Whether you are a local planning a Victoria romantic getaway, or you are visiting from out-of-town looking for the best hotel in Victoria BC, Oak Bay Beach Hotel is the ultimate choice for a weekend stay.

Note About COVID-19

Since this post is being published in the middle of a pandemic, I would like to quickly provide some background info and clarification… In case you haven’t read my previous Fairmont Chateau Whistler review, BC is currently in Phase 3 of its Restart Plan. In other words, Canadians are allowed to take part in safe and respectful travel within the province. Don’t forget to wear a mask and please adhere to all COVID-19 rules + regulations.

If you are a fellow American reader, our borders are unfortunately still closed. However, you can most certainly bookmark this post for later and add it to your future travel bucket list 😉

Oak Bay Beach Hotel

Address: 1175 Beach Dr, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Phone Number: (250) 598-4556
Website: https://www.oakbaybeachhotel.com/

Check-In Time: 4:00PM
Check-Out Time: 12:00PM

About Oak Bay Beach Hotel

Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a 4-star luxury boutique resort built in an English Manor House style. It is a top luxury resort in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, it consistently ranks as one of the Top Luxury Hotels in Canada as well as Most Romantic Hotels in Canada on TripAdvisor. The property overlooks the Juan de Fuca Strait, and its location makes it an ideal spot to catch sunrise in Victoria.

Getting Here

Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a short 15-minute car or taxi ride from Downtown Victoria. Alternatively, complimentary chauffeur services are available from downtown transportation hubs.

If you are arriving from Vancouver via BC Ferries, the resort is a 45-minute drive from Swartz Bay. Navigating through Victoria’s highways is fairly straight forward, and you should have no problem with Google Maps/GPS. If you don’t have a car or (international) license, or you simply don’t feel comfortable driving, other transportation services are also available at additional costs*.

*Please note that at the moment, all shuttle services have temporarily been suspended due to COVID-19.

Check-In

As stated above, check-in is at 4:00PM. The staff will confirm your reservation with you then walk you through Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s COVID-19 safety measures. Refer to “COVID-19 Measures” section below for complete details.

Boutique Suite

My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of spending our Victoria romantic getaway in Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s iconic Boutique Suite. There are a couple different Boutique Suites categorized by varying room views. Each ranges in size from 470 to 560 sq. ft and includes a kitchenette with stovetop and dishwasher. In addition to that, every room has a small dining table and couch/living room space.

Our suite was the Boutique Suite “Our Best” Ocean View (King). As its name suggests, this suite boasts breathtaking oceanfront views and features a king-size bed.

You can keep the bathroom partition closed or you can leave it open to marvel at the amazing views.

Upon entering our room, we were also greeted with a bottle of Mission Hill 2018 Chardonnay accompanied by some lovely treats.

FARO

Funghi. Portabella mushroom pizza with fior di latte, gorgonzola, kale, garlic, lemon zest, and truffle oil.

FARO is Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s newest restaurant. They specialize in wood stone pizzas and their crafted cocktails are yummy classics with a fun twist.

Sheringham Shrub and Summer Manhattan left; Carpaccio right.

For starters, my boyfriend and I shared the Angus beef carpaccio with lemon garlic aioli, caper, arugula, and parmesan. Although I’m not a fan of arugula, I loved this dish. The deep fried capers added a nice crunch, and the overall flavor profile was just so, so rich.

Gamberi. Wild Argentine prawns pizza with garlic cream, parsley, lemon, and cashew romesco.

Moving onto entrées, we ordered the Funghi and Gamberi. Both were absolutely delicious. If you love mushrooms, I definitely recommend the Funghi. The Gamberi was delightful of course and the romesco sauce was a refreshing alternative to the usual tomato paste. We actually ended up having to pack half of the pizzas, which made for great snacks that we easily heated up on our in-room stove.

Baked Lemon Tart with sweet vanilla crème fraîche.

To end the night, we shared a lemon tart. (The Almond Cherry Polenta Cake sounded divine too, but were stuffed.) The tart was sweet and tangy and thinking about it now is making me drool all over my laptop!

Having tried some of Victoria’s top recommended restaurants, I can honestly say that none of them compared to FARO. It’s not just the food, but you really can’t beat the convenience of its location! And that’s coming from me and my boyfriend having waited in the cold for an hour for a seat at a popular sushi restaurant in Downtown. Trust me when I say you’re not going to want to pass this up!

Boathouse Spa & Mineral Pools

Boathouse Spa is the only oceanfront spa in Victoria. If you would like to try their classic Swedish massage or other treatments, it is recommended that you make a booking 2 to 3 weeks in advance.

Mineral pools open daily from 9:00AM to 9:00PM and all hotel guests receive unlimited, exclusive access. It was unfortunately cloudy/rainy our entire stay. However, that didn’t stop us nor the other guests from enjoying these heated seaside pools.

Additional Photos

COVID-19 Measures

For complete information on Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s COVID-19 measures, refer to their latest updates here.

To briefly recap, all guests are required to wear masks or face coverings throughout the property – with the exception of dining at onsite restaurants or at the outdoor minerals pools. (Regardless, you will still need to wear a mask/face covering on your way there.)

Again, it is strongly encouraged that you make reservations for Boathouse Spa 2 to 3 weeks in advance. As for the minerals pools, no booking is required. However, they are currently operating at a reduced capacity. Depending on how busy the hotel gets, exclusive pool access may be limited to 3 hours per your hotel stay. (Our stay was from Thursday to Saturday and we experienced no problems/limitations.) If you don’t feel as comfortable sharing a pool with other hotel guests, I suggest avoiding afternoons and visiting right when they open or later in the evening before close.

Lastly, housekeeping will not be providing any daily cleaning services or evening turndowns. If you require fresh linens, towels, or any other toiletries, you may request for them to be left outside your door.

Final Verdict

Amenities: ★★★★★ (two restaurants + pub, spa & mineral pools, gym, meeting facilities, and wedding venues)
Cleanliness: ★★★★★
Comfort: ★★★★★
Proximity: ★★★★☆
Quietness: ★★★★★
Safety: ★★★★★
Space: ★★★★★
Value of Price: ★★★★★
Internet Access: Complimentary
Parking: Complimentary

Pros

• Superb location
  • Far enough from the bustling downtown, yet still a quick drive to all major tourist attractions
  • Perfect for watching sunrises
• Friendly and hospitable staff
• In-room kitchenette + dishwasher available
  • Due to COVID-19, pots and other cookware need to be requested
• Heated bathroom tiles
• Bathtub has a regular faucet + separate shower head installed that is great for rinsing
• Pet-friendly rooms are available upon request
• Complimentary parking

Cons

• Awkward bathroom sink design. Your hands will keep hitting the basin because there isn’t enough space.
• There were no tissues in our bathroom.

Having said that, the pros definitely outweigh these minor inconveniences. All in all, my boyfriend and I had a fabulous stay. We couldn’t have asked for a better Victoria romantic getaway and can’t wait to return again – hopefully during spring or summer when the weather is better. As mentioned above, Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a prime spot for catching sunrise. It really is such a beautiful location and you won’t be disappointed.

Like what you see? Check here for availability and book your stay today!