View from property

Reviews of James Bay Inn Hotel & Suites

3 out of 5
James Bay Inn Hotel & Suites
270 Government Street, Victoria, BC

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 782 out of 1136 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 291 out of 1136 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 33 out of 1136 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 20 out of 1136 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 1136 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

ROSSLYN

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice older hotel. Reception guys both a hoot👍. Smaller room than expected but adequate and clean. Only glitch was the bathroom door could not shut. Nice restaurant. Enjoyed our brief stay
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

8/10 Good

NEIL A

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a great economical place to stay in Victoria. Super friendly and helpful staff. The restaurant for breakfast was very yummy. We had a smaller queen room. It was fine but a little small for us. Next time we would book a larger room. The hotel has lots of character and is close to downtown.
Response from rwhitney on 10 May 2024
Neil, you are making us blush with your kind words. Thank you. We can't wait to see you next time! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Bonnie

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the charm and the decor. Only thing I could possibly not like in hotter weather is no air conditioning. Great pub and restaurant on bottom floor, and very walkable spot to downtown and waterfront.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 9 May 2024
Thank you Bonnie for being our guest. Summer time at the JBI is actually pretty cool. Windows open breeze coming from multiple waterfronts and a fan helps keep things cool.Pleasure was all ours. Cheers

8/10 Good

Graham

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Close to Stanley Park and English Bay
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 9 May 2024
Thank you Graham for taking the time to review us. Pleasure was all ours. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Sally

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff are very friendly and accommodating. Property is within walking distance of major areas of interest. Facility is quaint and comfortable. Just what you would expect from Victoria. A delightful and worthwhile place to be.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 9 May 2024
Woah! Thank you so much Sally for this outstanding review. It was our pleasure to have you visit us and we hope you will visit us again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Debra

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed our stay and would recommend the James Bay Inn to friends and family. The staff were wonderful, always helpful with a smile. Easy, beautiful walk to downtown thru historic Victoria. The restaurant and pub were both great, food was excellent.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 10 May 2024
Thank you Debra for the recommendation and the kind review. It was a pleasure having you as our guest and we hope to see you again. Cheers

8/10 Good

Marian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 10 May 2024
Thank you Marian for the four star rating. Cheers

6/10 Okay

JEFFERY WAYNE

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
the building and decor excellent bed a little to firm for us the sink was located outside of the bathroom which was a bit inconvient for us but overall the the place was great and the staff wonderful
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 8 May 2024
We are sorry that things didn't go quite as we would have expected. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. We absolutely enjoyed having you as our guest and hope that you will try us again. If you decide to visit us again, feel free to give us a call before you arrive so we can attempt to ensure you have a better stay. Cheers

8/10 Good

Dona

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A bit noisey
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 8 May 2024
Oh no Dona, this doesn't sound like us. Feel free to reach out to us directly so we can learn more about the noise. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Tim

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Front desk staff was excellent…very helpful and friendly. Location was perfect for walking to all the inner harbour highlights. Great pub too!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 7 May 2024
Hi Tim! It gives us great pleasure is reading that you enjoyed your stay Thank you for being our guest and for this wonderful review. Please came back anytime! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Aprielle

Clean and friendly staff older style but all so maintained and comfortable and so clean!! The bed was very comfy nice and quiet room
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 6 May 2024
Hi Aprielle! Thank you for sharing your experience while being our guest. We enjoyed having you as our guest and hope to have the pleasure again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I loved the unique character of James Bay Inn, and the fact that it was so well kept up for a heritage building. The area was a lovely quiet neighbourhood but an easy few blocks from groceries, pharmacy, restaurants, and downtown. The staff were extremely helpful and accommodating. I also really appreciated the secure bike storage area. I would definitely stay here again next time I visit Victoria.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 6 May 2024
Awe shucks Amy, we really enjoyed reading your amazing review, thank you. It was an absolute pleasure having you as our guest and we hope to see you again soon. Have a terrific day!

