See all properties
Entire home

Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law)

Photo gallery for Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law)

The colourful back deck - used in Spring and summer as the outside dining area.
We welcome you!
Our kitchen island seats 8+ people. Wonderful for cooking and baking!
Our fabulous concrete counter top and gas stove and electric oven.
Many coffee makers ~ espresso, French press and regular. drip.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 62000 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Victoria, BC
  • Royal Jubilee Hospital
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Victoria Harbour
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Victoria, BC (YWH-Victoria Inner Harbour Seaplane Base)
    ‪12 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

2nd Largest Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Cozy 3rd bedroom

1 Double Bed

Large Master ~, Sun filled with skylight, European style couch/lounger, vanity/closet

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Main floor bath

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Very large upstairs bath and shower

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law)

The flowers may tnot be out for Winter, but the sun comes shining into our little haven!
People say they feel 'at home' as soon as they enter our home. The warm Santa Fe colours, fir floors, Persian carpets and colourful art exude comfort and relaxation. Our 1914 era home has been redone while maintaining the original character and charm. Our modern kitchen with large island and colourful concrete counter tops is full of art and light ~ perfect for entertaining. The sun-filled open living room with gas fire place has a built-in windowed and warm office space at one end.
In Spring and summer and much of our lovely Fall months, have breakfast on our sunny, expansive, flowered deck, surrounded by a Mediterranean styled grapevine. Lounge in the private back garden full of flowers and surprises! Our hot tub is the perfect place to completely relax in the evening under the stars.
We are on a quiet, chestnut treed street with wonderful neighbours and only 4 blocks to McNeil Bay-a gentle pebble beach to view glorious sunsets over the Olympic Mountains of Washington.
Our safe, friendly neighbourhood offers the best coffee bakery delis in South Oak Bay (Demi-Tasse and De'Lish). We are just a 2 blocks from all your shopping needs on charming Oak Bay Ave. which is a foodies delight with delis, bistros, organic produce, cafes, wine shop, pubs and pharmacy. We look forward to hosting you!
PLEASE SEE Times Colonist article in House Beautiful Aug./2017 house-beautiful-a-taste-of-the-greek-islands-in-oak-bay-1.21602899
Pls note: We prefer 30 day rentals!
Willows Beach: 5 minute drive, a wide sandy beach ideal for family fun
Oak Bay Marina/Turkey Head Walkway Park: l0 minute walk to this multi use island viewpoints, seal feeding or watching from the boat dock, Coffee shop on the dock overlooking the boats and sea, Sushi Bar Dining upstairs or more formal dining in the Marina Restaurant. Old fashioned Double Swings in grass park next door, gentle beach rocks to meander on or picnic or birdwatch from.
Anderson Hill Park, 5 blocks away off transit road: spectacular sea and mountain vistas, bird watching, picnicing, sunset viewing, hiking
Windsor Park Tennis Courts, swings and kids play area and sports fields, rose garden, scented garden
Lafayette Park, three blocks down our street: Toddlers climbing structures, soccer style field
McNeil Bay at the end of our street: complimentary chairs for sea views on the point, shell collecting

Property manager

Sally

Languages

English, French, Greek, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

View from front patio overlooking Willows Beach

ESPLANADE BEACH SUITE

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Parking available
10.0 out of 10, (196 reviews)
ESPLANADE BEACH SUITE

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
A small wedding party can be discussed with us!
default

Pets

No pets allowed, service animals permitted
Please contact us regarding the small dog :)
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts cash
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 50
Note from host: A small wedding party can be discussed with us!
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Victoria

Located by the sea, this holiday home is in South Oak Bay, a neighbourhood in Victoria. Butchart Gardens is a popular area attraction and if an activity is on the agenda, Victoria Harbour and Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal are worth checking out. Travelling with kids? Consider Victoria Bug Zoo and Maritime Museum of British Columbia. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
View more Vacation homes in VictoriaOpens in a new window
Map
Victoria, BC

What's nearby

  • Royal Jubilee Hospital - 4 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Craigdarroch Castle - 5 min drive - 3.4 km
  • Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre - 7 min drive - 4.5 km
  • Victoria Harbour - 8 min drive - 5.6 km
  • Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal - 9 min drive - 6.0 km

Getting around

  • Victoria, BC (YWH-Victoria Inner Harbour Seaplane Base) - 12 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Good Earth Coffeehouse - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Christie's Carriage House Pub - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Subway - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Penny Farthing Public House - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law) pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

What time is check-in at Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law)?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law)?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Oak Bay Character Home By The Sea! (30 day min muni by-law) located?

