sundial

We will be visiting Vancouver/Victoria/Whistler this month with a group. One day they are dropping us off in downtown Victoria for a couple of hours after visiting Buchart Gardens. We would like a recommendation on a good place to have tea in the downtown area. There have been some good suggestions for the White Heather and Blethington Place, but it sounds like those two are located in Oak Bay. Is that walkable from downtown?

Meesthare

White Heather and Blethering Place are both in Oak Bay - not really walkable from downtown. The Empress is way, way overpriced in my opinion, and as mentioned on another related thread, the James Bay Tea Room is - I think the word was "ghastly" and I'd agree. I usually put in a plug for Point Ellice House - accessible from the Inner Harbour via water taxi, and you get tea on the lawn as well as a tour of the historic home. Really pleasant and although I think somebody mentioned they found it pricy, we liked it a lot and it's not as expensive as the Empress.

waltd

I agree with the inputy from Meesthare concerning Point Ellis House. While I pesonally didn't patrtake of tea time, my wife and her mother did and they enjoyed it. The price was somewhat pricey, but the Empress is well above what you get for your money.

Shaenee

Point Ellice House is lovely for tea...I have to say, I found the surroundings more appealing than the tea itself though. Not a bad tea...just not great.
Don't bother with the James Bat Tea House...you will be disappointed.

While the "Gatsby Mansion" has an absolutely beautiful setting...it's right downtown on the inner harbour in an old Georgian mansion where you sit on the front veranda overlooking the harbour for your tea...I was less than pleased with the service and the tea was "ok".

If you can't get to the Blethering Place or the White Heather...I would really splurge and do the Empress Tea. Regardless of the price, it's not a bad little tea, and the setting and experience are second to none.

How can you come to Victoria and not do tea at the Empress...after all, it was good enough for Winston Churchill and the Queen

sundial

I appreciate the suggestions!

Vorkuta

Murchie's in central Victoria used to do a great afternoon tea. I haven't been over there for a few years so I'm not sure whether they're still open (the Murchie's in downtown Vancouver closed a few months ago). But it's worth looking into. Anyone in Victoria will be able to tell you how to reach Murchie's. It's within walking distance of the Empress and all the other Inner Harbour sites.

Miss_Lynne

Murchie's was still open for afternoon tea last summer but I don't know about now. If you're only going to Victoria once have tea at the Empress...it's lovely but pricey! I think it's one of those "gotta do once" things though. It's a beautiful hotel. I had tea at Butchart Garden's last summer and it was lovely as well.