British Columbia Family Vacation: Best Western Plus Inner Harbour Victoria

Victoria is a tourist town. The postcard-perfect capital of British Columbia draws people from all over the world and during the summer the town population of 350,000 triples with the influx of visitors. The compact downtown is dotted with hotels to accommodate all of these people and on a recent visit our family discovered a property that makes vacationing with kids easy and comfortable.

Here's why the Best Western Plus Inner Harbour Victoria worked well for our family of five with two kids, ages 9 and 11, and a new baby:

Location, location, location: This hotel sits in the heart of Victoria and you can access the best of the city without a car. During our stay, we walked to the majestic Parliament building, where you can catch a free 30-minute tour. We checked out the Viking exhibit at the Royal BC Museum and walked to Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips. You can easily walk to the Visitor Center, where you can sign up for activities or catch one of the evening Ghostly Walks. The Hippo Tours, which offer a fun and hysterical overview of the city's history, leave just blocks from the hotel. 

Swimming pool and hot tub: While Victoria is filled with things to see and do, my kids would tell you that their favorite activity was swimming at the pool. This outdoor well-heated pool is not only fun for kids, but it's a pretty spot for parents to relax. Lounge chairs are outfitted with comfy cushions and the pool sits amidst a blooming garden. There's also an indoor hot tub and sauna.

Buffet breakfast: When you have a big family and growing kids, you appreciated a generous breakfast spread. My kids piled their plates with pancakes, sausage, bacon and potatoes and then they each had a bowl of cereal. They miraculously didn't say they were hungry again until lunch time. I was happy with a cup of tea, an English muffin and a piece of fruit. Something for everyone.


Spacious rooms with kitchenettes: When you're a family with a new baby, eating out gets tiresome. Babies get fussy at dinner time and like to throw food and dining in restaurants can be stressful. We were thrilled that the Inner Harbour offers one-bedroom suites with kitchenettes. One night we got take-out from the Pig BBQ Joint (corn bread, ribs and baked beans) and enjoyed a relaxing in-room picnic.

Movies: The rooms are equipped with DVD players and in the lobby you can check out movies. My two older kids had fun taking the elevator downstairs by themselves and checking out films. One night we enjoyed Cheaper By the Dozen, a comic film starring Steve Martin who is a father to 12 kids.

The front desk staff are friendly: The front desk staff bent over backwards to help out our family. One morning after breakfast was closed, they helped me grab a banana from the kitchen for my hungry baby. They gave great tips on things to do — from the Hippos to the Ghostly Walk tours — and restaurant recommendations — from Barb's Fish and Chips to Pagliacci's. But most noticeably, they made a point to say hello to my kids.