Located in the heart of the city and within walkable distance to all the Tourist attraction like the Inner Harbor and Fairmont Empress hotel, Royal BC Museum and Parliament Building. Excellent for Solo and Budget Travelers. Bus stop right around the corner to bring you from outside the Ferry stop and drop you. Bus will also take you to Butchart Garden (Must Try their AFTERNOON TEA for 50 bucks rate is double in EMPRESS HOTEL for the same) from here just get the Day pass for the Bus. Visit Victoria Public Market nearby for a great Indian Vegetarian Restaurant called Shashwat Indian. Visit Lunch Buffet Indian Restaurant called Curry Club walkable to Royal BC Museum. Walk on the GOVERNMENT STREET, nice gift and chocolate shops. Walk on Government Street to reach CHINATOWN and visit the FAN TAN ALLEY (Narrowest Alley), Try soup, dumplings from one of the local Chinese Restaurant, Take pics of the CHINATOWN gate. Fairmont Empress hotel needs to be visited in the day and looks different at night with all the lights. Enter the EMPRESS HOTEL from the SIDE ENTRANCE to go to the LOBBY for the photos and restroom. Take the Ferry in front of the EMPRESS HOTEL from the Harbor area. The tours and Hop on Hop off bus depart in front of the Empress hotel. The property has Excellent buffet style Breakfast and good homely dinner. Bar area is great with free drinks everyday and for purchase. Strongly recommend. Will Return.

NA. ALL IS GOOD

Thoughtful amenities in the rooms (fridge, extension chord, food container, lots of hooks; very clean; window and fan for fresh air; yummy and filling dinner and breakfast included. I liked being in downtown area.

The fridge was noisy, so we unplugged it at night and there were lots of sirens at night Saturday.

I had a private room on the 4th floor. You can look the door two ways from the inside which might make you feel more safe (I felt safe anyways) the room was small but there were many options to store your things, a fridge and a big mirror on the wall. It had no ac but a fan in the window which provided fresh air and another fan (which I never used) the bed was comfortable, the sheets clean. You can borrow a towel and lock for $10 each (which you get back when you return it) and you can borrow a hair dryer. The bathroom was right outside my room and almost always available when I needed it. If not, I think there were 4 more bathrooms per floor. There is soap but no handdryer provided in the bathrooms so bring just your towel. The shower was clean, always had hot water and good pressure. The hostel provides breakfast and dinner which is basic but I was happy to have it and every dinner was vegan which was great for me! Also you get a free drink at the bar every night. And there is unlimited coffee or tea all day long. You can also store and prepare food in the shared kitchen. The staff was very nice and helpful. There where nice people of all ages staying there when I stayed. The area is good to walk everywhere.

This is nothing about the hostel itself just a heads up there are many homeless people in this area. Noone ever bothered me personally but if you don’t like that just fyi. It does get noisy, just bring earplugs. But really I have nothing to complain about personally.

My bed was very comfy, wooden frames bunks with sturdy ladders. Bed also had privacy curtain, light and plug socket. Lockers in room were great, could wheel a big suitcase right into it! There was also a fridge in the room! Bathrooms - plenty on each floor, toilet, sink and shower all together. Luggage storage and kitchen good. Breakfast was fine - bread, toaster waffles, various spreads, fruit (tinned mix), boiled eggs, tea, coffee (no milk though).

Amazing location for easy access to the city, good security measures, ample storage in a double-bed room with shared bathroom, rooms and bathrooms were very clean, great benefits for staying with them like breakfasts, dinners and drinks. Overall, a very comfortable, inexpensive, and friendly experience.

Room temp control is inconvenient at times, between a boiler water space heater and a fan on a window sill, it's an art more than a science. Pandora Ave is currently experiencing many challenges, NOT the inn's fault at all, but the area can be sort of sketchy at night (the inn is secured and feels safe).

This place was a surprise. It is very central and close to everything. A few attractions are a short bus ride away. The staff here are cool level headed pros. Lana, the manager, Lexi, Bree, E, Nazeem, Mikayla, Mark, Lee and Ryan(Lana sons and summer intern) were great. They serve a breakfast of a fruit, cheese, protein, veggie and toast or waffles with condiments. Coffee, tea and juice are available. That also provide a simple evening meal of a soup or chowder with rice. Quite delicious and saves money eating out. Plus in the evening you get one free drink of wine, beer or soda.

Not a thing.

The hostel was clean, well maintained and the beach inspired vista that you’re greeted with, is very fitting for Victoria! For the price I paid to stay, the value for money was great. They offer multiple breakfast options every morning, as well as two options for dinner, which are often soups or vegetarian curries or lentils. The bar serving a free evening drink was a great addition - you see very few hostels do this! Loved the Thursday Trivia night hosted by James, at the bar - he made us feel really welcome! The staff were really down to earth and accommodating, they helped me arrange a whale spotting tour, with no fuss. They offer multiple breakfast options every morning, as well as two options for dinner, which are often soups or vegetarian curries or lentils.

While it’s great that vegetarian meals make meals accessible to everyone, it would have been good to see a meat option for dinner.

The go to place to stay for me if Im Backpacking in Victoria. 1. Helpful & Friendly Staff 2. Free breakfast, 1 Free Drink, Free Dinner included 3. Clean rooms, with lockers, Lockers are also provided in case of early arivals but later check in. So I dont need to carry my stuff until check in time. 4. Laundry is there 5. If renting a car you get percentages off with the carrental if you stayed in that hostel. 6. 5 spacious bathrooms available per floor. I always found one that wasn't occupied.

The only downside in that hostel are the room keys. They required my patience. Usually somebody from inside opened the door for me cos i didnt manage it to open the door with the keys.

Superb value for money: The hostel offers an excellent budget-friendly option. There is nothing else in downtown Victoria that comes close to the value of Ocean Island Inn. Convenient location: The hostel is easily accessible. Douglas Street is less than a 3 minute walk, with buses going to the Parliament, UVic, and Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. Complimentary meals: Enjoying free breakfast and dinner is a fantastic perk. Cleanliness: The beds and single-person toilets are well-maintained. Safety: Each bed pod is tidy, equipped with a reading light and outlets for charging devices. There are also personal lockers in each room and locks can be rented at the front desk for $10. Privacy: Lower bunks come with a curtain for added privacy.

Outdated decor: The space is slightly dated. Lack of elevator: The absence of an elevator means guests must use the stairs, which can be inconvenient.

A private room upgrade was available, which was great, and the price was very reasonable. The pasta and lentil soup at dinner were great, especially for a vegan! Breakfast was good, but I would have loved hot oatmeal to put the blueberries in. The natural peanut butter was great, but would have benefited from a little stirring. The bed was comfy enough, and there was always an open bathroom nearby, and the showers worked great.

My only complaint was that because of the permanently mounted fan I couldn't close the window all the way and block out the street noise.