Did I just time-travel to Merry Olde England? Or step through the looking glass? The Rosemead House in Esquimalt, in the Greater Victoria Area, enchanted me as soon as I entered.
The hotel’s heavy wooden doors opened, sunlight filtered through leaded glass, and a huge floral arrangement enthralled me with its scent and bursting blooms.
Fit for Royalty on a Smaller Scale
Victoria is known for a certain majestic accommodation. But the 28-guest room and suites at Rosemead House are a smaller, hidden treasure. More like where Alice and the March Hare would find respite, rather than an empress.
“Did you see the gates as you entered?” the front desk clerk asked me upon check-in.
I recalled some shiny, black wrought iron with gold trim.
“They are a replica of the gates at Buckingham Palace, only smaller. They were used in the Netflix series The Crown,” she explained.
So there was a royal resonance about this place, after all.
Rosemead House Rooms are all Unique
Rooms in the Rosemead House are named after UK locations and historic concepts. Mine was the Kentish Cove on the third floor. There are no elevators in this 118-year-old manor house, so the clerk kindly offered to help me with my bags. After the grand main staircase, we turned the corner and made our way up a narrow set of stairs. A certain magical rabbit would have enjoyed them.
Kentish Alcove had a commanding stone fireplace, a black iron chandelier, and leaded windows looking out over the garden.
A desk faced the windows, and a flat-screen TV graced one corner of the room. Vintage books, statuettes, and a china clock lined the room’s shelves.
A mini-fridge houses cold beverages, WiFi is complimentary, and there is motion-sensor floor lighting. For coffee or tea, every morning, a fresh pot is brewed and placed for guests in a nearby hallway. Mine was right outside the room, and I was pleased to see real milk and cream by the cups.
My favorite aspect of the room was the exquisite bathroom. A claw-foot tub, walk-in shower, double sink, and heated penny-tile floor made me want to spend hours in there. In addition, the Kohler smart toilet with auto-flip lid, heated seats, and 17 different settings was an unexpected luxury.
Each of the 14 guest rooms in the Manor is different and filled with antiques. In a separate new building, the Grove collection of 14 rooms suits guests who prefer décor with some heritage aspects, but that is a little more modern. Located a few steps behind the manor house, this building is good for people with mobility issues. There’s an elevator and an underground car park.
Fabulous Décor at Rosemead House
Taking a tour with Sougath Mukherjee, director of front office and reservations, I learned the hotel was lined with more than 2,500 antiques sourced from UK estate sales and auctions.
“Mr. Lenny Moy, the owner, and designer Karen Wichert worked together on the décor. They went over every detail to create this special atmosphere,” noted Mukherjee.
Dark paneling, William Morris wallpaper, velvet drapes, and thick carpets instill a maximalist, old-world aristocratic ambiance. There are even furnishings that once belonged to London’s five-star old beauties, The Savoy and The Dorchester. Modern touches include bright pink and green upholstery, and smatterings of abstract a
Moy apparently caught the auction bug while visiting his daughter, who was studying in London.
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As well as the gates, other items created for The Crown were purchased at auction in the UK, including red velvet drapes. These can be seen in one of my favorite nooks, The Crown Mezzanine library.
Located halfway up the main staircase, it also has books acquired from the series.
A Restaurant or Secret Garden?
Off the lobby is a lounge and restaurant called Janevca—the name is an amalgam of the names of Moy’s three children, Janelle, Evan, and Cailee.
Most striking is the giant tree in its center, with branches that hit the ceiling and spread out over the tables. Recessed lighting streams through the branches, and the flora changes with the seasons.
Depending on the time of year you visit, there might be Japanese maple, cherry, or magnolia blossoms.
The restaurant was closed while I was there due to a kitchen fire, but Mukherjee was hopeful it would reopen soon.
In the meantime, breakfast, snacks, and afternoon drinks were served in the lounge. Elegant and vibrant with colors that would please the Mad Hatter, it was a lovely place to relax and reenergize after a day of sightseeing
Rosemead House’s Salt & Ivy Spa
As soon as I walked into this luxe spa, I felt the stress leave my body. Treatments include massages, acupuncture, and enhancements such as a salt sanctuary session for deep relaxation.
In addition, every session includes 15 minutes on a Wellsystem Wave bed. It looks like a high-tech water bed and gently massages you from head to toe.
The spa’s entrance features another tree festooned with pastel petals. It’s a dreamy place to enjoy a cup of tea.
The Origins and Rebirth of Rosemead House
Built as a residence in 1906 for T. Harry Slater, the home was designed by Canadian architect Samuel Maclure. Eventually, the three-story mansion was converted into a hotel and restaurant. Later, it slid into near-insolvency. Moy, founder and president of Aragon Properties, a real estate development company, snapped it up, and renovations began in 2015.
Ten years and $20 million later, the show-stopping property opened. Reading a 2025 piece in BC Business magazine, I learned the hotel is the centerpiece of a larger $200 million real estate development on the 1.7-hectare site, which includes three six-story condo buildings, six townhomes, and 180 residences.
Sites to See Nearby
Victoria is a small city that’s easy to navigate. You can take a quick Uber downtown or catch a bus. Some must-see destinations include the B.C. Legislature Buildings and Victoria Inner Harbor.
I enjoyed a Hop-on-Hop off bus tour that started at the Empress Hotel and took me around the city for an hour and a half. My favorite stop was Craigdarroch Castle, built for Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune from Vancouver Island coal. It was built seven years before Rosemead House, and reflected the wealth and culture of the city of that time.
For those who enjoy B.C.’s proliferation of blooms, Butchart Gardens can’t be beat. It’s a half-hour drive north of the city and is open year-round.
Rates at Rosemead House
Rooms range from $500 to $700 per night. Suites can go up to $2,000 per night. Residents of B.C., Alberta, and Washington are eligible for a 20% discount. Breakfast is extra. Self-serve parking is available, as is valet parking for a fee.
Hotel feature by Toronto-based travel writer Maureen Littlejohn. Photos © Maureen Littlejohn. Rosemead House arranged for her stay as she researched a larger piece. As always, her thoughts and opinions are her own.
