6/7/2010 27 photos

During our 10-day trip around the Pacific Northwest region, we were extremely lucky enough to have the stars align and bring us to Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa for my husband's 26th birthday.

Originally I had decided on celebrating my husband's birthday by staying in Vancouver and at the Opus Hotel for $320ish/night (including a 20% discount).. but having decided to take a ferry to Vancouver Island, I stumbled upon BBLS via Yelp and was lucky enough to receive $80 off the $279/night rate (approx. 30% discount) which was quite heaven sent!  

At first I was unsure whether to stay in Downtown Victoria where I would be paying $150ish to stay at the Marriott *yawn* or to stay about 20 minutes away in Brentwood Bay. I figured that it is not necessary to always stay in downtown, especially for the price we are paying for a not-so-special experience.. so I decided on BBLS.

During our ferry to Vancouver Island, I was nervous to see how the lodge was like... but when we actually arrived, I was BLOWN AWAY. It was near the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and it was absolutely gorgeous. The website and the yelp reviews didn't do it that much justice at all! My husband was also very happy and amazed at how cheap it was to stay at such a NICE place. In the summer, the rates run as high as $1100 for two nights! I can totally see why.

Now, let's talk about the service and experience staying at BBLS...

When we checked in, they were very polite and welcoming. They had complimentary "sparkling" water in a nice container waiting for guests in the lobby. It's usually filled with berries/fruits and looks so tantalizing even for being just water! After checking in, they walk you to your room and go over all the details in the room. I've never experienced that before and hope to more in the future :)

When we got there I was WOW'ed all the way.. it was really just a room I wanted to stay in forever and not leave! We were only staying for one night and it made it that much more harder to part the room when we were going about our day.

They have a spa, pool, fitness room near the marina, a marina right outside, a bridge that leads guests to the marina (instead of walking on the rocks), a washer/dryer on site, eco tours and fun water activities for guests to sign up for like kayaking and mini-cruises around the bay, a popular pub amongst the locals, and a fine-dining restaurant called Seagrille.

Another thing I'd also like to mention is that they had a free bottle of Merlot waiting for us in the room when we arrived. :)

Definitely will do a return trip at least once in my life... I'm already dying to return to the tranquility and beauty that encompasses Brentwood Bay! Victoria wasn't looking so hot after we discovered this diamond in the rough.

PS. Did I mention that they offer FREE long distance calls, wi-fi AND parking?! Really awesome.

$199/night with promotion booked direct.

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4/5/2010

Easter Brunch At Brentwood Bay Lodge yesterday was a beautiful experience that would have made the most discriminating of Easter Bunnies proud!
Of course, starting with the view, our table by the window, thoughtfully set up just for two could not have provided a more stunning background for an amazingly relaxing and satisfying, elegant and engaging dining experience...especially for a Spring Sunday morning.
The buffet style brunch was filled with an array of tasty items, from sweet to savory, to satisfy the most fussiest of eaters, which of course is always ME, and... and this is a big AND...they even went so far as to make a special bowl of scrambled eggs sans l'onions just for me...which wins them the highly coveted 5 Star rating. Although it would have been nice to have had a little more Easter love in the form of fun and light hearted conversation from our server, the rest of the experince (and the FOOD!) certainly made up for the lack of residual chit chat.
As we were leaving, a lovely young lady of about 3 foot 1" sauntered up to the buffet and proudly stated, "Daddy I love bacon" which pretty much encapsulated my own dining experience...ah, from the mouths of Babes indeed.
Brentwood Bay Lodge, You've Been PJ'd and have valiently met our crazy high standards for quality of food and service. Please do keep up the great work!!
PJ xo

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8/21/2008 3 photos

A lovely and romantic place to spend the night! A small 5 star ocean front hotel on Vancouver Island in Victoria. Each rooms have a private patio that look out on to the bay and it's a wonderful place to sit and relax after a long trip. The hotel is contemporary yet relaxed and the large room and amenities are not much of an incentive to leave your room:  "king bed with fine Italian linens, a romantic fireside seating area, handcrafted furnishings, and a luxurious spa-like bathroom with a jetted tub and body massage shower."

Upon arrival you are greeted with a glass of sparkling wine or water. The staff is helpful and nice. With your room rate you receive a complementary breakfast...and it's not your standard continental breakfast. There are two small restaurants (a pub and an upscale dinning room) both with excellent menus. The hotel also offers a spa and heated pool, though we didn't get around to trying either.

This is by far one of the nicest places I've ever stayed and I would recommend everyone make a trip up to BC to stay at the Brentwood Bay Lodge and Spa!

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Comment from Jonathan B. of Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa 6/4/2009    « Hide

Glad to hear you had such an excellent stay. We look forward… More »

Glad to hear you had such an excellent stay. We look forward to seeing you again!

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