Jan 19, 2010
My husband and I recently stayed at the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa
as we were attending a company Christmas party there in the evening. It only
took us about 15/20 minutes to get there from downtown Victoria and the drive up
the mountain was very scenic and beautiful. Once at the top you really cant see
anything other than the resort itself and you feel like your in the middle of a
forest. We had some confusion over what building we were staying in, as there
were actually 3 or more hotels within a few minutes walk together and there was
only one that had a front desk.
Our room was in the clubhouse which had a full kitchen, living room, seperate
bedroom and 2 bathrooms. The main bathroom was fantastic with a large double
shower with double rain style shower heads. It also had a large bathtub
(although it did not have jets.) The bedroom was huge with floor to ceiling
windows and a king sized bed which was extremely comfortable. We were on the
bottom floor so we had a large deck out back (which we never used since it was
raining.) Our only regret was not having more time to stay in our room as it was
so cozy.
The main restaurant at the lodge serves fantastic meals (we had both dinner and
breakfast there.) If you are having dinner I suggest you have the beat cured
salmon - my husband and I thought it was one of the best weve ever had.
The main lodge is beautiful aswell with waterfalls cascading down the sides of
the walls and comfy couches facing large fireplaces. Again, we wished we had
more time to enjoy some of the other things they offer (such as the Spa and
other restaurants.) Oh - there was also an ice rink which we were unable to use
since I currently had a broken toe haha.
We definitely plan to go back for a weekend at some point for a romantic
getaway!
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Nov 26, 2009
This was our second time at Bear Mountain! Huge rooms, wonderful food, & amazing
views!!! We definitely recommend this place for a quick getaway!
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Nov 16, 2009
Stayed here two nights while in Victoria for business. This hotel definitely
caters more to the leisure/vacation crowd than business travelers, but I still
very much enjoyed my stay. I was upgraded to a suite upon arrival which was very
spacious. It could have easily fit a large family and having two bathrooms in a
one bedroom suite is a nice touch. My favorite part was the enormous balcony
with beautiful views of the golf course and mountains.
I unfortunately didn't have time to use any of the amenities, but I would
definitely come back here with a family for vacation. It's not downtown and was
about a 40minute drive from the airport so be sure to rent a car if you plan on
leaving the resort. The only dining places within walking distance are all the
hotel restaurants, but a 5-10min drive gets you to many other restaurants and
fast food places. I'd also recommend parking yourself as the self-parking lot is
steps away from the valet lot and about a 1min walk from the hotel.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Nov 1, 2009
The glossy page ads caught our attention! Wow, this look like an amazing place!
The mountain setting and golf courses are amazing. The hotel itself is trying so
hard to deliver that same experience. Not happening though. It begins with the
lack of an airport shuttle so expect to pay $60- $70 for your cab ride there.
The resort itself is somewhat remote, you have to taxi for food, liquor,
shopping etc. If you choose to do your dining there you will find delightful
staff but pay dearly for those drinks and very mediocre food. Want to take in
the harbour sites, another $50 cab ride, go to the casino or food store or
liquour store, another $20 - $30, ONE WAY. Had we known all this we would have
rented a vehicle. Put your marketing co. to the challenge and deal with the
short comings. Inform your guests about what is and isn't available. The rooms
need some thought as well when is comes to the convenience and layout of them
and get some proper LIGHTS. I felt like I was in a cave the whole time . If you
choose to book here ask for a room above the very noisy second floor. In short ,
those incredible ads got us there once but we won't be going again.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Oct 21, 2009
From the moment I turned into the resort 'development', I knew I had made a
great choice. This resort is nestled in amongst gorgeous scenery, tasteful home
sites, granite mountains and on top of a first class golf course. The restaurant
options make it hard to decide upon, the hotel itself is beautiful and fit's in
it's environment tastefully and luxuriously. I can't wait to go back. Great
value for my money!
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Oct 11, 2009
The scenery was awesome and grounds were clean and beautiful. Doesn't offer much
at all for families or small children, big drawback. The hotel was impressive,
large, new, beautiful and tasteful, the dining experience interesting with our
3yr old. a little pricey but food was good and a good experience just too formal
for kids for sure. There was no place at all to take my 3yr old to play which
while my husband was out for hours on business there was nothing for us to keep
busy with or active other than walking around constantly. the facility could use
a family type restaurant by day and a formal dining by night being so far from
civilization and typical eateries. It was nice to have a small starbucks onsite!
The experience was nice for our lab retriever (dog, plenty of outdoor fun for
her but nothing for the rest of us!
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Sept 25, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the mountain. The atmosphere is more relaxed
then a downtown hotel and it works well with the country club lifestyle. The
panoramic views of Victoria and the top notch golf course are worth the trip
alone. Add on wonderful staff and you have the making of a great vacation.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Sep 16, 2009
The glossy page ads caught our attention! Wow, this look like an amazing place!
