stays.

No matter whether you plan to whip up complete dinners (using the stove and oven) or just want to order Indian food or lasagna from one of Victoria’s top restaurants, you’ll find the kitchen and dining room very convenient.

That’s our list of the best Victoria, BC, hotels!

Have you stayed at any of these Victoria, BC, accommodations? What’s your favorite bed-and-breakfast or hotel in Victoria?

We welcome comments, and you can share your thoughts or ask questions about any Victoria, Canada, hotels in the Comments section below.

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Photo credits: 7, 9 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 1 Abigail’s Hotel | Other photos courtesy the respective hotels

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