The Chateau Victoria Hotel
By Barbara Ballard
With its bubbling fountain and dramatic entranceway, the Chateau Victoria's exterior is quite impressive. The impression continues in the lobby. Scattered with comfortable sofas and chairs, it is an inviting oasis in shades of green and cream. Mirrors, set between beams in the ceiling, reflect a warm ambiance. Front desk staff are welcoming and efficient. A special touch is a big basket of shiny red apples for guests to help themselves.
Rated four star by Canada Select, this air-conditioned property is conveniently located downtown, close to many of Victoria's attractions and only a couple of blocks from the Inner Harbour.
The recently redecorated rooms - including new carpeting and bedspreads - are picture perfect and comfortable. Decorated in soft shades of pinky mauve, they are restful to the eye. All of the rooms have coffee makers, desks and modems in addition to the usual TV, ironing board and hairdryers. Standard rooms contain double or queen size beds, while suites may have a king or two queens. Bathrooms are the standard hotel fare.
It's the suites and penthouses that really shine in this hotel, especially if you are contemplating a long stay. The suites vary in configuration. They have balconies where you can step out for a breath of fresh air. Those on the upper floors have beautiful panoramic views. Some of the suites have a second bed in the large living area, making a suite easy to share with another couple. The penthouses have two bedrooms. Many have stove tops, microwaves and sinks. A number have full sized kitchens, making it simple to prepare meals, thus saving money on eating out - particularly necessary if you are staying for a long time.
Although the exercise room has only three pieces of equipment, the swimming pool more than makes up the difference. It's large enough for laps and natural light streams in through two huge skylights. There's a whirlpool right beside it. A great place to relax and unwind after all that hectic sight seeing.
Essential Information
For information on the restaurants, see the Eating Out section of the Victoria Travel Guide.
The Chateau Victoria Hotel is located at 740 Burdett Ave.
Phone: 250-382-4221 or Toll Free 1-800-663-5891.
Reservations: reservations@chateauvictoria.com.
177 rooms. Parking provided. Non smoking floors. Two handicapped accessible suites.
Prices vary depending on the season and packages available. They start at $139 and go up to about $250 for the penthouses. Water views are NOT extra.
©2000 by Barbara Ballard. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part, including images, and reproduction in electronic media, without documented permission from the author is prohibited.
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.
