A Unique Accommodation Experience

Abigail’s Hotel blurs the lines between small luxury hotel and heritage bed & breakfast

Abigail’s Hotel in Victoria, BC has welcomed guests for 36 years. However, it’s heritage dates back to the 1930s.

It was originally built as a Tudor revival-style eight-suite luxury apartment building and was known as The Bessborough Apartments, named after Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, the ninth Earl of Bessborough – the Governor General of Canada from 1931-1935. It is derived from half-timbered houses of the 16th and 17th centuries with irregular shapes, steeply pitched roofs, multi-paned windows and roughhewn materials.

In 1985 The Bessborough was completely renovated and converted into a bed & breakfast inn. The exterior has been restored to its original Tudor architecture.

In 1998 the Coach House was completed alongside the main house with six luxury guestrooms.

Abigail’s Hotel is 10,797 sq ft. There are 17 guestrooms over three floors, the main lobby, library, kitchen, dining room and gift shop.  The Coach House has six guestrooms over two floors and encompasses 4,458 sq ft. Two patios at the front of the main building are surrounded by beautiful gardens.

The rooms have six different categories each with different décor themes.  The themes are Amethyst, Ruby, Opal, Rose, Emerald and Sapphire.

“Abigail’s is a unique accommodation experience that blurs the lines between a small luxury hotel and a heritage bed and breakfast inn. It blends the romance and charm of the past with the comfort and convenience of modern accommodation. There really isn’t another hotel or B&B quite like us in the city,” shares General Manager Allison Fairhurst.

“Because of our small size we are able to offer a more personalized service to our guests. Our entire team has a chance to interact with them – from our chef’s in the open kitchen to our room attendants who also serve breakfast and our front desk who are also the concierge. It makes a stay at Abigail’s a unique experience rather than a simple hotel stay. As a result many of our guests are long-term repeat guests.”

It is famous for their dynamic three-course breakfasts. Their menu changes daily and is often flexible for those with specific dietary concerns. Breakfast service starts with a fresh house-made baked good, followed by fruit salad and an entrée. Daily features include a choice of either a light, sweet or savoury option with additional sides of a starch and protein.

The majority of their guests are couples between 35-60. They are an adult-oriented hotel with an age minimum of 13.  They are very much a special occasion hotel with many guests celebrating an anniversary, honeymoon or birthday. For those occasions they like to give a little something extra such as chocolate covered strawberries or a bottle of wine.

Another aspect that makes Abigail’s Hotel special is that it was designated a heritage building in the Historic Registry for the City of Victoria in 1985 when it was converted to an inn.  The designation was updated in 2020 to conform to current heritage requirements and standards.

“Abigail’s was designated a heritage building in order to protect it from any possible future demolition. Only the exterior is designated heritage, which means any alterations or repair work must have approval from the city heritage committee.  We are also eligible for certain heritage grants to help with exterior work such as stucco repair, paint and roof repairs.”

When the pandemic struck it was devasting for the hotel. They closed completely in April, May and June 2020 and had to lay off all but two staff. Luckily most of their team has returned and while occupancies are still not where they were pre-pandemic they are seeing rapid recovery this summer – despite the lack of international tourists who typically account for 60 per cent of their business.

“Operationally we switched to contactless check-in and check-out, reduced capacity in the breakfast room with set seatings or an option to have breakfast delivered to the room. The evening appetizer buffet is currently suspended and appetizers are pre-plated. It has definitely affected the level of personalized service we are able to give. However, guests are still receiving the full Abigail’s experience.”

This hasn’t stopped them from looking forward. They are currently in the process of constructing an expansion of the hotel. This will be a separate building with eight large guest rooms, a new kitchen, breakfast room, outdoor patio, a covered breezeway connecting the main house to the building and an elevator. This is expected to be complete in March 2022. The parking lot will be expanded to include dedicated bike storage and an EV charging station. The existing main house exterior will be repainted, stucco repaired and new exterior lighting installed. The existing kitchen in the main house will be demolished to accommodate a new door to the new building. The old kitchen and dining room will be converted to another lounge area.

Abigail’s Hotel is sure to provide a unique experience for years to come.

Nicole Sherwood | Western Hotelier Magazine