Spinnakers Guest House in Victoria?
 

Hello,<BR><BR>I was just wondering if anyone has stayed at the Spinnakers Guest House in Victoria and would recommend it. My husband and I are looking for a relaxing, romantic atmosphere. Is it conveniently located?<BR><BR>Thanks a lot!<BR><BR>Ana

Yes - we stayed at Spinnakers in January and would highly recommend it. Our room was quite small but very pretty with a gas fireplace and jacuzzi tub for 2. (If you get an upstairs room you may have a bit of a view)<BR>We had breakfast (incl) and dinner at the restaurant next door and were very impressed with both meals.<BR>From the guesthouse you can walk along the harbour to the Ocean Pointe Resort and then into town (although this is a fairly long walk).

Thanks, Lennie, for you reply! It seems like the place we're looking for. By the way, do you think Victoria is definitely a must see? I'm torn bewteen going to Whistler vs Victoria. Any thoughts? <BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Ana

Ana,<BR>Yes, Ss is conveniently located, although a bit of a long walk to the Inner Harbor. The walk on along the seawall is used by many day in and day out. Also, one can watch the seaplanes land on the water from this location.<BR>FYI: Recommendation...For a nice Sunday brunch try the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant located in Oak Bay, that is if you will have a car. <BR>Enjoy one of my favorite places to visit...Vancouver Island.<BR>Coco

I don't know which you would enjoy more - Victoria or Whistler. I guess it would depend on where you were from - Victoria is on the ocean and is a pretty 'British' town with lots of tourist activities. Whistler is a world class resort in the mountains with lots of tourist activities (more outdoor oriented). I prefer Victoria but I'm sure others would disagree.<BR> By the way, if you like seafood - the seafood chowder at Spinnakers is fabulous!

Thanks Lennie and Coco for your helpful advice! I guess Victoria will be my pick this time. I'll leave Whistler for next time. Thanks, Lennie, for letting me know about the delicious seafood shower at Spinnakers - I won't pass it up! I absolutely love seafood! By the way, should I rent a car in Victoria? I'd like to enjoy the surrounding areas, the outdoors, the scenery and not only concentrate on the touristy sites. Any suggestions of where to go?<BR><BR>Thanks again for your continued help! It seems that this is a never ending interrogatory ;)<BR><BR>Cheers, Ana

A car in Victoria is not necessary. Even less than Vancouver. For the few out of Inner Harbour attractions tour busses or local busses are available.<BR><BR>For $160 you can easily find accomodation closer in to the inner harbour but Spinnakers is very Victoria and so the tradeoff for atmosphere v conveniance might favour Spinnakers.

I just returned from Victoria (loved it) and would highly recommend a car. I would suggest driving over to Sooke and visit East Sooke regional park...great hiking trails & oceanfront views, beachcombing etc.and only 30 - 45 minutes from downtown. Then continue on - maybe stop at the Sooke Potholes Prov. park if you want a swim (we have cold water up here!!). Then continue on for another 1/2 hour or so to French Beach, which has short trails, and a beautiful ocean beach to walk on - very romantic!! Port Renfrew area, further up is open ocean, and Botonical Beach has great beachcombing and tide pools if you time it right (tide can't be in too far). Another nice drive is up the Malahat highway. From there you can drive on to Chemainus if you like touristy towns with quaint antique, clothing, gift, artsy shops - a great place to have lunch in one of their little restaurants. It has a great walking area with lots of painted murals on the building walls and a carraige ride that is much cheaper than Victoria - but I walked the town easily.

Ana,<BR>I would recommend a car definately if you want to tour around the island. We rented a "charactor" cottage for a month in Oak Bay area so am quite familar with the area. Besides touring Oak Bay, take the beautiful scenic drive along Dallas Drive (starting from the Inner Harbor) where you will see many beautiful beach homes along the way. The Uplands area is the Beverly Hills of the island. For a fabulous lunch you may want to drive up the Malahat Mtn., up island, to the beautiful French Aerie Resort that sits atop the mountain with a view to die for. Also, to Sooke Harbor at Sooke Harbor House. That too, is located right on the water. Wonderful food. The owners of the restaurant grow their own herbs/vegetables and cook them the same day. Beautiful view. These two places I am recommending are very pricey, but worth the effort. <BR>Enjoy, and if there is anything else I can help you with, I'll be here. <BR>Regards, Coco<BR>

Thanks to all for your great advice! Can't wait to visit Victoria! My plans are to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Butterfly Gardens (I love butterflies!), the Thunderbird Park and walk around town/harbor. I haven't decided yet if I should visit the Butchart Gardens. I've heard Queen Elizabeth Park and Van Dusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver are as nice and I'm planning on visiting them both. I like gardens but I think visiting two different ones (oh, plus the one in Chinatown) may be more than enough. What are your thoughts? I'm thinking of renting a car (per your recommendation) and do a bit of exploring around Vancouver Island but I only have practically a full day ( 1/2 day when I arrive and 1/2 day before I depart) to enjoy it all. By the way, Coco, should I rent a car in Vancouver or Victoria? Any rental place in particular?<BR><BR>Many thanks to all of you (Coco, Darlene, Gary, Lennie) for your continued help!<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Ana

Ana, Oh, only one full day in Victoria! There is so much to take in and you will not get to see all the beauty on the island. I would recommend visiting Bouchert Gardens, but that too takes a long time to walk around, the grounds are so large. The Butterfly Gardens are closeby BGardens. You say you like to see butterflys. I don't know about this place, we felt a little bit cheated after we came out of there, but don't want to spoil it for you if that is what you like. Will you and your husband be flying into YVR (Vancouver Airport)? If so, that is where we rented our car one time on one of our trips to Vancouver, then we drove over to Victoria a few days later. No problem at all, except it would be best if you have it all pre-arranged from stateside. Can't remember which agency we rented from, but it was either Hertz or Avis. The office is located in a separate building from the terminal... right next door, a short walk away. Am sorry you only will have a short stay on the island. Perhaps you will go back for a longer visit? Hope you enjoy your stay. :-)<BR>Best Coco<BR>P.S. If you want to read further info on Victoria, what's happening, check out http://www.canada.com

Hi, Coco! Thanks again for your help! Unfortunately we'll only be spending one night in Victoria... I hope we can spend more time there next time. My plans are to take the ferry to Victoria (I heard that I good way to do it is taking the Pacific Coach Bus - you agree? )early in the morning, spend the night there and return to Vancouver the next day in the evening. That's why I wasn't sure I should visit Butchart Gardens. Well, it sounds as if I should skip the Butterfly Gardens then. We're not spending enough time there and I'd like to walk around and even do a bit of scenic driving. I'll look into some of the rental places in Victoria and try to get everything arranged before we ge there.<BR><BR>Thanks again!<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>Ana

If you skip Butchart's in Victoria, you might want to take in Hatley Park instead. The grounds are lovely - at least they were on my last visit - with a Japanese garden, Italian garden, sculptures, ponds, lawns, peacocks, deer sometimes, and a castle! Below the park is a road between a lagoon and the ocean that you can drive along.<BR><BR>To get there you have to drive past some ugly car lots and strip malls, but just when you've about given up hope, there it is - this gem. (You'd need to be in the left hand lane to turn in the driveway.)

Thanks, April! I'll keep that in mind. Would you happen to remember which road is that (the one between the lagoon and the ocean)?<BR><BR>Regards, Ana

Ana,<BR>It's just called Lagoon Rd. <BR>Take the Old Island Hwy / Sooke Road to get to the castle grounds.

Thanks, April!