10/10 Excellent

Scott, Merrickville

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice older hotel, a nice environment.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 4 May 2024
Thank you Scott for taking the time to rate your stay it was a pleasure having you as our guest and we hope to see you again soon. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

JORDAN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent!
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from rwhitney on 3 May 2024
Thank you so much Jordon for taking the time to rate us. Please come back anytime! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Michelle, Squamish

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Besides the hotel being comfy, clean and convenient, the check in staff and the two who checked us out the next morning were excellent! Quick, informative, and funny! Cracking jokes and making us feel at home. Will be back!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 2 May 2024
Fun times Michelle! We had a blast while having you as our guest. Thank you for choosing to stay at the James Bay Inn. We can't wait to see you again! Cheers

2/10 Terrible

Susan

Business traveller, Travelled with pets, Travelled with partner
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This was advertised in Expedia as a dog friendly hotel which I accepted as the truth. It turns out that the hotel is not dog friendly. I wasn’t even allowed to wait in the lobby while we tried to find a new place. I was here with my dog to see a vet specialist and this was very upsetting. The front desk person was nasty. It was as if dogs were lepers. I should say that when I was looking for a new hotel in Victoria dnd googled dog friendly hotels, this hotel was one of the first that came up. When I showed that to the front desk person, he was belligerent. I was just trying to show him so that they could correct it in the future. It got ugly. When the front desk person was belligerent with me, my husband got angry with him. I will definitely not recommend this hotel and will not be relying on Expedia in the future. Our hotel was fully paid for and now I have to figure out how to get my money back. When we raised that issue, the front desk person responded with his characteristic defensive rudeness.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 1 May 2024
Hi Susan! We are sorry that things didn't go as you had planned. That said, our no pet policy is listed on page one of our website. We have no indicators or statements from us on any third party site that says anything different. We literally have no control over the algorithm and search features on Expedia or any other third party. And we have no control over the cookies and cache within your device while you are doing a search for hotels. Where it pertains to your experience at the front desk.1. When you checked in, no dog. Left and came back with a dog.2. No you were not permitted to wait in the lobby with your large dog. We have a no pets policy.3. Things only got heated from your side when I mentioned that you could not come in the building with your dog. To which your husband started raising his voice with the aggressive statement to stop him as you both proceeded to the stairs to head to your room. It was only after saying that if you bring the dog into your room, we would call the police, that you stopped. Then your husband continued to banter about a refund that we couldn't give you because it was pre paid to Expedia. But, we did mention to speak to management in the morning to see what could be done.4. This morning prior to this review you spoke with management and our team worked with Expedia to get you your refund with success. In conclusion, we get it. Pets are an extention of our families and feelings of being upset can happen when we can't bring our dogs in certain places. As pet owners we have the responsibility to be extra vigilant in knowing & respecting pet policies. This will help ensure these feelings of being upset can be avoided. Have a great day

8/10 Good

Nona, Honolulu

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is well cared for and has been updated to fit the time period representative of the time period of the older building. There are mini fridges in the rooms but no microwave. We did not investigate but appears that the only way up is to take the stairs. The front desk people were nice and accommodating. A plus was no fee for parking. We had a pleasant stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 1 May 2024
Happy day to you Nona! Thank you for sharing your experience while being our guest. It was a pleasure having you stay with us and we hope to see you again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from rwhitney on 30 Apr 2024
Thank you Matthew for the 5 star rating! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

David Randall

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Close to inner harbour
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 29 Apr 2024
Thank you for the 5star rating! Hope to see you again!

8/10 Good

thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 30 Apr 2024
Thank you Thomas for the four star rating. Please come back to see us again! Cheers

8/10 Good

Paulie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I love the historical ambiance, the red velvet couches, accessible balconies, and sitting areas on each floor.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
We love your review. Thank you so much for being our guest, we hope to have the pleasure again. Cheers

4/10 Poor

Marina

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Room didn’t have the average necessities like: fridge, microwave, coffee/tea in the room. I guess i should have read the descriptions when booking a bit more closely. Room wasn’t cleaned properly. Very small room only one side by the bed had a night table and light. Carpet still had the same dirt on the floor after cleaning. It’s for people who like antiques including the smell of it. Property needs some modernization.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
We are so sorry Marina that you did not have an appreciation for for our hotel built in 1911. Our goal is to bring our guests a feeling of the past. That is our niche. Modernization would completely destroy all the history that we have preserved. Of course the room was small. You booked our smallest and most economical choice of rooms. Had you booked a queen or king room, it would have been much larger. Your room had a double bed and that is why the price is so low. As you mentioned in your review, in the descriptions coffee and tea is available from 6am to 11am in the lobby. Microwave is at the front desk. As for no fridge, again all other room sizes have a fridge. Petite rooms are for people who are looking to save a few bucks and simply need a place to rest. All the concerns you have mentioned are listed on the first page of our website and within the description on third party sites. In the future, regardless of where you book, we recommend to visit the hotel's website for a better understanding of what you are booking. Cheers

