FOR ALL ITS seclusion, this property provides a great condensed tour of Victoria’s cultural influences. Built in the ’70s and bought in 1980 by the owners of the city’s kitschy cornerstone, Paul’s Motor Inn, Laurel Point is now run by a posthumous trust that’s been refurbishing the building and rooms with opulence in mind since late 2006. The hotel’s two wings are distinct: a sleek, airy, cruise ship-inspired expansion designed by Arthur Erickson (completed in 1990), and the original building—a chunky, compact ode to the era it came from. The well-travelled former owners’ art collection peppers the hotel’s clean décor, comprising Asian shrines, vases, regalia, dolls and figures, contrasted by totems and masks by iconic aboriginal artist Henry Hunt.

Built on a knuckle of land once used for First Nations’ potlatch ceremonies, the hotel is hugged by water on three sides. Victoria’s harbour is presented in captivating detail, from outer (the ramshackle Fishermans’ wharf) to inner (regal parliament buildings and downtown’s historic canopies), to condos crowding the opposite shoreline and a procession of ferries, floatplanes, kayakers and gulls in between. Soak it all up from the benches, gazebo or lawn that spill out from a saltwater infinity pool off the hotel’s back patio, kept private by a meticulous Japanese garden.

Guest rooms are stately and simple, relying on earth tones, circle motifs and pampering in spades (free high-speed internet, posh toiletries, upscale electronics). Perhaps the most intriguing part of the Inn is its dining room, Aura (aurarestaurant.ca), opened in the summer of 2008. Executive chef Brad Horen and a solid service staff have fanatically embraced Vancouver Island’s cornucopia to create a rich, inventive and palate-roaming menu, trumped by a 58-seat waterfront patio and a funky little lounge that hosts live local music on Sundays.

laurelpoint.com