We stayed at the Swans for a long weekend. We liked our stay and would definitly stay there again next time we go to Victoria. The room was just fantastic. It was on two floors so it was like having our own little apartment in the city. I was worried about noise but there wasn't any. It is in a great location. We didn't have a car and were able to walk all around the city from this hotel. Restaurants and shops are all right outside the front door. The one small bad thing I will say about our stay at Swans was that the front desk staff and one waitress in the pub weren't very friendly. The front desk staff wasn't ever rude or anything, they just weren't warm, welcoming, or enthusiastic. They didnt try to have a nice interaction that would push the customer service from fine to excellent. And, I wouldn't eat at the pub again. We had lunch so perhaps dinner with the live music and pub vibe would be better. We found it overpriced for totally regular food and our waitress was a bit rude to us. With so many other options so close by, there is no reason not to try somewhere else.

Great hotel. I will be back. Loved the location.

This was the first hotel my husband and I stayed at when we were sent to Victoria on a house-hunting trip and it quickly became our favourite. Each room is beautiful. They are all suites, have loft bedrooms with massive and comfy beds. The art is ever-changing and unbeatable. The location is exactly where you want to be and the prices are more reasonable than an overrated chain hotel. There is a great restaurant and fun bar attached and you are in the centre of everything.

The only thing I suggest as a local is to secure your vehicle and leave NOTHING out to be seen. There is a problem with theft from vehicles in our city but if you leave nothing out - you are fine. Trust me, they will break your window for a quarter. The City is safe - don't get me wrong but like any major city -- there is a certain population that has no regard for other people's things. DO NO let this deter you from staying at Swan's as it is PERFECT and we send all our out-of-town guests to this spectacular boutique hotel.

Get a walking map of downtown and be sure to take a horse & carriage ride located at the side of the Parliament buildings. Walk the harbour front and DO NOT miss taking at little green Harbour Taxi ferry to Fisherman's wharf and have the fish n' chips. In the summer, there is a new Pirate Ship for famililes that takes you in the harbour with real pirates and a show that includes the kids in costumes!

Our foursome of girlfriends stayed at the Swans Suite for one night when we arrived for our 5 night trip to Vancouver Island. The bar and restaurant downstairs is convenient for meals and cocktails, and we found that this hotel had some of the liveliest nightlife in Victoria. The crowd was quite a bit older than our group, but everyone was having fun. The hallways are fairly dark, as is the furniture in our living room and kitchen cupboards, but the room was clean and comfortable. We walked around downtown, enjoyed dinner and drinks, and called it a night fairly early. Depending on where your room is situated, you can get a lot of street noise. There was a guy spraying a hose on the flowers in the flower box outside our window at 5AM. Too early for that when you're on vacation! Overall a great choice for a downtown hotel.