Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Apr 17, 2010
Buyer Beware !!! We went there trying to take in the culture and history of
Victoria. When we first entered the front desk person did not greet us in a
professional manner, We were given our keys to a room that was on the 3rd floor.
We had to climb 3 different levels of stairs with our heavy luggage, there was
no porter to assist and the inn keeper didn't even feign interest in assisting
us, he was more engrossed on the TV playing in the background. When we opened
our room we where greeted by a room with a rickety chair that was just thrown in
there. Most of the electrical outlets did't work or would arc and the smell of
ozone would fill the room. You have to pay for every local call which is
typically included in most places, there is no room service. The shower had no
working fan so if you do decide to wash be prepared for condensation everywhere.
The fire exit was difficult to find if there was an emergency ! There is no
fridge and we had no clean water in the room and the vending machine only
accepted quarters from 2002 and before. So if you had quarters past that date
you where out of luck. The room did not have air conditioning so we had to leave
the window open to get some air circulation and that allowed mosquitoes and
other pests into the unit.
When we went to the cafe we where given a 15% discount as a "guest" however the
service and quality of the food leaves much to be desired. The waitress was more
interested in her upcoming vacation to Las Vegas than been cordial with the
clients. When taking our order she lacked any grace or sense of decency when
serving food to people. The prices for the food is comparable to a 4 star hotel
however the quality of food was tasteless and lacked any inspiration.
One would think that to have a location on Government Street so close to Emily
Carr's residence the powers that be would ensure that any and all hospitality
service providers would meet a minimum level of standards. You are better served
to spend $20 more and stay at a real hotel downtown where there is standard of
service. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy.Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Apr 15, 2010
My husband & I anticipated that our stay at the James Bay Inn would be
enjoyable, relaxing time. Instead we were met by a rather unpleasant desk clerk
who did not really want to bother with us. If you have more than a shoulder bag,
than I wish you luck. We were on the 3rd floor with 2 pieces of luggage each and
no elevator or assistance to help us up the winding stairs. The room smelled
musty and moldy with beds and furniture that were just thrown together with
very, very unusual colors in both the rooms and hallways. Not comfortable at
all.
If you are hungry, find some other place to eat. The dinner we were served there
was bland, tasteless, and greasy with no flavor whatsoever. When you looked
around the dining room, (again very, very dated to the early 50's) you could see
that the restaurant was catering to the tastes of the elderly. We left with
upset stomachs and wondering why we chose to eat there.
All in all, find a place in the center of downtown to stay when visiting this
beautiful city. You will be thankful you did.
Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Apr 12, 2010
This hotel seemed quite nice and homely. Full of character and it seemed to have
a nice atmosphere about it. We only stayed one night in a twin room but the next
morning my friend had a few bites (she's quite allergic to them), one being
particularly bad. We hadn't checked for bed bugs as the room seemed clean as did
the en suite bathroom and the rest of the hotel in general. I thought I'd
escaped having slept in a different bed but my bites (quite a number of them)
showed up a few days later. It was our first stay of a 2month trip around
America and Canada and we checked for bugs EVERYWHERE after that! Gross. Just
goes to show, regardless of the cleaning, these things can be carried into any
establishment. Always check! On the plus side, the location was quite good
(though the lighting around the area after dark could have been better).
Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Mar 21, 2010
We have visited Victoria, British Columbia 6 times in the past seven years. We
have bought 'package deals' where the hotel is often included with the cost of
airfare. We have even stayed at supposedly "the" finest hotel in all of
Victoria.............but w'll take the James Bay Inn at every opportunity. The
hotel exudes a quirky charm and quaintness that we have not experienced at any
hotel we have ever stayed at - be it, in the USA, Portugal, or Spain. This is
our home away from home. It is SO nice to be able to open the windows and breath
in all that beautiful, fresh ocen air and enjoy the cherry blossoms and magnolia
trees out front! The staff are always SO friendly and helpful. Everything is
within walking distance of the hotel. And the history!! Did you know that Emily
Carr actually lived here?! The stained glass windows and the ambience make me
feel as though I've stepped into a P.D. James novel. I ABSOLUTELY love this
place and cannot wait to go back!
Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Mar 5, 2010
We enjoyed our stay here, at this hotel. Our room was very clean, it had an old
fashioned feel and the character of the hotel has been kept and not been
modernized, which we liked! We had a big room at the front and the room had an
en suite and even a wlak in wardrobe! It was very good value for money and would
recommend this hotel. Victoria is a great place to visit and the location of the
hotel was only a short walk fro the centre. Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Jan 18, 2010
We stayed with my parents and our two small children in the cottage for one
night. What a pleasant surprise. We weren't expecting much as we booked very
last minute, but the 2 bedrooms were very nicely turned out and the kids slept
comfortably on the pull-out couch in the lounge.
The cottage is a free-standing 2 bedroom house just next to the hotel. It has
its own parking.
All the furniture was of good solid quality and the kitchen was fully stocked
with all kinds of appliances - even an electric mixer for a pancake breakfast!
We all loved staying there and the location couldn't be better - walking
distance to centre of town and all the harbour.
We had dinner at the lounge and had a good meal at a (very) good price thanks to
the discount given to hotel guests
Guest Review of the James Bay Inn Victoria
Nov 24, 2009
I was recommended the James Bay Inn by a co-worker who just happened by it one
day and has stayed there every time they're in Victoria.
I absolutely loved the old charm! I was already forewarned about the history of
the James Bay Inn and the hotel being older with every room having a different
look depending on what kind of room you requested. We went to Victoria over the
Canada Day weekend and really enjoyed our stay at the hotel...the parking was
great (free, and just drive right into the lot) and our room (two singles beds)
was clean and the beds were really comfortable. It had been a long time since
I'd used a key to open a hotel door and at night the light from the hallway
shone through a crack in door. The hotel is situated in a quiet residential
neighborhood just blocks from the Parliament Buildings and the downtown inner
harbour which made it extremely convenient for everything we wanted to do. Our
room was quiet and we heard no street noise, except from the partying people at
a nearby home during the midnight hour on Canada day. Our room had a view of the
building next door, which wasn't a big problem as I almost never look out the
hotel window and rarely spend a ton of time in the room anyhow.
In a nutshell, I would absolutely recommend staying at the James Bay Inn and, in
fact, I already have....
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