- SarahQSpano
- First Reviewer
- 3 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 3
- Reviews
Nothing like the pictures
- August 7, 2007
- Rated 2 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
On the website this hotel looks wonderful. It is actually a horrid little place. Our room was tiny, just big enough for the queen size bed. The view was of office buildings. Everything smelled of mildew. The porcelain had worn off the tub. The walls were faded and paint was chipped. The door was discolored; looked like water damage down the whole side. The duvet cover was a cheap imitation velvet. It was the most unpleasant hotel room I've ever been in. All of this for over $* night! And we even had to pay extra to park. Wish I'd taken the time to read reviews. At least the staff was friendly and we could spend most of our time in the downtown area.
Nice and Cheap!
- December 5, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The staff were very friendly, the hotel is nice and centrally located (I recommend the sushi restaurant across the street) The building was a bit ratty looking, but nice enough for a budget traveller. Warning: the walls are a bit thin; I was there over Valentine's Day. Ick.
Editor Pick
Dominion Grand Hotel (Victoria)
- February 6, 2006
- Rated 3 of 5 by
SarahQSpano from Dundas, Ontario
The Dominion Grand is Victoria's oldest hotel (opened in 1876) and is located in the heart of the city's downtown shopping district. It's an easy walk to many attractions, including the beautiful inner harbour.
The hotel offers two types of rooms, the newly renovated Grand Rooms and the Boutique Rooms. The Grand Rooms offer all the amenities of a regular moderately priced room, but quite a bit more charm then your average hotel/motel. Even though the rooms have been newly renovated, they still fit in quite well with the Victorian character of the hotel itself. The Boutique Rooms are individually designed and are decorated in an updated antique style with beautiful finishes and fixtures. Additional amenities are available in these room, such as air-conditioning, ceiling fans, and complimentary coffee/tea, and some rooms even boast fireplaces or balconies.
Rates for the Grand Rooms are between C$69 and C$149, depending on the season, the amenities, and the room type chosen; Boutique Rooms will run between C$110 and C$249. Make sure to check the website, as (especially during low season) special discounts and packages are available, with Grand Rooms going for as low as $40 per night and Boutique Rooms as low as $89, including a 50%-off dinner voucher at the nearby restaurant, Syn Bar & Grille.
The hotel is in a beautiful old Victorian-era building, and the decor inside is has been kept as original as possible. We had paid for a regular room (which at that time had not been renovated) but were upgraded to a Boutique Room, which wasn't bad for C$52 (including taxes!). We found the front-desk staff to be friendly and helpful. Our room was very well appointed and fairly spacious for an old hotel, with beautiful finishes, furniture, and art. It was very comfortable and had all the amenities we could need in downtown Victoria.
A word of warning: the Dominion Grand is an old hotel, which has its advantages and its disadvantages. If you are looking for the quaint charm of a historical Victorian building, you'll have to pardon the slightly worn look of the public areas, outdated facilities, and plumbing/temperature issues every now and then. If you are looking for top-of-line amenities or are travelling for business, you may want to look elsewhere.
We found the Dominion Grand to be in an great location, a great value, and a romantic place to spend a couple of nights. If you're looking for romance, definitely splurge on the beautiful Boutique Rooms--you won't regret it.
From journal Vancouver Island Vignettes