The mountain setting and golf courses are amazing. The hotel itself is trying so
hard to deliver that same experience. Not happening though. It begins with the
lack of an airport shuttle so expect to pay $60- $70 for your cab ride there.
The resort itself is somewhat remote, you have to taxi for food, liquor,
shopping etc. If you choose to do your dining there you will find delightful
staff but pay dearly for those drinks and very mediocre food. Want to take in
the harbour sites, another $50 cab ride, go to the casino or food store or
liquor store, another $20 - $30, ONE WAY. Had we known all this we would have
rented a vehicle. Put your marketing co. to the challenge and deal with the
short comings. Inform your guests about what is and isn't available. The rooms
need some thought as well when is comes to the convenience and layout of them
and get some proper LIGHTS. I felt like I was in a cave the whole time . If you
choose to book here ask for a room above the very noisy second floor. In short ,
those incredible ads got us there once but we won't be going again
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Sept 5, 2009
Maybe the resort is just still getting the kinks worked out, but there are some
definite problems. First, the staff is mostly incredibly young and not focusing
on service. Are there only young people on "summer vacation" available to work?
The three building arrangement is awkward (two hotel buildings and the
fitness/pool building). We stayed in the Clubhouse which I understand to be the
"new" building. The rooms were great. They had a nice layout, were spacious, and
had a great balcony. My husband and I even had a "mini-date" out there while our
kids were watching TV (wine and appetizers from room service) . Room service was
good, and we ordered it many times--it was convenient for my family because
these were our "down" days. But, I had to block out the fact that there was a
hair in my salad the first night.
The pool experience was bad, we went two days in a row. There are not enough
umbrellas or shade areas for those not swimming (but part of the pool was
covered which was nice). The pool also seemed dirty. Also, there is no indoor
pool which was fine for us on this visit (in July). The worst thing about the
pool was the service. Front desk staff was crazy about controlling the towel
situation. You could only have one, very normal sized towel. One person claimed
it was the dryer but others were just controlling the flow. For example, they
didn't want to give me one for my husband who was coming later. They hesitated
just long enough to make me think they thought I was lying just to get an extra
towel! It was so bad, that at one point, I got up to go to the bathroom and
someone else at the pool area "stole" one of our towels that I had sitting there
for when my girls got out of the pool. It just so happen one of the staff
("towel controllers") came by when my kids were getting out of the pool. I
explained to her what happened with the towel and she basically ignored me. Even
when the girls were tugging at the towel and I was saying "girls you have to
share, we only have one towel". I know it sounds silly but really, towels?!
Oh, I did go to the spa and got a pedicure. It was very nice and I wish I could
remember her name! I just went for the pedicure, although it did look like a
nice place you could go to relax for a while.
I am sure the golf is fine, we are not golfers.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Aug 22, 2009
The best feature was by far the rooms, which were huge and up to date. The hotel
and grounds are new, which are nice to walk around at night, but there's still
lots of construction on the go and since its a resort its a short distance from
town and about 15-20mins from downtown Victoria. Was a great place for us to
relax and would love to go back again once the development is further along.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Aug 15, 2009
Firstly, we won a radio contest to the resort and had heard so many wonderful
things we were really looking forward to our 2 day getaway. We were not
disappointed!
We expected we may be given a parking lot view on the bottom floor but got the
golf course view top floor and the view was spectacular. Yes, there is
construction going on, and it was mid week, but we were in no way disturbed by
it what-so-ever.
The room had a mini-kitchen area, however we were disappointed there was no
mini-bar because we had just wanted a relaxing drink on the balcony before
heading out to dinner.
We had a fantastic dinner at Panache and were treated so well ! Great service
and the chef had a fine attention to detail. It was my birthday, and he wrote
that in chocolate on my dessert plate which was a nice touch.
We had a wonderful breakfast at the Copper Rock on the balcony. Brioche French
Toast with carmalized apples and candied pecans, it was heavenly and delicious!
We golfed the Mountain Course which was fabulous. Very challenging holes and
great scenery. Play the 19th hole, you won't be disappointed!
The pool was refreshing and not too busy when we went around 5pm. I can see how
it could get crowded as it is not just belonging to the hotel, but a residential
rec facility.
We hope to come back here one day. Fabulous weekend get-away!
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Jul 11, 2009
I got a very good deal at this hotel so that undoubtedly made me look favorably
upon it.
Great rooms-we stayed in the fairways building in what essentially an apartment
with a separate living room and a full kitchen.
The location- despite there still being some construction work going on this
wasn't intrusive and the setting was beautiful.
The pool- this was great for the first 2 days until it got too busy.
Onsite eating- the onsite bars and restaurants are nice although (as we
expected) a little expensive.
