The best hotels in Victoria

The Inner Harbour is the obvious pick for first-timers. You're steps from the Royal BC Museum, the Parliament Buildings, and the Fairmont Empress. But James Bay, one block south, gives you the same proximity at 20 to 30% lower prices. Ocean Island Inn on Johnson Street (from C$55/night) puts budget travelers right in the action.

Budget stays like Ocean Island Inn run C$55 to C$89. Mid-range hotels around the Inner Harbour (Oswego Hotel, Inn at Laurel Point) sit at C$155 to C$320. Luxury properties like the Fairmont Empress start at C$280. Summer prices (June through August) jump 40 to 50% compared to winter rates.

For a 2 to 3 night visit, yes. The Inner Harbour puts you walking distance to everything: whale watching tours depart from the dock, the Royal BC Museum is 3 minutes away, and Government Street shops start at your door. For longer stays, save money by staying in James Bay or Fernwood and walking 10 to 15 minutes to the harbour.

BC Ferries runs from Tsawwassen (south Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (30 minutes north of Victoria). The crossing takes 1 hour 35 minutes. Walk-on fare is C$18.75 per adult. Drive-on with a car costs C$63 plus C$18.75 per passenger. The Clipper fast ferry runs directly from Seattle to Victoria's Inner Harbour in 2.5 hours (US$115+ one way).

June through September delivers the best weather (17 to 22C, minimal rain). Butchart Gardens peaks in July and August. September offers warm days (19C average) with 30% fewer tourists and lower hotel prices. April and May bring the flower season when Victoria's gardens explode. Winter is mild (5 to 8C) but rainy, with hotel prices at their lowest.

Victoria for a city base with walkable restaurants and attractions. Sooke (40 minutes west) for wilderness and quiet. Sooke has the Wild Pacific Trail, Mystic Beach (a 2 km hike to a waterfall on the sand), and fewer than 5 restaurants worth visiting. The Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke (C$130+) faces the Juan de Fuca Strait. Choose based on whether you want museums and pubs or forests and beaches.

If you're going to Butchart Gardens (and you should), Brentwood Bay makes sense. The gardens are a 5-minute drive from Brentwood Bay versus 25 minutes from downtown Victoria. Brentwood Bay Resort (C$195+) sits directly on the water with kayak rentals and a marina. The bay itself is small but picturesque. Not worth a full stay unless you want a spa retreat.

The core is extremely walkable. Inner Harbour to Chinatown is 10 minutes. James Bay to Beacon Hill Park is 8 minutes. Fisherman's Wharf is a 15-minute waterfront walk from the Empress Hotel. For Butchart Gardens (21 km north) and Sooke (42 km west), you need a car or bus. Bus 75 goes to Butchart Gardens from downtown (50 minutes, C$2.50).

Skip Miniature World (C$16 for a dated attraction that takes 30 minutes). The wax museum closed years ago but still appears in old guides. The horse-drawn carriages around the harbour charge C$120+ for 30 minutes. Walk the same route yourself for free. The Inner Harbour restaurant row (between the Empress and Fisherman's Wharf) is overpriced. Eat on Fort Street instead.

Abigail's Hotel on McClure Street (C$260+) is a heritage bed and breakfast with fireplaces and no kids allowed. Magnolia Hotel and Spa on Courtney Street (C$185+) has a rooftop terrace and in-room soaking tubs. For something different, Brentwood Bay Resort (C$195+) offers waterfront rooms with private balconies overlooking the bay. Book a table at Brasserie L'Ecole on Government Street for the best French bistro dinner in the city (C$40 per person).

Oak Bay feels like a British village. Tudor-style shops on Oak Bay Avenue, the Estevan Village bakeries, and Willows Beach with views of the San Juan Islands. It's 15 minutes by bus from downtown. No hotels directly in Oak Bay, but it's worth a half-day trip for the Marina Restaurant (C$20 fish and chips with harbour views) and the afternoon tea tradition at White Heather Tea Room.

Three days covers the essentials: Day 1 for the Inner Harbour, Royal BC Museum (C$29), and James Bay. Day 2 for Butchart Gardens (C$40, arrive at 9am to avoid crowds). Day 3 for Fisherman's Wharf, Beacon Hill Park, and Fort Street restaurant crawl. Add a 4th day if you want Sooke or a whale watching tour (C$120 to C$150 for 3 hours, best May through October).