VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 173

ing room with a TV, a bright sunny dining area, and friendly longtime owners make this a
real home-away-from-home.
In the heart of the city center, the six-story 1913 Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas
St., 250/383-7137 or 800/663-7476, www.strathconahotel.com , $105-155 s or d including
breakfast) holds a variety of bars, including a couple of the city's most popular, as well as
86 guest rooms. They are sparsely furnished but clean and comfortable. It's worth upgrad-
ing to the much larger Premier Rooms.
Dating to 1911 and once home to artist Emily Carr, James Bay Inn (270 Government
St., 250/384-7151 or 800/836-2649, www.jamesbayinn.com , $139-189 s or d) is five blocks
from the harbor and within easy walking distance of all city sights and Beacon Hill Park.
From the outside, the hotel has a clunky, uninspiring look, but a bright and breezy decor
and new beds in the simply furnished rooms make it a pleasant place to rest your head. All
guests enjoy discounted food and drink at the downstairs restaurant and pub.
East of downtown in the suburb of Oak Bay, the Tudor-style Oak Bay Guest House
(1052 Newport Ave., 250/598-3812 or 800/575-3812, www.oakbayguesthouse.com ,
$119-179 s or d), one block from the waterfront, has been taking in guests since 1922. It of-
fers 11 smallish antique-filled rooms, each with a private balcony and a bathroom. The Sun
Lounge holds a small library and tea- and coffee-making facilities, while the Foyer Lounge
features plush chairs set around an open fireplace. Rates include a delicious four-course
breakfast.
One of the least expensive hotel options close to the Inner Harbour, but still just
one block from Douglas Street, is the 1867 Dalton Hotel & Suites (759 Yates St., 250/
384-4136 or 800/663-6101, www.daltonhotel.ca ) , Victoria's oldest hotel. The restored
boutique rooms ($155-205 s or d) are absolutely charming, with large beds and lovely bath-
rooms. Some rooms at the Dalton haven't been renovated in years. Sold as standard rooms
(you won't find pictures on the Dalton website), they are a little overpriced at $115-125 d.
Just four blocks from the Inner Harbour, the 1905 M Beaconsfield Inn (988 Humboldt
St., 250/384-4044 or 888/884-4044, www.beaconsfieldinn.com , $129-229 s or d) is exactly
what you may imagine a Victorian bed-and-breakfast should be. Original mahogany floors,
high ceilings, classical moldings, imported antiques, and fresh flowers from the garden cre-
ate an upscale historical charm throughout. Each of the nine guest rooms is individually
decorated in a style matching the Edwardian era. After checking in, you'll be invited to join
other guests for high tea in the library and then encouraged to return for a glass of sherry
before heading out for dinner. As you may expect, breakfast—served in a formal dining