A B.C. hotel has been ranked the best in Canada and among the best accommodations in the world.
For its 34th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, Condé Nast Traveler asked readers to weigh in on their registered favourite hotels around the globe. Over 800,000 people responded to the call and 50 hotels are listed in the worldwide roundup.
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel in Victoria was ranked 19th in the world and took the top spot on the Canadian list; it was also the lone Canadian selection on the global one.
With sweeping ocean views from the pristine property, report authors note it isn't uncommon to "see pods of orcas swimming close to the shore." What's more, the 100-room hotel is located a mere five kilometres from downtown Victoria. Inspired by an English manor house, Oak Bay Beach Hotel also comes "complete with Tudor-influenced architectural touches and a charming pub serving halibut tempura and seafood chowder." Guests may also spruce up in the Boathouse Spa with Pacific Northwest-inspired treatments that incorporate seaweed and marine clay.
Do you take your furry best pal with you wherever you go? The stately hotel offers pet-friendly rooms, available as Garden Ocean Guest Rooms, Boutique Suites, Ocean Terrace Guest Rooms and One-Bedroom Suites. Your first pet is an additional $40 per night, with your second pet being an additional $20 per night. The maximum weight of pets allowed is 75 lbs, with a maximum of two pets per room.
The hotel was selected in the Readers' Choice Awards in 2018 and 2019, too.
Top Canadian picks
For Canadian hotels, the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver placed second after the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Report authors note that the property comes equipped with an "almost-outrageous number of windows," which means the scenery is "practically indoors" at the harbourfront accommodation. They also note that the location provides the ideal base to explore the city's downtown core as well as enjoy sweeping views of the North Shore Mountains and Stanley Park.
Another B.C.-based hotel, the Rosewood Hotel Georgia came seventh on the Canadian list, with report authors lauding the downtown Vancouver hotel's elegant reception area, ideal location, luxurious bathrooms with heated marble floors, and excellent location.
Other B.C. hotels on the list include Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim in the #11 spot, The Magnolia Hotel & Spa in Victoria at #12, the Loden Hotel in Vancouver in #13, and the Pan Pacific Vancouver in #15.
