Magnificent Georgian Italianate mansion built in 1885 for the former Provincial Lieutenant Governor, E.G. Prior. Located less than 5 minutes by car from the centre of town and 2 blocks from Craigdarroch Castle and Government House. Beamed ceilings, highlighted with ornate plasterwork, elegantly furnished rooms with private baths will immediately make you feel welcome and comfortable. Lovely full breakfasts are served in the dining room.
729 Pemberton Rd, Victoria, British Columbia V8S 3R3 Canada
Joan Brown's Bed and Breakfast
39 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
It was Labour Day weekend, and we discovered upon arrival that the high end resort in Mahalat that we had booked weeks earlier had erroneously cancelled our three night reservation!! The city was booked solid, and we were literally homeless. The place we planned to stay the following week had no space but knew Joan and offered to contact her on our behalf. Luckily Joan had a room available, and we were so thankful just to have a place to stay, we didn’t even ask for details. Well…we drove up, walked in and fell in love with the place. We quickly felt that we were likely to enjoy ourselves here more than where we had originally booked. Joan saw how stressed I was when we arrived and invited us into her kitchen for a martini. We quickly felt like old friends and had the most enjoyable three days. The mansion is stunning—an elegant return to yesteryear. Our room was squeaky clean and comfortable, breakfast in the gorgeous dining room was delicious and plentiful, the library was available to watch tv or read; it was all just lovely!! We don’t typically stay in B&Bs but this experience was a delight, and we have a new friend in Joan. Thank you, Connie and John.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Not all rooms have private bath. TV in the library . WiFi works well. Parking is free. It’s a...
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We love the old style elegance and beauty of the Victorian-style homes. Joan’s b&b is definitely one that is well maintained, the hostess very gracious and elegant herself, and the breakfast scrumptious. We shall return. Don & Josephine
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Date of stay: September 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Step back in time to an English Manor. Beautiful decorated with large rooms and 14 feet ceilings. Joan your hostess will great and treat you like family. I have never stayed in a house like this. Large grounds. I highly recommend it you won’t be disappointed.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Be careful with currency conversions. We booked this beautiful b and b for a wedding party and rehearsal dinner and were quoted prices over the phone. Calling a Canadian buisness, I assumed the currency was Canadian and was not told otherwise. I was informed that I would be charged American cash because of my 'voice on the phone' only upon time of payment. The Canadians in our party were given the significantly lower Canadian price. If you are looking for a relaxing b and b with not much intrusion, this might not be the place for you. We were reprimanded for not eating all of our food, or for defluffing the pillows, etc.. I might be switching back to hotels.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were in Victoria to see the Christmas lighting at Parliament and chose Joan's on the advice of a friend. We were treated like royalty. The house is historic, decorated impeccably and the hostess was divine. We were treated like family and was served a four star breakfast. Ask for the "Blue Room". We were truly saddened to leave. This is a jewel in Victoria for the discriminating traveler that does not wish to be accommodated in a run of the B&B. We are planning a return trip soon.
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Date of stay: December 2005
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I stayed here on the recommendation of a friend of Joan's. We were uncomforable returning late at night as everyone appeared to be sleeping. We were disconcerted by the lack of locks on the door, TV, and telephone. The house is lovely and we were given the "grand tour". The breakfast while well presented was not to our taste.The room was very pricey and we spent very little time in the room.We were disappointed as the place had been presented to us as a superb accomodation. Sorry Joan we will not be returning.
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Date of stay: June 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This B&B is in a lovely neighborhood and Joan offers very good breakfasts. What I found unnerving, and I left early because of it, was no lock on my door. I was traveling alone and was quite nervous to come home in the evening and find my room wide open! My private possessions were in the room and Joan was not around to explain what happened. I slept uneasily w/ a chair against the door and left the next day for another B&B. I can't imagine a couple or single woman as myself feeling comfortable in this situation. My room was also about 20 feet from the front door making this even more disconcerting!
Proceed w/ caution if you decide to stay here.
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Date of stay: June 2009Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joan Brown’s B&B has a special significance to me. This is the house my Grandparents owned until the early 70’s and I stayed here in the 60’s & 70’s when we traveled from Seattle to visit. Joan has done an AMAZING job in returning the “Priory” to its former glory after years of various owners and half-finished remodels. On top of the exquisite Victorian décor, Joan is a very friendly and affable person and a joy to converse with. She took the time to point out many of the fine details of the house I did not know about 40-odd years ago. For example, my Grandmother had decorated the walls of the dining room with 3D plaster in the form of trees and other designs and they remain there today, carefully preserved. My wife and I slept on a gorgeous bed piled with ample duvets and high quality sheets that were clean and welcoming. We awoke to the smells of a world class breakfast and deer nibbling at the weeping willows in the front yard. The house is located around the corner from both Craigdarroch Castle and Government House in a quiet neighborhood perfect for relaxing and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city life. It is a 5-10 minute trip in either direction to downtown Victoria or to the Oak Bay Marina or many of Victoria’s picturesque parks. Our stay there was nothing short of magical. Probably the closest I’ll ever come to staying in a palace. My thanks, and that of my family go out to Joan for her tremendous efforts to make this house the beautiful home I remembered from my childhood.
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Date of stay: September 2015
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Visiting Joan Brown's is like coming back home. A warm and elegant bed and breakfast that makes "old fashion" a virtue. Not only is the b&b in a wonderful old mansion in a quiet residential neighborhood but Joan Brown is a mixture of your favorite aunt and your best friend. Whenever we hear of someone visiting Victoria we insist they stay with her! And the breakfasts!! Beautifully set in a warm and sunlit dinning room, breakfast is a feast for the eyes and stomach alike.
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Date of stay: September 2011
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We keep going back to this fabulous B&B. Superb rooms, hospitality and food!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Victoria area.
LOCATION
CanadaBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandVictoria Capital Regional DistrictVictoriaRockland
NUMBER OF ROOMS
2
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Are there any historical sites close to Joan Brown's Bed and Breakfast?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Legislative Assembly Of British Columbia (2.2 km), Craigdarroch Castle (0.4 km), and Empress Hotel National Historic Site of Canada (2.1 km).
