10 Best Hotels in Victoria, British Columbia

Far-reaching views from the upper-floor suites are a plus at this good-value, centrally located, independent hotel. Most units are one-bedroom suites with full balconies and up-to-date earth-tone color schemes; the upper-floor two-bedroom suites are huge and have private decks. Lower-floor standard rooms are small and plain but clean and well-priced. An indoor pool, plus kitchenettes in most rooms, make this a good family choice, too. Clive's Classic Lounge, just off the lobby, is an au courant spot for cocktails; higher up, the views from Vista 18, the top-floor restaurant/lounge, extend across the harbor. You might even be able to spot the hotel's rooftop honey bee hives. When the hotel upgraded its elevators, it created vertical art galleries in its stairwells, all done by local artists, so be sure to take them in.

Rooms at the Hotel Grand Pacific are large and surprisingly quiet, with deep soaker tubs, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies, and a chic monochromatic color scheme. Upper-floor rooms have views of the harbor, the Parliament Buildings, or the mountains, which you can admire from your private balcony, big enough to sit out on and perhaps even share with a resting seagull or two. There are eight fully accessible rooms including roll-in showers and automatic doors. The Pacific Restaurant serves Asian-influenced Pacific Northwest fare and hosts a popular high tea featuring blends from Silk Road Tea. Its health club offers day passes (C$18) to non-guests.

In quiet-but-handy James Bay, this chic all-suites boutique property has 80 sleek studio, one-, and two-bedroom units. The look—black and white offset with soft neutrals, natural stone floors and countertops, and walls of windows—is airy and contemporary, with a touch of west coast. Full kitchens and balconies in most suites encourage hanging out. There's a fitness center and in-room spa services offered. The inviting lobby and terrace double as a casual bistro that in the evenings, often features local musicians. The Oswego is exceptionally pet-friendly, too, offering treats, dog beds, and walking maps to traveling pups.

Stylish and ecologically friendly, this glass-and-stone boutique hotel on the parklike waterfront has helped introduce Sidney to more travelers. Rooms, done in chic dark woods and crisp white fabrics, range from standard rooms with views (a good value) to apartment-size suites with kitchens and private ocean-view balconies. West coast farm-to-table cuisine is the focus at 10 Acres Farm restaurant overlooking the water. A small café on-site is a good spot for picnic fixings. Other pluses include a full-service spa, a 24-hour fitness center, and a concierge who'll set up whale-watching, kayaking, and scuba-diving trips.

Two Nicklaus Design golf courses are the draw at this resort about 30 minutes northwest of the city center—two hotel buildings, several restaurants, a spa, and an extensive health club (with tennis, bikes, yoga, a pool, hot tub, and infrared sauna) form the core of the resort village. Rooms and suites in the Clubhouse and Fairway buildings are large, with slate bathroom floors, soft green and gray earth tones, and large shared balconies; suites have full kitchens and electric fireplaces. The on-site Callisto Restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the fairway, serves west coast fare, much locally sourced.