This family-friendly Victoria holiday home is located by the sea, within 1 mi (2 km) of Oak Bay Marina, Abkhazi Garden and Victoria Golf Club. Victoria Harbour and Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 26 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 26 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 26 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 26 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 26 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

SPEC sistah weekend

Great location, plenty of room, clean and great hosts!! We loved this house
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joel G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Hosts

Lovely home with a gorgeous space for relaxing. Sally was wonderful and very easy to deal with which let us really get the most out of our stay
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sharon G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location, very charming home.

Great location, could walk to the ocean and see snow capped mountains. The house was well kept with lots of character, very comfortable for the 4 of us. Sally responded very quickly to all communication. Would stay again.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

JoAnn M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

oak bay

Enjoyed this lovely home and the surrounding area. Great coffee shops and wonderful walks.
Stayed 29 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shirley D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A welcoming home in a fantastic neighbourhood.

My husband and I settled in to this house as if it were our own. The owners were very helpful in organizing the stay and with any questions we had while there. The house had everything you wanted and more! Sometimes we were just too comfortable and did not want to leave the house :). Would highly recommend this home!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Gary M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wa great

All good
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

mary b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely stay

We had a lovely time here. Sally was super easy to communicate with and we had everything we needed! The neighborhood is very lovely and great for families. Victoria won us over!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

jennifer a., indianapolis

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Family Vacation!

We had a wonderful week’s vacation with our kids and their spouses, at Sally and Stu’s home. We enjoyed the hot hot tub and playing ping pong in the beautiful back yard. The dining room table was great for games at night and the kitchen had everything we needed for cooking at home. The living room had plenty of comfy seating for everyone and we were happy to use the gas fireplace one chilly morning. We road bikes to downtown Victoria for some sightseeing, played golf and tennis nearby, walked to downtown Oak Bay for trivia night at the Penny Farthing and took a picnic dinner to a concert at Willows Beach. It really was a perfect week!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amy d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The perfect getaway

Sally and Stu were the perfect hosts. Communication started well before our trip and we were sent an "owner's manual" that included everything from how to operate the hot tub to the best restaurants in the area. When we walked in, we immediately felt at home. Some houses feel sterile, with just the basics, but here you are invited into their home, with books, knick-knacks and treasures to see all around. The back porch and garden were gorgeous and we had a few great days of weather when we were able to sit outside and just enjoy! The neighborhood was perfect for walking and we very much enjoyed the cafe just around the corner and the short walk to the beach. Also a big plus was the 10 minute drive to the harbor and downtown for all of our exploring! Even when things went wrong, the owners were responsive and sent people to try to fix things almost immediately! We definitely recommend this property for longer stays and for families with older/grown children. We stayed for 20 days/19 nights (my husband and me, my mother and also our oldest daughter for a week) when visiting my younger daughter as she graduated with her Master's from UVic.
Stayed 16 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Peggy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Cozy House

Great comfortable house, fireplace and hot tub made it perfect for hanging out on rainy winter days. Nice walkable neighborhood. Great communication with hosts.
Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Holly B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lots of charm, great location

We love houses from 1910 - 1920 so this was perfect for us. It does have its quirks and its creaks (the floor in the master bedroom, especially) and it has the personality of its owners so if you're looking for a sterile rental experience, this wouldn't be it. But the owners are very hospitable and we found the space to be warm and inviting. We particularly loved hanging out at the kitchen island and in the hot tub.
Stayed 28 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Connor S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great home in quiet gem neighborhood, Oak Bay

Very quaint. Lovely neighborhood, especially in the Fall. No complaints, but the hardwood floors do creak a little, which I think is a good thing to know because the house was built in 1914. I found that to be part of the charm. Overall, much better experience than staying in downtown Victoria, and this is only a 20 minute run or 40 minute walk or 10 minute drive from the Harbor.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Judith D., Toronto, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girl friends 10 days away.

