Viva Blue Resort Soma Bay (Adults Only 12+)

I would have given BBR 5 stars except for a few hiccups. Let me get the hiccups out of the way: a fire alarm for the entire resort went off around 1:00 a.m. on a Friday night. We all had to exit our rooms and wait in parking lot. Until around 1:45 p.m. The incident was caused by spontaneous combustion of cleaning rags in the kitchen area. The second hiccup was the air conditioning system did not function properly one evening following a very warm day. Made for a sleepless night. Otherwise, the resort was spectacular. The key: beautiful location, very friendly staff and great food and drinks! The pool area was very nice and got very crowded one day (we stayed four days). We are already making plans to return at the same time next year!

I was pleasantly surprised with a number of things. First and foremost, the rooms have nice views! The location is good for exploring, as you have a bus stop steps away from the hotel, which will take you downtown Victoria, Butchart Gardens and other attractions along the way. The Gardens are even a 30 minute walk away, though you will need to be able to walk hilly roads. By the end of the stay I figured out the path of least resistance to get up to West Saanich Road, which is also where you can catch other bus routes. This street is about one kilometre straight up Verdier if you choose to do the hill. Along W. Saanich you'll find some plazas with cafes, groceries, liquor etc. The rooms were nicely appointed. My only complaint is the HVAC system is really loud. We had a warm spell that week, and you needed the AC. I did find if i put on on very cold while I was out, I could turn it off while sleeping and not be too uncomfortable. While I could have opened a window, I was unsure of the evening bug situation and didn't want something flying in. You do have shampoo and bodywash in the bath. You also have a Nespresso machine and a small fridge to store your personal waters etc. My other issue was the pool area. For some reason I assumed it was for spa guests to use before and after treatments, however, over the weekend it was really busy and rowdy! I would have liked to wander down, but all the lounge chairs were taken by towels, but no one sat on them. It would have been good if one of the staff would make a round every 30 minutes and pick up towels so someone else could lay down. The restaurants are quite good. You have a more quiet dining experience at the Arbutus Room and more spirited dining at the Lodge, where many locals come and eat. Once I was warned jokingly, not to take a table by a local coming in. You need reservations at the Lodge as it's pretty busy through lunch and evening. Perhaps, if you were a hotel guest and couldn't get a seat, it would be nice to have a complimentary dessert offered to you, if you chose to take room service instead.

We stayed two nights for our 45th anniversary and the resort, staff, and views exceeded our expectations! The rooms were luxurious with spa-like amenities, a fireplace, and balcony overlooking the harbor. The staff were so helpful in arranging our trip to the Butchart Gardens. They offer a boat ride that leisurely goes around the harbor to the bay entrance to the gardens. Highly recommend the boat ride! The pub was a plus - good food and great views.

As third time visitors to this amazing place, we continue to be impressed. Every interaction with staff is amazing...maintenance, housekeeping, front desk, bartenders and wait staff are personable and genuinely s3m to love their jobs. It's a peaceful sanctuary where we love to just relax in the pool and hot tub and then return to the room and enjoy the view over the water while sitting by the fire. Cant wait to come back again. Great food at the pub! Special shoutout to Lee the bartender in the dining room!

We stayed at the Brentwood Bay Resort for 3 nights in February in two Ocean King rooms. The incredible ocean, mountain and marina views from the floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall windows are clearly the star here. You can enjoy the views throughout the room, including the bathroom, thanks to wooden shutters between the soaker tub in the bathroom, and the bedroom, which open and close. The rooms are well equipped, with cozy robes, indoor/outdoor slippers, ironing board/iron, large drawers for storage, and Nespresso machine. There is a separate shower stall with nice local products. There is plenty of complimentary parking in the lot behind the resort. The only fault we found with the room is that the HVAC system is excessively and constantly noisy. We turned it off - we found we didn’t need it at all as the electric fireplace was sufficient to heat the room. In the summer I’d imagine that the ocean breeze through the windows would keep you cool. The rooms could also use more sound-proofing. Despite these minor issues, we found the resort to be excellent value, for such beautiful views. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would happily stay here again on our next trip to the area.

Our experience at the resort in early September was nothing short of amazing. We highly recommend staying there. We’ve been regular guests since 2006 and have always had great experiences. The fact that we keep returning speaks for itself. The view from the rooms overlooks Mill Bay. Sitting on the deck looking out over the marina is a wonderful experience. The rooms are luxurious, quiet, and spotless. The food at the pub and restaurant is and always has been delicious. It’s also close to Butchart Gardens, one of our favorites. On arrival, there was a mechanical problem in our room (not the fault of the resort). They handled the issue swiftly and courteously. A big shout out to Jodie who was at the front desk when we arrived and the manager, Tracy. Thanks for taking such good care of us. We look forward to returning.