There aren’t two ways to put this: if you ever visit Victoria without booking a stay at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, you’d pretty much be missing out on what could be the most extraordinary experience of your vacation. Never have I ever felt as relaxed as I was at this hotel. Firstly, the weather was fantastic during our stay, which set us up to a great start because the hotel offers some pretty cool activities that are even more enjoyable to take advantage of when the sun is shining, like paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming in the pool, or simply admiring the sunset from the balcony of your room. Secondly, the exceptional suite with a breathtaking view of the bay is heaven on earth (you could even admire the scenery from the bathtub!).
Speaking of our room, obviously the view and balcony were huge hits, but there are a couple other things worth mentioning that I particularly loved: the bed and bedding were extremely comfortable; the robes were really soft; sandals for the pool were provided and they were also very comfortable; turning on the fireplace during chilly nights was fantastic; contrary to what can often be found in hotels, the shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were provided in pumps fixed in the shower, in unlimited quantity (do you know how annoying it is to have to measure the quantity of shampoo to use because there is only one small sample of shampoo when both people in the room have long hair and both want to wash their hair? Not that great, so we loved these pumps); the whirlpool bath was amazing to enjoy late at night or right after the pool toward the end of the afternoon.
The Restaurant
The resort has a restaurant and a pub & grill. Both had our taste buds rejoicing. On the first night we went to the restaurant: the cocktails were out of this world. For an unconditional Margarita lover like me, the smoked Margarita was unlike anything I had ever tasted, not even San Diego, the capital of Margaritas (yes, Margaritas were invented in San Diego). IT WAS SO GOOD! My husband ordered a gin tonic that he loved too.
The sushi bar at the restaurant is simply amazing. Both my husband and I started with succulent rolls, before ordering our mains: a steak with a cauliflower gratin for my husband, and mussels for me. Hubby said his dish was extraordinary, but let me tell you about mine: the sauce was SO good, I finished it with bread. It was SO good my husband couldn’t stop dipping his fork in it. It was SO good I didn’t leave ANY at the end of my meal.
At the pub, we ordered a burger and mussel pasta, which we loved too. The menu at the pub is less expensive than the restaurant.
For breakfast on the first morning, we both had excellent eggs Benedict, my husband went with the salmon version while I chose the vegetarian one. (They asked me how I wanted my eggs which I thought was great because I don’t like runny eggs, but always totally forget to mention it when I order Eggs Benedict and no waiter had ever bothered to ask me the question before that morning!)
What makes a breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner even more pleasant at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa’s restaurant and pub is definitely the view on the bay it offers from the terrace. For dinner, you get there around 8 pm, the sun is starting to set and you enjoy great conversation around delicious drinks, before ordering your food. And when the weather gets chillier as the night falls, they heat up the terrace.
The Spa
I woke up with terrible back pain the day after our arrival in Victoria and it would not leave for days. I really wanted to get a massage at the spa, but unfortunately didn’t get around to doing it but by the look of all the women I saw getting out of the spa and coming to the pool after, I could tell they had just had a taste of heaven!
I think the best indication of how successful and truly fantastic Brentwood Bay Spa and Resort is, is that even locals go there for food, drinks, or the spa. I highly recommend it. I was so happy to end our vacation with a stay at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa. It’s always difficult for me to fully unplug when I go on vacation, I’m always thinking about work and personal projects, so it really takes a spectacular place to completely disconnect and actually enjoy the present moment. Places like Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa. It’s a great hotel for families, couples, or girlfriends.
