Hotel Zed Victoria — Hotel in Victoria

I was recommended to stay at your Victoria property by a friend, so I looked at your website and it seemed like an ideal little spot with hostel-like vibes that I was very much looking forward to. I will admit I was extremely disappointed by my experience, as was my partner. The King for a Night room was spacious, and the bed was very comfortable, we loved the amount of pillows and I requested another duvet because I love to sleep with many blankets, and a wonderful front desk agent brought one up right away. Beyond that, everything else seemed underwhelming. The place was full of screaming children using the pool pretty much all day every day and into the evening. When we did get down there later in the night, the hot tub and water slide were enjoyable. However we felt we could not spend much time out there due to it being overrun by families. This would not have been a problem if on your website it showed a bunch of families and small kids in the pool area. Your website makes it seem like your clientele would be young couples, groups of friends, experienced low-key travellers.. and much to our disappointment this was not the case. Also, while the bright colours and retro theme is really awesome, the bathroom fan was so loud and ineffective that I'd rather dull walls and better ventilation. I understand this property is a renovated motel, but I did find it to be quite noisy. The neighbourhood is currently surrounded by construction - I know this isn't your fault. However, giving a heads up regarding this fact on your website or in the confirmation of booking email would've been greatly appreciated. I would've booked elsewhere and enjoyed sleeping in rather than being awoken each morning to so much noise and the building literally moving beneath us. I was hoping for some good rest and instead I had quite the opposite experience. Considering the amount we paid, we expected a lot more from the experience we received. I was looking at properties downtown for the same price as I paid here - but decided on your hotel because I wanted to try something different on this visit. I very much regret it. I was looking forward to taking the bikes out, which was a major draw to staying with you as well. And we did take them for a ride. We ended up with a flat tire on one bike and when we called we were instructed to take the bikes and put them on the city bus with us and bring them back. To which we said no, because firstly we haven't used public transportation in Victoria so we wouldn't even know where to begin, so we said we would leave the bike with the flat tire locked to a bike rack and gave the location, then walked back pushing the other bike along (we didn't want to push the second one back in case it would cause the rim to become damaged). I will say I am definitely going to look into staying at your Tofino property next time I head out that way. I just think being a little more upfront about what the reality is at your Vic property would be greatly appreciated. And possibly start to have some adults only pool time in the evening.

Please upgrade your bathroom fans. The bathroom in general is very ghetto feeling. The countertop was not level... anything that was cylindrical literally rolled off the counter.

The retro fan sitting on top of the microwave was great, not overly loud, but a nice calming fan sound to help attempt to muffle out the excessive noise from traffic, construction and screaming children outside. The waterslide was a lot of fun, and the change rooms/bathrooms with showers downstairs are lovely. Glad the pool was heated too. The lobby is cute, though because of the restaurant it was often too noisy and packed to spend any time in utilizing the typewriters, vinyl...

My go-to hotel in Victoria. Is it posh, fancy, or any such thing? Nope. What it IS is a cool, funky, independent hotel in a reclaimed motel from the '50s. If you're into mid-century modern retro vibes (like I am), this is your place!

There are lots of different accommodation types, from "bachelor pad" to a separate freestanding cottage to an Airstream. I've stayed in several room types. They're all terrific, done up in Fabulous Fifties or Swinging Sixties decor. It's curated in a fun, funky way without being precious or pretentious (including a comic book in each room). Rooms are spotlessly clean, totally comfortable, stylish, and quiet, with all mod cons. Wifi is great (at least it always has been for me). Looking for a "business centre" or fancy gym? Nope. Instead, think bikes (including tandem), skateboards, and pool with a waterslide (and hot tub and sauna). Or think beautifully restored VW and Chevy microbusses. And think ping-pong room with retro video games. The restaurant on site (Ruby's) is great for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Again, think retro vibes with a HUGE list of eggs Benedict options and lots of other yummy stuff.

Is it in a tourist location? Nope. But it's close to all that, a short hop to the university, across the street from a decent mall, and a great convenient location in general. Staff are fabulous—friendly, helpful, and cool without being pretentiously "cool". People actually seem to enjoy working there! Very pet and LGBTQ friendly. Complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby/office, with a hangout area and board games. Plenty of (surface) parking. Yes, there are usually lots of kids. Yes, it's on a main street, so there is some traffic (including the occasional emergency vehicle). So if stuff like that turns you off, look elsewhere.

If you're looking for generic, corporate vibes, also look elsewhere. There are countless properties like that. But if you're looking for something unique, with charm and character, this is the place. It's fantastic for families with younger kids. It's equally fantastic for families bringing their older kids to start at UVic or coming to see them graduate. (And I am not affiliated with the hotel in any way. Just a happy...

Terrible Experience – Rude Staff and Poor Service I would not recommend Hotel Z based on my recent stay. After traveling 12 hours for a 3-night trip and booking three rooms, the experience was nothing short of a nightmare.

Payment Issues: The staff refused to accept cash for one of the rooms, leaving me in tears. One room was paid with a Visa, another with a debit card, and the third intended to be paid in cash. However, the staff insisted on switching payments around, trying to refund my debit to charge my daughter's Visa, which wasn’t even tied to her booking. This left me financially strained, as refunds to deposits take days to process, and I was left without access to that money during my stay.

Check-In Delays: Despite having three rooms reserved, one wasn’t ready until after 4:30 PM. The room above the hot tub smelled like chlorine, was loud, and very small.

Room Amenities: The room lacked basic necessities. There was no coffee provided, only two towels for two people, and the hair dryer didn’t work.

Harassment by Staff: While sitting in my vehicle enjoying a coffee, a staff member approached and rudely informed me I was on private property. They didn’t even identify themselves as staff, making me feel unwelcome and harassed.

Overcrowded Pool and Hot Tub: The pool and hot tub were unusable due to an unsupervised youth hockey team. The hot tub was packed with parents while at least 25 kids splashed and shouted in the pool and on the water slides. There was no room to relax or enjoy these amenities.

Parking Issues: The hotel lacked sufficient parking, adding another layer of frustration.

The shower had no pressure the water barely came out and the soap and shampoo on the wall was so thick had to punch it to come out .

The entire experience was emotionally draining, and the staff’s rudeness and lack of professionalism made it worse. This stay cost me far more than I anticipated, both financially and emotionally, leaving me regretting my choice. If you value customer service and an stress-free stay, I would suggest...