My wife and I booked a three night stay at the Victorian Hotel starting Aug. 24th. We chose this hotel based on the reviews we read on Tripadvisor.com, the reasonable price and the location. The primary purpose of our trip was to see The Phantom of the Opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theater which is located only two blocks from the hotel. We were given a room on the third floor with a King bed and shared bathroom facilities. The bed was almost too large for the room but was very comfortable. The room didn't have air conditioning but the was a large fan. Between the fan and an open window the temperature remained pleasant throughout the night. I was surprised how quiet our room was considering it faced the main road. Traffic noise was very light in the evenings though we could hear pedestrians yelling occasionally from the sidewalks below. We passed on the continental breakfast prefering instead to eat at Paul's Omeleterry on Granville Street. Mmm!!! The desk clerks at the Victorian were all pleasant and helpful. I was able to connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi network from my third floor room which was a plus for me! The parking lot was snug but also very secure. We opted for the hotel parking because it was much cheaper than the parking garage down the street and our car was available 24 hours (The parking garage closed at night). We did meet some aggressive panhandlers during our walks down to Gastown and to Chinatown but for the most part we felt relatively secure in the vacinity of the hotel. My wife and I would stay at the Victorian again should we ever visit Vancouver in the future.

This was a terrible place to stay. We were there in August and paid $119 and $139 -- we changed rooms. The front desk staff is generally not helpful and at times rude. The hotel -- which has been expanded to an annex around the corner -- is very noisy. Some say this is charming, but I say being awakened by footsteps overhead or clinking coffee cups at 6:30 a.m. is a problem. It is an old structure and not particularly suited for a hotel. I have lived in NYC and I have a fairly high tolerance for noise. This place was unacceptable. (I want to say at this point that I am not a demanding, spoiled type of person. I am a school teacher who can only afford spending a certain amount on hotels. This place was reasonably priced, but totally not worth it! It is unusual for me to write a review like this, but my goal is to prevent someone else's disappointment. It's not charming and it's not so small as it has expanded rather awkwardly into the upper floors of an adjoining building.)
The breakfast was coffee, muffins. danish and watered down orange flavor drink. You're meant to eat it in a small lobby area (and there are several rooms off of this area -- which are noisier as a result of the breakfast traffic). I preferred walking around the corner to Java Cat for breakfast.
Rooms upstairs are generally nicer looking. But, this place has a lot to learn about making guests feel comfortable and welcome. The front desk - really poor. Here's one example: when we made the reservation we were asked if we needed the free parking. When we had a car later on in our trip we were charged $10 a night. No, "I'm sorry" that the person misinformed you was offered, just a dead, cold stare. ( By the way, the "parking" lot is way too small and very difficult to get in and out of.) Another example... at one point we could not get out of our room because the doorknob was stripped - kept turning and turning. We got it open and politely asked the desk to fix it when we went out that morning. Again, blank stares (from a different person) instead of "Oh. I'm sorry, we'll take care of it." How difficult is that??!!!!!!
Have I mentioned the seagulls and street noise? The hotel is next to a tall office building that houses the electric company. The company has a loading dock that shares an alley with the hotel. In addition to the noise (starting at 5 a.m.) from the loading docks, at approx. 6 a.m. the seagulls (apparently roosting next door) start in. Very unpleasant. The rooms that face Pender Street get traffic and bus noise from the street below.
As others have said, the neighborhood may be considered "funky" by some. It is on the edge of the downtown area and as far east as you will want to be. Yes, there are bums and street people hanging around across the street and around the corner. It is not that far from Hastings and Main -- an intersection that is notorious for the junkies and alcoholics that hang around the streets. I personally felt okay, but again, I am a New Yorker with a higher tolerance for street "activity" and I am a tall man. The hotel can't help its location, but you do need to know that it is not in a very good area. Communication with the locals is usually charming when you are a traveller, but here it was a bum asking for change or a disheveled woman emerging from the alley asking for a cigarette.
I would never stay there again or recommend it to anyone. The word "charming" used to describe it is a cover for its quirky-ness and edgyness. Yes, it has molding on the walls and Oriental rugs (without pads so be careful as you walk and carry your bags), and mismatched wooden furniture. Yeah, great --but the noise will disturb you, the front desk will annoy you and the neighborhood may frighten you. The seagulls will wake you, the workers next door will wake you and that "parking" lot will be a nuisance even if you don't use it because the remote-conrol gate really needs oil (charming!)
In short, staying here is a BIG mistake -- avoid the Victorian Hotel in Vancouver.

The Victorian Hotel is historic in a sense that it is one of the oldest hotels in Vancouver. Wood floors, high ceilings, etc, etc. Our King size bed was comfortable and the room was clean. In short, my wife and I stayed there for two nights and reasons for disappointment as follows: 1) treated rudely by front desk when asking polite questions on places to eat, etc. 2) Close to drug-riddled and homeless area (stay away from Granville Ln. at night, although this was a *recommended* area by hotel staff and is were we felt unsafe, peep-show places, adult stores, not to mention a possible drug deal happened in front of us, hardly any or no police presence). 3) As I mentioned there were a lot of homeless and peddlers in this area, the entry to the hotel smelled like urine; sorry, just my opinion. 4) breakfast is better described as continental and all the guest are crowded at breakfast in a 15 x 10 foyer, no breakfast table to sit at! My wife and I live in a city of over a half-million so we are well-aware of big city problems and if we had a option we would not stay here again (obviously).

We travel often for business and pleasure, and sometimes, a chain hotel is fine. But I have a preferance for the individual with charm, and if that sounds like what you prefer, the Victorian is sure to be to your favorite. Its location is fab, great for bus and taxi service. We had a main floor room with private bath that was so clean, charming and comfortable. Lovely antiques and cushy bed, and quiet despite being just off the lobby. The continental breakfast was simple but delicious, with an array of muffins, yogurt, fruit and juice, along with coffee or tea with real cream. More than ample to keep you going until lunch. The staff was superb, We used the free wireless (cable available) with no hitch. Neighborhood was safe and welcoming. If you want to feel at home in a new city, you will definitely feel part of the neighborhood. We had my mom with us and she loved the hotel and staff, along with the friendly guests. Final note: my husband left his wireless airport connector in the room. We were waiting for our shuttle bus to Seattle and suddenly, all three of us say the young man who was at the front desk come running up to us, the missing airport connection in hand! We didn't realize it had been left, and were astounded that a hotel would go this extra 'mile' for its guests. That has never happened in any other hotel in which we've stayed! Try booking on Sidestep for added value. I only wish they had an elevator as my knees aren't what they used to be, but for this kind of value, I'll deal with the stairs! If you like chain hotels, book elsewhere, but for a home away from home, you can't beat the Victorian.