4/10 Poor

Salim

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good location. Very welcoming reception staff. But the rooms are so dated.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
Hi Salim, thank you for being our guest. While we saddened that you didn't have an appreciation for our rooms, we are quite proud of the dated rooms. That is intentional and how we roll. We continue to boast that a visit at the James Bay Inn is like visiting the past. We understand that some will not appreciate our niche, we are ok with that. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.Safe travels

10/10 Excellent

Patsy

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What a great discovery! The staff were friendly and welcoming and the location couldn’t be better. We could walk everywhere - downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf, the bay, Beacon Hill Park… There are 2 grocery suites very nearby. We also enjoyed the Emily Carr connection. A true place of history.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
Reading your appreciation for the James Bay Inn made us smile. Thank you for sharing and we hope to see you again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Rika

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from rwhitney on 29 Apr 2024
Thank you Rika for the 5 star rating!

10/10 Excellent

Lee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I like the historical aspect of the building set in a quitet neighbourhood and only a few blocks from the inner harbour, shopping, etc.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
Thank you for choosing to stay at the James Bay Inn Hotel. We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Shevaun

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Not far from downtown. Older hotel, no elevator or a/c, but the room was very clean and comfortable. It's small, but has everything you need. Hotel front desk staff very friendly. The restaurant downstairs is absolutely fantastic! Food and service outstanding!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
Wow! Thank you so much Shevaun for this amazing review. We are grateful that you chose to stay with us and hope you will visit us again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Marjorie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Myself and other family members have enjoyed numerous stays at the JBI over the past dozen years. It’s one of our favorite hotels in Victoria and testament to its charm and character, excellent location, great value, and wonderful staff!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 27 Apr 2024
Hi Marjorie! Awe shucks it is always an absolute pleasure having you as our guest. It's with guests like yourself that makes our job easier. We appreciate your kind words and look forward to seeing you next time. Cheers

8/10 Good

stella

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location is great, staff is very friendly, clean, need to upgrade the Internet WiFi service, not sufficient for all guests to use since the restaurant and pub operate on the property as well. Limited parking when pub is open
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 27 Apr 2024
Thank you Stella for sharing your experience. It was a pleasure having you as our guest and hope you will visit us again soon. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Cameron

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a very cool place to stay in Victoria and a perfect location. The staff were very friendly and everything was clean. We would suggest this place to anyone going to Victoria.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 23 Apr 2024
Thank you Cameron for the recommendation and for sharing your kind words. It was a pleasure having you as our guest and we hope to see you again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Rosalie

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location and everything required close at hand.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 23 Apr 2024
Happy day to you Roslie! Thank you for sharing your experience.. Come back and visit us again.Cheers

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
An older but very well maintained character property that is excellent value for money in a great neighbourhood
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 22 Apr 2024
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for sharing your experience while being our guest. It was a pleasure having you as our guest and we hope to see you again soon. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed in a 1 bedroom suite with kitchen . It was so cute and comfortable . Staff were great . 7 minute walk to inner harbour .
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 21 Apr 2024
It was a pleasure having you as our guest Wendy! Thank you for sharing your experience while being our guest. Please come back again to visit us!