We had a wonderful time. The house was perfect for our long chats on the deck with our morning coffee or lounging in front of the fireplace. The kitchen was very well equipped and we made some memorable meals. House is an easy walk to the ocean and shopping area. We would love to do a reunion here again one day. Thank you Sally and Stu.
Stayed 10 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Maggie W., Toronto

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful gardens and wonderful hosts

We stayed for 2 weeks at Sally and Stu’s home. Everything was as communicated. It’s a cosy family home with eclectic and cheerful decor. The kitchen is wonderful for cooking in and well stocked. The beds are comfortable and the deck and garden are a dream. We got to have a glass of wine with our hosts and they are fascinating and warm people who are easygoing. Thank you for a great stay!
Stayed 13 nights in Jul 2021
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Great Rental Home

We rented this home for the weekend with family to run the Victoria marathon! The house is charming and the owners were awesome! What a great couple! They were very friendly and welcoming! The house is full of character and fun art! We had a great time!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Helen A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A little piece of paradise

We had an amazing time at this home - loved the layout and location of the house; all the amenities we needed were there; hosts were fabulous to deal with... It was perfect!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Oak Bay gem

We had a fabulous time staying in this home. It was all we needed and more - so many places to relax and enjoy the day. Centrally located, short walk to the beach, quick routes to downtown or the university. Amazing place, can’t wait to come back

10/10 Excellent

Michelle W., Longview

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Old charm

Had an amazing stay! Very comfortable home and kind owners. A bit from town but worked well for our family. Would definitely come here again.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Full of charm

We had a wonderful time and found it cozy as home. There was plenty of space and the owners were very easy to work with.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Definitely a 5-Star Experience

What's not to love about this property! The house is perfect and offers every amenity for which one could ask, including an extremely comfortable queen size bed in the master and equally comfortable beds in the other two bedrooms. The back deck (with a great BBQ) overlooks a beautiful garden and, as promised, is wonderful for enjoying a morning coffee. The neighborhood is charming and it was an easy walk to the village or the local coffee bar. Victoria's highlights were a mere 5-10 minute drive away. An unexpected delight was getting to know the owners, Sally and Stu, both of whom made us feel welcome and comfortable. Their generosity of spirit added wonderfully to our stay.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Fantastic

This property was incredible! It checked off all of our boxes, and even the boxes we didn't anticipate. I would definitely recommend this property to others, and I would stay there again next time I'm in the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Nancy R., Oakland

Beautiful Oak Bay home is truly BEAUTIFUL

Sally and Stu were very warm and welcoming. Their house and yard are charming. We ate dinner outside and found it delightful. The house had easy access. Communication was great. We had a lot of fun and got good rest. Oak Bay and Victoria are wonderful. I recommend staying here to all travelers. Thank you.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Such a great base of operations that we spent a lot of time at "home!"

This was a very pleasant, welcoming place to stay; we recommend it highly. Beautiful art; sunny, colorful, comfortable rooms; inviting multi-deck back yard with flowers and hot tub; gracious hosts. Very different from typical VRBO rentals in which we hope to be able to find extra towels and kitchen basics, etc. We ended every evening in the hot tub (very generous size for our 4-person group), admiring the moon and stars overhead. Everything worked beautifully, from the fully-equipped kitchen to the TV/internet setup, gas grill, etc. Conveniently located for sightseeing and nice neighborhood walks to the shore. We enjoyed our time in Victoria and felt truly at home. Would love to return someday.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Joanne B.

Absolutely perfect

Gorgeous back garden and deck for having morning coffee .
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Elmien W.

Friendly home with lots of personality

This centrally-located house is definitely a character home with an inviting atmosphere. The owners are very friendly and have been living in the home for 30 years and taken good care of the property. The downstairs have been remodelled, however the upstairs floor boards creaked, which caused a few restless nights for our younger kids not used to these types of noises. However, the house itself was beautiful and easily accessible. All amenities were provided and available in the house which made it very convenient. The local deli (DemiTasse) serves fantastic coffee and food and is walking distance from the home.

About the host

Hosted by Sally

Host profile image
Musical, artistic, and fun-loving travellers ~ we love hosting and meeting people for different cultures and places. We've been sharing our home for decades and continue to create a home away from home. Psychologist and performing artist (actor/musician/clown), Sally and Stu love to provide ways to best explore and love up Victoria and Vancouver Island. We love sharing our secret haunts, restaurants and entertainment spots too :)

Why they chose this property

Safe and friendly neighbourhood, sweet and beautiful community close to everything you need. You can walk, cycle, hike, chat with neighbours and have great coffee all within a 2-10 minute walk! Hot tub will be waiting for you after your exploration.
Sunny (usually :) private, coffee mornings on the flowered and funky deck, work days in the backyard or front sunroom watching the world go by ~ you'll feel like you've always belonged here!

What makes this property unique

We were written up in Homes Beautiful a couple of years ago and the interviewer said it was like taking a trip around the world of colour and magic. There are many surprises in the garden and in our home. Yes, we love colour, beauty and peace and quiet! Grace us with your own great energy, you won't be disappointed

Languages:

English, French, Spanish, Greek