Overall this was a great place to stay.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
July 2, 2009
Although I was hesitant about Bear Mountain, as I found the reviews a bit mixed.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We upgraded to a King suite, with a nice balcony
- delicious accommodations. Cooking your own breakfast after two weeks on the
road was a treat. I was able to enjoy a cigar on the balcony while watching a
volleyball match. The only problem I had with Bear Mountain, was too much
building going on.... geez, they are creating their own resort community and
totally loosing any sense of "getting away from it all." We ate at the sushi
restaurant and found it good.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
June 4, 2009
I live in Vancouver, but work each week in Victoria and it made my day when I
found this hotel. The resort is made up of two hotel buildings set on a
mountain, with a fantastic village being built around it. It works for me in so
many ways. First it is close enough to Victoria that you can be there in 20 mins,
yet you feel you are miles away in the mountains. Each room I have stayed in is
like a condo, with a kitchen, living room, separate bedroom complete with
fireplace (electric). There is a fabulous gym on the grounds as well as several
great restaurants. The rooms on the valley side have an awesome view of the golf
course, the surrounding forests and terrain. There is not much lacking in this
resort.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
May 29, 2009
Stayed 1 night for with the Mrs.
Pros -
1. big rooms (most have 2 beds)
2. nice view of golf course (patio joins with others - no barricade)
3. comfortable beds and showers.
Cons -
1. do not get a room with a shared door with another room. Like someone said
here you can hear everything from the adjoining room.
2. if you are an early riser, not much to do here before 7am. the restaurant
opens at 6:30am and the gym at 7:00am. i think the golf course doesn't even open
up until about 7:30am?
3. a little bit pricey at the restaurants, but to be expected.
I have a personal bias towards American hospitality. I don't think anyone in the
world does service like Americans. So although Canadians might be polite, they
most often will not go totally out of their way. That said, I would probably try
this place again. I was there on cash and points from my Starwood Credit Card. I
only paid $60 for the room.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Apr 23, 2009
My fiancé' and I stayed at Westin Bear Mountain for a leisurely, romantic
getaway... Upon arrival we were informed that the pool was closed for unexpected
maintenance issues. I understand unavoidable issues arise, however no
compensation or discount was offered... to offset the situation. We are Starwood
shareholders and our room was located in a separate building next to the hotel,
this is fairly standard as we have stayed at numerous Westin resorts. However,
it seemed as if there was a lack of attention to detail and service because we
were paying with points instead of money. There were no menus available for any
of the hotel's 4 restaurants, the mini bar was not stocked, and our supposed
view of the golf course was mostly just piles of dirt and construction
equipment. The golf course, a Nicklaus design, proved impressive with it's
beauty and challenge.
There was parking under our building which was a plus, the only problem was when
the elevators went out and no one bothered to leave a sign notifying guests of
the situation...after we walked up to the main level we tried the elevators
again, to find out from another guest that the power had gone out. Things
happen, i understand, just a simple courtesy sign or having an employee to
direct guests would have been nice, or maybe a sign to tell us where the stairs
where since we had to hike up 3 floors!
Our overall experience was not that of a typical Westin, I almost wonder if they
are privately owned because of all the Westin and Sheratons we've stayed at
we've been so impressed.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Mar 16, 2009
Stayed at Bear mountain Westin for 1 night with my fiancé and was extremely
happy with everything. We paid for a basic queen room, but as the hotel was
completely empty we were upgraded to a 1 bedroom King corner suite. Suite was
complete with Kitchen, 2 bathrooms, Gas fireplace, Huge king "Heavenly Bed" and
master ensuite, as well as a large deck with chairs. As you can see in the photos
The snow was falling all night and the surrounding area looked like a ski lodge.
We were able to enjoy a treatment in Sante Spa which I would highly recommend.
We also enjoyed dinner in masters lounge, and a late night bite from room
service. Both were great. Highly recommend this hotel.
Guest Review of the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort
Mar 3, 2009
The lobby area was welcoming and impressive and check in friendly and efficient.
All public areas gave sense of immense space, especially the corridors accessing
rooms.
Our room was a twin queen standard room. The room seemed long and narrow,
although no narrower than many standard hotel rooms. A balcony appeared to be
shared with an adjacent room, which remained unoccupied during our stay.
Internal furnishings were impressive and tasteful, with slate flooring on the
entrance lobby through to the bathroom and kitchen area, and then carpeted
throughout the rest of the room. The room had a round table and 3 chairs but
lacked easy chairs and space to use them. However this was probably one of the
smaller rooms in the hotel.
The bathroom was tastefully furnished and equipped.
The kitchen area consisted of loads of storage, a microwave, kettle, toaster,
coffee maker and fridge, with a reasonable supply of crockery and glassware for
2 people. There was no sink in the kitchen area which is unfortunate.
The beds were set high with several layers of comfort. The 'Heavenly' brand is
used to describe the guest 'experience' and my first night in the 'Heavenly' bed
made me think I really should upgrade my bed at home. I slept like a baby.
Overall our experience at Bear Mountain was very memorable. The staff were very
helpful and polite. Room excellent with only minor quibbles. Highly recommended
as a weekend get away or romantic stay away. We went with kids and while the
hotel doesn't cater specifically for them, the staff were as helpful as one
could expect.
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