Oaklane Heritage Furnished Suites

If you want to feel like you have really visited Victoria, then I suggest staying at OakLane. This three-suite heritage home is situated in beautiful Fairfield, and it is close to everything. Best of all, during our stay, we felt like we were part of the neighbourhood. The people were friendly, and the homes, flowers and trees are amazing. The house itself has some great history and was once home to Victoria’s first mayor. The suites have recently been renovated with every attention to detail given for a comfortable stay. We stayed in the Oak Suite, on the third floor, that has a private deck, where we enjoyed many dinners while gazing at the ocean and the mountains in the distance. The entire suite is very spacious for two, and the décor is a work of art. The bedroom is beautifully decorated and has a comfortable queen bed. The nights were quiet, and we enjoyed perfect, uninterrupted sleeps. The bathroom is huge with the original (reglazed) claw-foot tub, and I relaxed in deep, luxurious bubble baths. The bright, full kitchen is a delight to cook in, with its large windows, stone floors, and everything we needed to feel right at home. The living room is a blend of antiques, the original tiled fireplace, and modern furniture that comes together perfectly to create a charming space to read and relax. There is a good-sized TV, but in the month we were there, we never turned it on because there were just too many other great things to do. Government House is an easy ten-minute walk, where we regularly went to roam the gardens. Craigdarroch Castle is about a twenty-minute walk or five-minute drive. Dallas Road is a half-hour walk, but worth it. The views of the water and mountains are fantastic; there are lots of dog walkers, and even paragliders. Cook Street Village is another nice walk to great shops and restaurants. Beacon Hill Park starts just across the street, where the gardens are spectacular, and there was music at night and on the weekends. We brought our bikes, and it was an easy ride or ten-minute drive to the Inner Harbour and Fisherman’s Wharf. At the end of the day, we always looked forward to coming back to our lovely suite. The owner was very gracious and went out of her way to make our stay exceptional. I would highly recommend staying at OakLane. In fact, we didn’t want to leave, and we have already booked our next stay!Eileen Coughlan