8/10 Good

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 21 Apr 2024
Thank you William for the four star rating. Come back anytime! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Jeanine Jeanine

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was AMAZING! We loved everyone. The facility was very clean. The food in the restaurant and bar was delicious. We especially liked the bartender, Mark, and the front desk clerk, Roy. The bed was super comfy and we didn't mind the stairs; however, had it been any later in the Spring or Summertime, I think having no A/C would have been a problem. Our third night was pretty darn warm even with the window open. Overall though definitely a 5 star experience!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 30 Apr 2024
Woah Jeanine! What a generous review! Thank you. We really enjoyed having you as our guest. We hope that you will come and visit us again soon. Have a wonderful rest of your spring season. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Madelaine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
An absolute gem in the heart of James Bay with amazing hosts who are kind, friendly and sweet.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 18 Apr 2024
Oh Madelaine,We absolutey your review. Such a pleasure to have you as our guest and thank you for leaving this very kind review. It would be our pleasure have you visit again.Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Jasmine

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was my first time staying at James Bay Inn and I loved it! The staff treat you so well and are genuine. I love that the place has the artwork (reproductions) of Emily Carr's paintings on the wall which makes sense since the Inn is a few houses away from Emily Carr's residence. The Inn has an old world charm. The beds in the room were comfortable and I slept well.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 16 Apr 2024
Happy Day to you Jasmine! We appreciate your kind words and would like to thank you for being our guest. It was a pleasure and we hope that you will visit us again soon.Cheers

8/10 Good

David, Comox

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An older building so sloped floors and lack of AC but lots of charm with an excellent restaurant on site and proximity to Victoria's inner harbour.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 16 Apr 2024
We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for sharing your experience. Hopefully we will see you again. cheers

10/10 Excellent

Kent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very nice staff. Large comfortable rooms. Great location. Excellent value. We will stay again
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 15 Apr 2024
Wow Dave, thank you for your kind words. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay as much as we enjoyed having you as our guest. We hope to see you again soon. Cheers

6/10 Okay

Nanci

Liked: Cleanliness
Room was cold and no way to adjust heat. No hair dryer in room. Remote control for tv needed batteries. Staff at chech in not pleasant.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 16 Apr 2024
Hi Nanci, we are sorry that things did not go as expected. On a side note, a quick visit to our very friendly front desk team would have solved all of your concerns. 1. Hair dryers are kept at the front desk and available upon request. This information is available on our website.2. Remote control was not the issue. The issue was that the previous guest placed a different device on the t.v. . A quick mention to the front desk, would have fixed it in a jiff.3. Portable heaters are available again at the front desk.In regards to checking in. You believed that your room was paid in advance. But in fact it was not. We showed you the screen to show that no payment was made, but you continued to insist that it was. In addition you questioned about the incidental deposit. Incidental deposits are standard across Canada and the U.S. It gives us great joy knowing that our staff member followed protocol and pre-authorized your stay and incidentals before checking you in. Thank you for choosing to stay at the James Bay Inn.

8/10 Good

bruce

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is wonderfully maintained and from an ornate bygone era.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you Bruce for being our guest and for sharing your experience. Enjoy the rest of the spring season. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Neil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from rwhitney on 16 Apr 2024
Thank you Neil for the 5 star review. Come back and visit anytime. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Janette

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 5 May 2024
Thank you Janette for the 5 star rating. We are so pleased to know you enjoyed your stay and hope you will come back and visit again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Chelsea

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 2 May 2024
Thank you Chelsea for the 5 star rating! Cheers

8/10 Good

jane

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean and nice staff
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 12 Apr 2024
We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay as much as we enjoyed having you as our guest. Have a wonderful spring season! Cheers

8/10 Good

Melinda

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Quiet neighborhood, very walkable. Friendly, helpful staff. Only negative for me , bed very firm
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 11 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. We will have a look at the bed that you had to see if there is anything we can do to help for next time. Have a wonderful rest of your spring season. Cheers

8/10 Good

Don

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good location close to downtown. Property was clean.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 11 Apr 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience while being our guest. Please come back again! Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Kirk

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
JBI is an older place with great character. The building has settled over the years so the floors are not exactly level but it ads to the charm. Clean. Restaurant is good and the pub is active without being noisy. Great location!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from rwhitney on 8 Apr 2024
Hi Kirk! We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit as much as we enjoyed having you. We hope to have the pleasure again sometime. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Dave

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024
Response from rwhitney on 28 Apr 2024
Thank you for the five star rating Dave! Glad you enjoyed your stay. Please come back again. Cheers

10/10 Excellent

Monica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A charming place.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Response from rwhitney on 5 Apr 2024
Thank you for the charming review. Come back anytime to visit. Cheers