355 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Sold for $1M and change ten years ago.

Assessed value jumped over 100% in 2023, so something changed then. It’s assessed at $3.7M.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

 

^ 2016:

 

https://housesigma.c...bq6y1K6pVP3o9DA

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 February 2026 - 08:17 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

606 1234 Wharf St
Victoria, British Columbia V8W3H9

 

https://www.realtor....ctoria-downtown

 

$2,395,000

 

This two-level residence offers 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, almost 2,500 sq ft, with an open plan designed for effortless entertaining and front-row harbour living. 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 February 2026 - 09:15 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Canada's largest hotel operator acquires Hotel Grand Pacific

 

It’s the latest in a series of acquisitions for Toronto-based InnVest, which now has more than 100 properties in its portfolio.

 

https://www.timescol...acific-12089053

 

 

 

It’s the latest in a series of acquisitions for InnVest, which has been in growth mode for the last few years and now has more than 100 properties in its portfolio.

 

In 2024, InnVest bought 14 hotels from Mississauga, Ontario-based Morguard Corp. for $410 million. Two years before, it bought two Banff hotels, the Royal Canadian Lodge and Charltons Banff, before making its first foray into the U.S. in 2023 by acquiring the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Seattle.

 

InnVest then added the Banff Inn to its portfolio in 2024.

 

 

[...]

 

 

(Paul Nursey) said the region, which currently has about 4,500 hotel rooms, needs about 1,500 new rooms.

 

There are new hotels in the works — a 130-room hotel is expected to open soon at Victoria International Airport, while the first new hotel in Victoria in nearly two decades is under construction on Broad Street.

 

Reliance Properties recently submitted new plans to the city for its project at 780 Blanshard St., the site of what was once the B.C. Power Commission building.

 

The new plans call for the rehabilitation of the existing building as a 124-room hotel with a public café, and a one-storey rooftop addition. The original plans, submitted in 2022, called for a 77-room hotel and 102-unit, 18-storey residential tower on the site of the existing four-storey art deco building.

 

Greater Victoria lost more than 1,200 rooms over the last 10 years, as older hotels were redeveloped or bought by the province to be used for supportive housing during the pandemic.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 April 2026 - 12:45 AM.

[LJ]

The pandemic is over, are all those hotel rooms back in service as a hotel?

[Victoria Watcher]

Key Ownership Timeline:

• Built by Murray Gammon: Phase one opened in 1989 behind the existing Crest Motel (which Gammon also owned). Gammon developed it with the goal of creating Victoria’s first five-star hotel. Subsequent phases expanded the property, with the final one completed around 2000.
• Mid-1990s: Acquired by Standard Life: During an economic downturn, creditor Standard Life (a Canadian insurance/financial company) took over the hotel from Gammon.
• 1996: Sold to Pacific Sun: Standard Life sold it to Pacific Sun (associated with Pacific Sun Hotel Inc. and beneficial owner Naoaki Sun, linked to Singapore interests). Pacific Sun owned and operated it for nearly 30 years. The hotel underwent a $5 million renovation in the mid-2010s during this period.
• March/April 2026: Acquired by InnVest Hotels: Toronto-based InnVest Hotels (Canada’s largest hotel owner/operator, with over 100 properties) purchased it from Pacific Sun. The deal closed around March 31, 2026. No official sale price was disclosed, though industry sources estimate $150–160 million (over $500,000 per key), far above the BC Assessment value of ~$48 million. This marked InnVest’s entry into the Victoria market.

[Victoria Watcher]

Vancouver's council has approved a 250-room floating hotel on the city's waterfront that proponents say would bring more accommodation capacity and generate economic activity, despite concerns that it would mar water and mountain views.

The application for the rezoning to allow the so-called floatel was brought by Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre Ltd., which has the rights to the section of waterfront in front of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Council approved the hotel and a connecting public dock with a walkway and commercial uses on Tuesday night.

The project is proposed by Finnish hospitality group Sunborn International, which operates yacht hotels and floating real estate in London and Gibraltar.

The plan outlines a 131-metre-long vessel six storeys tall from sea level, situated in front of the Vancouver Convention Centre with the North Shore mountains rising up from the opposite shore of Burrard Inlet.

Ed Crowder was taking in what he called the "spectacular" view of the mountains jutting up into the blue sky on Wednesday.

 

https://www.timescol...rfront-12146939

[aastra]

Not sure what to make of these floating hotels. For those who don't know, ships are expensive to build, operate, and maintain (just ask Mike K. about VV's mega yacht). Yes, they have the advantage of being able to snag a choice spot that would be unavailable to a more traditional hotel building (real estate development tends to be restricted to real estate). But so what? A highrise hotel a few blocks inland would tend to offer far superior views as compared to a 6-level boat sitting right on the water. Not to mention, in a place like Vancouver the weather will diminish the appeal of it rather severely for many weeks per year, or even for months depending on the expectations of the visitor. This ain't Barcelona.

[aastra]

Would they relocate during the dreary months? Is that the plan?

[lanforod]

I guess they are cheaper to build, and can be built elsewhere and moved into place? I dunno. Build it in China for 1/10th the cost, plunk it on a cargo carrier for the ocean crossing?

[aastra]

Maybe the long-term plan is to gradually change public attitudes about parking much larger cruise-ship-sized vessels in one spot for extended periods? The hotels crisis has become so severe, the housing crisis has become so severe, the only cost-effective solution would be (duh!) anchored cruise ships?

[aastra]

What are the rules re: crew complement and such when a vessel loaded with passengers is docked full-time? 

[Matt R.]

I don’t think there is any. I don’t recall any special staffing requirements on the Princess up in Ukee.

[Victoria Watcher]

A boutique hotel in Esquimalt that operates in the refurbished bones of a 120-year-old manor has been named one of the best new hotels in the world for 2026, according website Travel + Leisure.

Rosemead House, located at 429 Lampson Street, is one of three Canadian hotels to make the top 100, and the only hotel in B.C. to do so.

The hotel is located in an Edwardian-style manor that was first constructed in 1906. It boasts 28 rooms, some geared towards historic aesthetics and others towards a more modern feel – as well as a spa and a popular new restaurant, Janevca Kitchen & Lounge.

 

https://cheknews.ca/...eisure-1319460/

[Sparky]

Poked my head into the new TownePlace Suites near the airport and Sidney today.

 

The chap that I spoke to said that they expect to open in early May. There is no restaurant inside the hotel, but they expect to build a stand alone family style facility which will be accessed off of the parking lot.

 

They will have a breakfast facility near the lobby. Here is a peek of that.

 

[Mike K.]

Thank you! That makes more sense. It would have been a challenging spot for a restaurant, at this stage.