Hugh and Janice Finlayson have a long history with the Oak Bay Beach Hotel so, when the Vancouverites decided to buy a pied-a-terre in Victoria, it was a no-brainer where they would want it to be.
Plenty of condominiums in the downtown core beckoned, but the couple decided their weekend getaway should be in a less urban setting, especially as their Vancouver home is located near the hurly-burly of Granville Island.
“I lived here for a year and a half in the mid 1980s and always liked Victoria,” said Hugh, who often stayed at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel when he returned here on business. “So when I met Janice, we continued that tradition and got married here, too.
“We have a long attachment here and love the location. It’s almost a sanctuary — and when the hotel announced it was going to redevelop and have condos, we were immediately interested.”
He and Janice, both high-level human resources professionals from Saskatchewan, enjoy the environment and jog almost every morning along the waterfront. “Being on the water is so serene, yet we are close to a great community, so it feels homey,” said Janice.
They were the first to buy into the project, in 2007, and were able to make some major changes to their unit. “It was almost a journey of co-creation,” said Hugh.
Although the hotel had a designer who created the overall vision, the Finlaysons hired Andrew Barker, from Vancouver, to be their personal designer and do additional customization. His ideas included vaulting the ceiling, adding beams in the living room, contemporary cabinetry and counters in the kitchen and bathrooms, changing all the light fixtures, adding millwork in the library and master bedroom, creating a new fireplace surround and commissioning a custom live-edge dining table, that he designed.
“The living-room ceiling was not vaulted in the original plans. It was flat and we asked if we could open it up, as we were on the top floor of this part of the building,” said Hugh.
“We wanted a unique West Coast feel but also something that paid tribute to the historic nature of an old English manor. So the beams are in keeping with the history of the building while the table is very contemporary West Coast. It came from a tulip wood tree that fell down in Kitsilano. My uncle, since [deceased], was a tremendous craftsman, so this table is our homage to Jim, too.”
“Andrew really helped us mix and match, and gave us those unique features we wanted, such as the library.” (See the video tour online at timescolonist.com).
Both the owners are big readers, and one of Hugh’s Scottish ancestors had a degree in classics and collected many rare books. Hugh has added to the library and also collects fine antique maps. “Andrew designed a library and the craftsmen at Swiftsure did a tremendous job.”
An unusual feature in their library is the foldaway bed. The owners originally thought of a typical wall bed, but learned of an Italian pivot design that is used in high-end European and New York apartments. The Italian LGM wall bed is made by Clei and the design allows it to rotate out from the wall. It also incorporates a flip-out desk. The mechanism and mattress were imported, but the woodwork was done by Swiftsure. (See online video).
All the hotel’s residences come with designer kitchens and bathrooms in colour schemes of either mocha (darker) or chai (lighter), but this couple wanted a personalized look. They choose Caesarstone (crushed quartz) countertops like the ones they have at home in Vancouver because, “I daresay my wife is a little careless, and this surface is indestructible,” joked Hugh.
Janice, who has long been checking out magazines and various home shows, to stay abreast of new products and trends, discovered the horizontally patterned cabinets. “I thought they would add an interesting flavour.”
They finished their home with an eclectic mix of artworks, including a sentimental piece that used to hang on the hotel’s second-floor landing. They bought it when the old hotel was being demolished, and many pieces were being auctioned off. “We use to laugh every time we saw it, because one of the cows looked like it was floating and smiling at us,” Janice explained.
It was a great project to work on and an interesting space, said Barker, who was intrigued when the owners said they wanted a contemporary take on a traditional British manor.
“Janice likes clean lines, not a lot of clutter, and Hugh responds to a more traditional look, so we had an interesting tension. We created a very contemporary kitchen and bathrooms and a more traditional bedroom and library. The living room has both aspects: a Tudoresque ceiling and West Coast modern dining table.”
Barker removed a door in the hall to allow laundry access from the second bathroom instead, and allow more wall space for a mini gallery and also tweaked the bathroom. “I used more contemporary cabinets and floated them, so there was space underneath to add strip lighting for a soft glow. We didn’t lose space because we now build drawers in a U-shape to fit around a sink trap.” he said.
Because the 1,180-square-foot, corner unit is used as a vacation home, it has a less formal look. “The owners don’t require as much clothes storage, and don’t plan to do a lot of entertaining here. It’s a place to kick back, relax, read books.”
The library is a tiny room he packed with functionality.
“Everyone was quite amazed at what we got in, and a rolling library ladder was added to elevate the whole room.”
Janice said they feel blessed to live in this part of the world. “We have friends with places in Palm Desert, but I'm not so sure about that. We feel we are part of a community here, and after all the cities we’ve visited, this is truly spectacular.”
The hotel aspect, with all its amenities, is an added bonus after a long day of meetings. They include a concierge, spa, fitness centre with mineral pools and steam room, maid and butler service.
The hotel also has a dinner theatre for live performances and movies, a restaurant, pub and rooftop viewing area with summer food and beverage service, called the Widow’s Walk.
“The old hotel always had long-term guests,” said Brad Neufeld, director of real estate and club sales. “So we thought, let’s formalize that and create the opportunity for an exclusive lifestyle within a five-star hotel setting.
“We even have a chef who can come up and cook for the owners, present a meal and clean everything away.”
All units have high-end appliances, such as Wolf Stoves and Subzero fridges, as well as solid wood floors and granite countertops. Three floors of underground parking provide owners with individual, oversized garages, for complete security and extra storage, and monthly strata fees are about 50 cents a square foot.
Residences vary in size from 900 to 2,300 square feet, and range in price from $895,000 to $4 million. Seven of the 20 residences are sold.
The hotel also has managed residences — full-title suites that produce year-round rental income, and can be used by owners for up to four months per year. “Operating costs are paid by the hotel and it’s a great way to own a getaway property to enjoy on your own terms,” said Neufeld.