I was disappointed with the hotel and it's procedures. I had made reservations for the James Bay Cottage in August, before I made the reservations for the Clipper. I called again Thanksgiving weekend to re-confirm our stay and was assured that we were correctly listed for the cottage. I had requested that because our son Mark, who would have just celebrated his fortieth birthday, was going to accompany us for this vacation and the suite would be perfect for us.

The inn must have had a better offer – one which would bring them more revenue – because when I signed in I was informed that “some of your party have arrived already... oh, I'm sorry, the cottage is already occupied.” They apologized profusely and when I quoted back my booking number they said, “yes, that is correct, you requested a queen sized bed and a pull-out.” I had never mentioned that combination. Sensing my disappointment (how could they not – I was furious) they offered me adjoining rooms (318 and 320) on the top floor. I guess they thought my unhappiness would abate by the time I hauled all the luggage up three landings but when we arrived at the top we discovered that the shower and toilet facilities were accessed through our room instead of being shared between the two rooms.

Fortunately, the James Bay Inn is old and quaint, similar to many smaller but better hotels we have stayed in Europe. They had a “public bath” down the hall and Mark used that facility during his stay. Unfortunately, that was not the only problem with our rooms. We could not regulate the heat! Both rooms were stifling. There were no handles on the bathroom radiator or the floorboard heater in room 320. There was a control on the radiator in room 318. We opened windows in each room and in the bathroom to cool down the place while we were out discovering Victoria.

Upon our return we found the rooms were still hot. I managed to take a wine opener and force the control off on both heaters of our room but even with the windows open in 4° C we were still quite hot through the night. By the second evening we had the temperature down to normal. Now two of three problems with our stay were “adjusted.”

The last problem was never solved. The seal between the water closet and the commode was failing. Every time you flushed the toilet a trickle of water would flow from the tank over the back of the seat an onto the floor. Folding a towel and laying it between the toilet and the shower stall did prevent one having to step barefoot in water at night. And in the hotel's defense, the maid did change out the floor towel each day. It was not a good solution but all the management would have done is “ apologize profusely” anyway.

The price and history of the James Bay Inn attracted me to it. Even though there is no view of the harbor from this hotel it is only a few blocks from the docks and in what appears to bear an historical section of Victoria.

We found the lobby to be very quaint, breakfast at the restaurant very filling and good, and the pub to be friendly and stocked with the local beers.

I would stay there again, but I am a little confused about my room. It was an OK room but the description on the website claimed it to be of Victorian decor. It was anything but. It was more like American 50's. Maybe I signed up for the wrong room.

My visit to James Bay Inn being in Dec. it was quite cold out but not cold in the hotel! The heating is provided by an old radiator system that cannot be adjusted. It was like an oven in the lobby and the room. I am betting in order to get some rooms a little warm the system has to stay full on so those closest to the boiler get the warmest. We solved this problem by opening windows and letting in freezing air all night.

We had booked our 3 night stay at the James Bay a month in advance. We had a confirmation number, a room number as well as the woman we spoke to. Didn't really matter about the confirmation number, they had given our room away and really didn't care. We needed two beds as we were not a couple. All they had available was a room with one bed for all three nights we were to be there. You should really know that this is not a quaint little hotel. It has 15 step to manuever before you even get to the lobby and no elevator. The rooms are tiny, the floors are sloping, all they have is cold water in the shower and no coffee makers in the room. I wouldn't put my worst enemy in this hotel.

I was recommended the James Bay Inn by a co-worker who just happened by it one day and has stayed there every time they're in Victoria.
I absolutely loved the old charm! I was already forewarned about the history of the James Bay Inn and the hotel being older with every room having a different look depending on what kind of room you requested. We went to Victoria over the Canada Day weekend and really enjoyed our stay at the hotel...the parking was great (free, and just drive right into the lot) and our room (two singles beds) was clean and the beds were really comfortable. It had been a long time since I'd used a key to open a hotel door and at night the light from the hallway shone through a crack in door. The hotel is situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood just blocks from the Parliment Buildings and the downtown inner harbour which made it extremely convienent for everything we wanted to do. Our room was quiet and we heard no street noise, except from the partying people at a nearby home during the midnight hour on Canada day. Our room had a view of the building next door, which wasn't a big problem as I almost never look out the hotel window and rarely spend a ton of time in the room anyhow.
In a nutshell, I would absolutely recommend staying at the James Bay Inn and, in fact, I already have....maybe just not over the Canada Day weekend (I've never seen so many drunk and high teenagers during a fireworks display in my life). However, we felt really safe walking back and forth from the hotel the rest of the time and found the location really convienent for quickly going back to the hotel if needed.
Enjoy your stay there too...just don't expect the Westin.