With a stay at Best Western Dorchester Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Nanaimo, a 5-minute drive from Departure Bay Ferry Terminal and 15 minutes from Duke Point Ferry Terminal. .This eco-certified hotel is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Bastion and 0.3 mi (0.4 km) from Nanaimo Museum.
What's nearby
Nanaimo Museum - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
Old City Quarter - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
Vancouver Island University - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
Departure Bay Ferry Terminal - 5 min drive - 3.2 km
Duke Point Ferry Terminal - 15 min drive - 15.5 km
Getting around
Nanaimo, BC (YCD) - 13 min drive
Restaurants
Tim Hortons - 9 min walk
White Sails Brewing - 5 min walk
Javawocky - 3 min walk
The Vault Cafe - 6 min walk
Lighthouse Bar and Restaurant - 3 min walk
About this property
Best Western Dorchester Hotel
Eco-certified hotel with 3 restaurants and a fitness center
Best Western Dorchester Hotel offers 71 accommodations with safes and coffee/tea makers. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Beds feature premium bedding. Flat-screen televisions are featured in guestrooms. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations and hair dryers.
Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and desk chairs, as well as phones; free local calls are provided (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Stay in one of 71 guestrooms featuring flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have shower/tub combinations and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and desks, as well as phones with free local calls.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a fitness center, or other amenities including complimentary wireless internet access and a hair salon. Additional amenities at this hotel include shopping on site, a ballroom, and a vending machine.
Satisfy your appetite at Top Notch Burgers, one of the hotel's 3 restaurants. Wrap up your day with a drink at the bar/lounge. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include a business center, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Planning an event in Nanaimo? This hotel has 5000 square feet (465 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center and 5 meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite.
Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
Top Notch Burgers - This restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
The View Oceanside Grill - Overlooking the ocean, this restaurant serves dinner only. Reservations are required. Open daily.
Embers Wine & Charcuterie - Onsite fine-dining restaurant. Open daily.
Awards and affiliations
Eco-Certified Property
This property participates in Green Key Global, a program that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural-heritage, the local economy.
Languages
English
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and public transport
Free uncovered self-parking on site
Limited on-site parking
Free 24 hours off-site parking within 98 ft
Street parking available
Food and drink
Cooked-to-order breakfast available for a fee daily 8:00 AM–11:00 AM: CAD 10-22 for adults and CAD 10-22 for children
3 restaurants
1 bar
Coffee/tea in a common area
Restaurants on site
Top Notch Burgers
The View Oceanside Grill
Embers Wine & Charcuterie
Things to do
Designer shops
Fitness centre
Public winery tours
Shopping
Family friendly
Laundry facilities
Mini-fridge
Conveniences
Ballroom
Banquet hall
Lift
Free newspapers in reception
Front-desk safe
Vending machine
Guest services
24-hour front desk
Daily housekeeping
Dry-cleaning service
Hair salon
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Business services
Business centre
Conference centre (5000 square feet of space)
Meeting rooms - 5
Accessibility
If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Lift
Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
More
Smoke-free property
Room amenities
Bedroom
Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
Bed sheets
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Hairdryer
Private bathroom
Shower/bath combination
Towels
Entertainment
Flat-screen TV
Premium channels
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Mini fridge
More
Desk
Desk chair
Free local calls
Iron/ironing board
Laptop-friendly workspace
Phone
Safe
Separate sitting area
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in is available for a fee
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 19
Check-out
Check-out before 11 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets allowed for an extra charge of CAD 30 per pet, per night
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
2 total pets
Specific rooms only, restrictions apply; pet-friendly rooms can be requested by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Food and water bowls are available
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
2 children, up to the age of 12 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: approximately CAD 10 to 22 for adults, and CAD 10 to 22 for children
Pet fee: CAD 30 per pet, per night
Service animals are exempt from fees
Early check-in is available for a fee (subject to availability)
Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
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 credit cards; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
This property affirms that it follows the cleaning and disinfection practices of We Care Clean (Best Western)
Property is also known as
Best Western Dorchester
Best Western Dorchester Hotel
Best Western Hotel Dorchester
Best Western Plus Dorchester
Best Western Plus Dorchester Hotel
Best Western Plus Dorchester Hotel Nanaimo
Best Western Plus Dorchester Nanaimo
Dorchester Best Western
Best Western Dorchester Hotel Nanaimo
Best Western Dorchester Nanaimo
Best Western Nanaimo
Nanaimo Best Western
Best Dorchester Hotel Nanaimo
Best Western Dorchester Hotel Hotel
Best Western Dorchester Hotel Nanaimo
Best Western Dorchester Hotel Hotel Nanaimo
Best Western Dorchester Hotel Reviews
Reviews
8.0
Very good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
This is perhaps the best hotel experience I have ever had with Best Western. Every single member of the staff was a pleasure to talk with, and they are always offering to see if there is anything else that they can do to make our stay more enjoyable. Two restaurants on site and walking distance to lots of little shops and smaller restaurants. Rooms are of a good size and have spectacular harbor views! Little shops across the street around the harbor as well for Gelato. I sincerely hope that I get the opportunity to visit this property again! Special shout out to Snigdha who is a spectacular person!!!
James
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
6/10 Okay
Heather
Travelled with family
19 Aug 2024
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Room was fine. Plugs didn’t work. Restaurant average.
We had a partial view of the water. Room was well kept and comfortable.
Gloria
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
8/10 Good
Bruce
Travelled with family
18 Aug 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Neighbourhood while artsy seemed a little unsafe. Lots of biker types in the evening and homeless folks in the area. On the upside it’s close to the seawall and playground.
The Dorchester is a very nice Hotel. The staff were very good helpful and courteous to us. When we arrived there was a night market going on at the end of the street the hotel is on and the staff found us on street parking that was right across the street from the front doors. The room was super clean and the bed very comfy There are a few areas like in the bathroom that could use an update and the shower had almost no pressure at all We just wish we could have spent more time there as it was probably the nicest hotel of our trip
Perfect location across the street from Nanaimo harbour. Our room had view of harbour also. Parking was limited 2 small parking lots then street parking. Or park in parade down the street. Only thing we would complain about would be parking situation. Burger restaurant in lobby was delicious!
Donna
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
6/10 Okay
Emma
12 Aug 2024
It was cramped and weird. Not up to the standard of normal best westerns.
Emma
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
10/10 Excellent
Mary
Travelled with partner
12 Aug 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Hotel was wonderful and service was terrific. However, the onsite restaurant had a very, very limited menu and the food was constantly overcooked and flavourless.
great waterfront location yet not in a busy area suoerb service by staff starting with an email prior to arrival and a text message after we were in our room.to check up on us. enjoyed our stay and will.definitely return
David
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
6/10 Okay
Stephanie
8 Aug 2024
You get what you pay for. The nightly price is affordable and relatively cheap. The hotel is older and probably needs some new paint and remodeling.
The staff is really kind. They do try to accommodate when they can. Our first room was on the third floor and it was incredibly noisy b/c of the family above us with kids running around. They changed our room to the top floor the next day, which was nice of them. I don’t think they changed the sheets, it felt like there were bread crumbs in the sheets. We asked for room service and for the linens to be changed, but they never sent anyone. They were kind enough to give us a credit to make up for it. Also, the air conditioning broke down for two days. Although the staff was as helpful as they could be, I probably wouldn’t stay here again