3426 replies to this topic

[aastra]

Hotel Grand Pacific sure is conveniently located:

It's with walking distance of everything that you would like to do in the greater Victoria area.

From TripAdvisor.com...

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Now that's British!

As a proud Briton , a visit to Victoria reminded me of how Britain used to be, with the city being more British than anything seen in the UK for many years - including the piper on the waterfront.

From TripAdvisor.com...

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You really don't need air conditioning in Victoria... but it would be nice to have it (even though you don't need it):

In the middle of the summer u would hope the place would be air conditioned. Yes, the nights were comfortable but one would like to have the option of a/c for the amount that you pay...

From TripAdvisor.com...


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Summer in Victoria isn't warm compared to other places but it is warm for Victoria, so therefore you really do need air conditioning:

It was very warm (for the area) during our visit, and the hotel doesn't have A/C...

From TripAdvisor.com...

[VicHockeyFan]

See, this is the problem.

(Grand Pacific) It's with walking distance of everything that you would like to do in the greater Victoria area.

Really? Walk to Sidney, Sooke, or even Oak Bay?

[aastra]

This is what I'm saying. On the one hand we've got people complaining about the long march from the Mariott to Government Street and on the other hand we've got people strolling all the way to Mattick's Farm.

[tedward]

What? You have a problem with the lovely stroll to Butchart's from Fort Rodd Hill?

[D.L.]

the city being more British than anything seen in the UK for many years - including the piper on the waterfront.

Last year I was in England for six months and, other than the London subway, saw only one busker

[aastra]

So many very positive reviews of Miniature World at TripAdvisor.com and then you find a real stinker and (surprise) it was submitted by someone from Victoria:

I am not one to be negative but save your hard earned $$. If you are a collector of miniature items then it's the place for you otherwise, you can walk through in 3 minutes...

I give Miniature World credit for their response to it. Excerpt:

With over 80 miniaturized displays, the average time spent inside Miniature World is about 45 min to one hour. A “3 minute” time frame would not give anyone an opportunity to view all of our interactive scenes.

Read more at TripAdvisor.com...

Seriously, if you're over 10 years old and you go through that place in *30* minutes you are really rushing. Some of the larger displays are probably worth 30 minutes all by themselves.

Thus, I now officially document yet another one of those weird Victoria-isms: many tourists complain that it takes them forever to walk just a few blocks here or there in Victoria, and yet upon arriving at their destination (Fisherman's Wharf, the RBCM, Chinatown, Beacon Hill Park, the entire waterfront...) they then complain that they breezed right through in a couple of minutes. How the heck can it take you all day to walk to Fisherman's Wharf but then take you only a few minutes to "see it all" once you finally get there? It doesn't compute.

I'm not sure why it took me so many years to make this observation.

[aastra]

Here's a fun one re: the RBCM:

We were excited to explore this museum, hoping to see a bit of British history. Not so...

Methinks they took the "Royal" part in the name a bit too literally?

From TripAdvisor.com...

[Holden West]

Methinks they took the "Royal" part in the name a bit too literally?

I think that's it. They were expecting the crown jewels and wax figures of the Queen and Prince Phillip.

[Barra]

Here's a fun one re: the RBCM:



Methinks they took the "Royal" part in the name a bit too literally?

From TripAdvisor.com...

This reviewer goes on to say that she enjoyed the exhibit about exploring the Northwest Territory. Do yo think maybe she meant the "Race to the Pole" exhibit about Antarctica?

[Holden West]

But seriously--dude--why did you bother entering Miniature World? What were you expecting? Maybe he was expecting miniature wax figures of the royal family and the crown jewels. Maybe we should just thrown in the towel and say screw it--put golden crowns on the killer whale pods and totem poles; there you go, you asked for it, you got it.

[patrick venton]

Victoria was once a tourist destination , when ferries were cheaper , when gas was cheaper, when City of. taxes on attractions was less, when gardens and boulavards were green, when parking was not screwed by unthinking commisionaires , Beacon Hill park was just next to Bucharts , when Sealand was here,.. When locals were as attracted all day long to what visitors were looking for . I stay to hell out of downtown Victoria. What is it ,25 cents for 6 minutes... The people who are in real hell are the downtown merchants who cant escape. There is not a damned service station down there , anyware. The utilization of downtown is completely an unatractive mess. Seagull **** all over everything, homeless everywhere, panhandling. No place for overnite vehicles for fear of attracting other than visitors. Liquor laws that are terrible. I have absolutely no need to use downtown Victoria. I get everything I need from surrounding easily accessed municipalities.

[gumgum]

Why I am so angry now I could wreak havoc on my cushion. Nobody ever thinks of the children. Why don't they ever think of the children?

[patrick venton]

Why I am so angry now I could wreak havoc on my cushion. Nobody ever thinks of the children. Why don't they ever think of the children?

the reason that no one thinks of the children ? well could it be that those who have growing up children couldnt possibly be in a situation , money wise , to have enough resources, ( I hate that word, Resourses ) to satisfy the insatiable money appetite of the older governing , and more demanding generations.... who dont live off the land... and have lost touch with real life. Thank you for your post. Please keep on posting your good. Patrick.

[D.L.]

lol!

[AllseeingEye]

the reason that no one thinks of the children ? well could it be that those who have growing up children couldnt possibly be in a situation , money wise , to have enough resources, ( I hate that word, Resourses ) to satisfy the insatiable money appetite of the older governing , and more demanding generations.... who dont live off the land... and have lost touch with real life. Thank you for your post. Please keep on posting your good. Patrick.

Er...Patrick, see "sar·casm"

/ˈsärˌkazəm/

Noun

The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

Synonyms

irony

The "nobody thinks of the children" refrain is a bit of a standing joke among several posters on VV historically in response to some point or position publicized by a certain City of Victoria councillor, known to be shall we say not a fan of Development, per se. It has since morphed from there to be the de facto and default response to any subject or topic deserving of a disbelieving reaction . Never take it seriously when it makes an appearance here. The expected response is merely a nod and a knowing smile.....

Cheers ASE

[Bingo]

Victoria Classic Boat Festival
http://www.classicbo...l.ca/index.html

[Bingo]

...one more

[aastra]

Yet another secret hidden gem off the beaten path:

I'd definitely return to Oak Bay Beach Hotel the next time I visit Victoria. It is indeed the best kept secret in Victoria.

From TripAdvisor.com...

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Positive views of the Ocean Pointe:

We had an upgrade to a room with a view. And what a view, amazing.

Amazing views of the harbour abound - stunning day and night.

A harbor-view room may however affect your ability to sleep because the outstanding panoramic harbor view is entirely too difficult to avert one's eyes from.

From TripAdvisor.com...

It makes me think a highrise hotel on the Songhees could do really well simply by virtue of the views alone.

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Marriott:

...the lounge did not have the vermouth to make a martini, despite having martini glasses and a shaker. The lounge attendant said she didn't know what vermouth or a martini was.

From TripAdvisor.com...

[Dimitrios]

...the lounge did not have the vermouth to make a martini, despite having martini glasses and a shaker. The lounge attendant said she didn't know what vermouth or a martini was.

Really? If true, that merits letting the bartender go.

[Holden West]

Even if you unexpectedly run low on vermouth I can't see why they couldn't send the bellhop on a run to the Strath's liquor store.

It makes me think a highrise hotel on the Songhees could do really well simply by virtue of the views alone.

It may already be happening. You'd be surprised how many independent vacation rentals are being operated out of Downtown condo buildings.