James Bay Inn Hotel, Suites & Cottages — Hotel in Victoria

I have been to the JBI multiple times and all but the last experience were great. The service in the restaurant is good and the servers are polite and friendly. The lobby of the hotel is a beautiful atmosphere and I often take family and friends who visit Victoria to look at the art! Usually I am greeted with respect and friendliness as we peruse around quietly despite not being guests at the hotel. Today after enjoying breakfast at the restaurant I took my boyfriend to show him the art. We were immediately greeted my the owner John, asking if we needed anything. I replied saying we were just going to look at the art and he asked us to stay in the lobby which is reasonable and I wouldn’t think to do otherwise. We were there for possibly 5 minutes and were hassled for using the bathroom. The owner came to the door and tried to open the door and asked what we were doing. Once in the lobby again and looking at a book on display he apologized and we brushed it off. After a few short minutes we sat to play chess at the beautiful chess board available. (I’ve done this before and played a game with no issues) The owner came back over after seconds of us sitting down and rudely asked us “seriously what could you be doing over here?” It was an amenity to only be enjoyed by the guests yet there was not a single guest in the lobby. We left after he huddled us out the door. I understand it’s a hotel and how the space could be abused by wanderers. However we were obviously a young couple just enjoying a Saturday morning and the lovely atmosphere and I assumed that as a business owner that it would be good business to have people enjoying the space. Slightly disappointing. Won’t be taking my friends or family to see the space again.

Updated in response to Roy : Thank you for your response. I don’t mean to squash your business as I love the hotel and the environment. I believe in giving locally owned businesses all the best. I can understand how two people entering the bathroom would be concerning. We did try to be quick because it does look bad. However, I would like to reiterate that John did try and open the door. He rattled the door knob before knocking and asked if we were both in there. I would also like to mention that we were customers from the restaurant and the door had a “public washroom” sign on it. It was also right beside the lobby. We didn’t go out of our way to go down the hall. Not to mention John did not ask us to leave in that moment. Once we came out of the bathroom he even went out of his way to apologize and tell us there had been issues with abusing the bathroom. Therefore, we accepted and it was water under the bridge. Yet he did keep approaching us while we were harmlessly looking at the princess diana book. He made it obvious he was skeptical and keeping a close eye. When we sat down to use the chess table John was blatantly rude when he made us aware that it was strictly for guests and it was then that he asked us to leave. Again, I love the hotel and the restaurant. The reason I left a review was more so that your employee be made aware of how he speaks to those who visit the hotel. I bring many who come to visit from out of town and word of mouth can definitely create potential...

So I didn’t exactly stay here. My 11 year old and I walked in to check out the hotel. We heard some history on the hotel from a horse drawn carriage ride we had the day before. My daughter is a natural artist and my dad being an art enthusiast has told my daughter all about Emily Carr. I didn’t know she was so intrigued by her until I saw how excited she was to see her house across the street and to learn that Emily Carr had spent her final days at he hotel. We couldn’t tour Emily Carrs house as it was not open so I took the initiative to show my daughter what I could which was the hotel.

Wowzers!!!! I’m so glad I did. I’m a luxury hotel kinda girl. We were staying at the empress which is the most beautiful luxury hotel I know of. James Bay Inn stole my heart. I have never seen anything as fabulous as what I saw. Incredible! This hotel is the most beautiful non luxury hotel I have ever seen. I need to stay there next time. I’m not too sure why all the hotel rooms were open. Maybe that’s just what they do when they are not in use by guests. And maybe we were not suppose to be roaming the hallways but I couldn’t resist. We saw maybe 5 rooms. All immaculate. One had a fireplace. One has two rooms in one. Spotless I have to say over and over again. It felt so cosy and welcoming. There is a blue velvet couch in the hallway around a corner that I want in my house badly. I think I got lucky that day and saw the true beauty of this hotel with the doors all open. Still curious why they were open and curious as to why so many doors had no numbers on them. Also why there is so many public washrooms on each floor and why they have showers with shampoo in them. Each hotel room had showers so I don’t know why someone would use the public washroom shower. These bathrooms kinda freaked my daughter out a bit. Probably just cause they are different and painted in blinding green paint. The floor is very slanted but I loved it. It made me feel like I was somewhere in Europe. Definitely on my bucket list to...

I have nothing but a positive review for this hotel. It is a very old place thus the plumbing, lack of air conditioning just not their as it wasn't built at a time for modern stuff... but if you want the "old hotel" feeling, but still a 5 star experience, then this is the place for you to stay. My wife and I LOVED IT! Very very clean hotel and with the building being older, the floors creak, and you can feel the different angles as you walk likely just from a foundation that has settled over the last 100 years. It had a very cool feeling... especially if you love antiques. Everything about the place was totally unique and we'd stay there again. What is really good about it though is the people that work there. Some of the best service we've ever had at any hotel. We had met two front desk clerks who treated us like gold. Even the cleaning staff were over and above on the friendly side. You know you treat your people well when you order an Uber to go out for supper, and it turns out that the Uber driver works at the hotel as well on the janitorial side... and he didn't have to do this, but praised his employer and the entire hotel. I don't know what else to say. Just book this place. You won't regret it. Keep in mind though... doesn't have all modern day features that a newly constructed hotel might have... If that is what you want, then go elsewhere. You want to be treated like a king in a very clean and updated older hotel.... Stay at the...