Best Western Dorchester Hotel

2.5 star property

Photo gallery for Best Western Dorchester Hotel

3 restaurants, breakfast served
Exterior
Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Refrigerator, Harbour View | View from room
Suite, 1 King Bed, Refrigerator, Harbour View (with Sofabed) | Room amenity
Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking (Living Room) | Room amenity

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Breakfast available
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Gym

Explore the area

View map
70 Church St, Nanaimo, BC, V9R5H4
  • Old City Quarter
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Departure Bay Ferry Terminal
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Duke Point Ferry Terminal
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Nanaimo, BC (YCD)
    ‪17 min drive‬

Room options

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(20 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
(15 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Refrigerator, Harbour View

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(15 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Family Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Refrigerator (with Sofabed)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)
  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds

Suite, 1 King Bed, Refrigerator, Harbour View (with Sofabed)

  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed

Executive Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator (with Sofabed)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed

Junior Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Refrigerator (with Sofabed)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(3 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Refrigerator, Harbour View

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(5 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Similar properties

About the area

Nanaimo

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 hotel is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Bastion and 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Maffeo Sutton Park.

What's nearby

  • Nanaimo Museum - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Old City Quarter - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Vancouver Island University - 4 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Departure Bay Ferry Terminal - 5 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Duke Point Ferry Terminal - 18 min drive - 18.4 km

Getting around

  • Nanaimo, BC (YCD) - 13 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪White Sails Brewing - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Red’s Bakery - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Subway - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Flamez - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Troller's Fish & Chips - ‬3 min walk

About this property

Best Western Dorchester Hotel

Hotel in Nanaimo 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. Quench your thirst with your favorite 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.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free 24-hour offsite parking within 30 metres
  • Street parking available
  • Free uncovered self parking on site
  • Limited on-site parking

Food and drink

  • Daily cooked-to-order breakfast available 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee: CAD 10 to 22 for adults and CAD 10 to 22 for children
  • 3 restaurants
  • A bar/lounge
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

  • Embers Wine & Charcuterie
  • The View Oceanside Grill
  • Top Notch Burgers

Things to do

  • Designer stores
  • Gym
  • Shopping
  • Wine tours

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Mini-fridge

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Hair salon
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)

Business services

  • 5 meeting rooms
  • Business centre
  • Conference centre (5,000 square foot of space)

Accessibility

  • If you have 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

  • Ballroom
  • Banquet hall
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with premium channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Mini-fridge

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Free local calls
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop 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 at the property

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
Welcoming dogs and cats only
2 total (up to 35 lbs per pet)
Pets cannot be left unattended
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.
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector
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

Reviews

Best Western Dorchester Hotel Reviews

8.2

Very good

8.6/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 436 out of 1016 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 340 out of 1016 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 139 out of 1016 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 65 out of 1016 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 36 out of 1016 reviews

Reviews

6/10 Okay

JIAYAN

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

S

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Glyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Construction on road around area.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Benedict

Travelled with family, Travelled with pets
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice to have a patio on the third floor
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Steve, Mercer Island

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent front desk staff
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bhavya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Was a good stay
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cathy

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location! Pleasant staff! Great food!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lonny

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were very accommodating and quick to help, whether at the front desk or via text. They checked in via text to see how my stay was going and was able to have towels and coffee supplies replenished through text which was super convenient while being busy at a conference. Rooms are nice, price was much more reasonable than some of the other hotels nearby, the 3rd floor patio is a lovely amenity as well. Super close to all the downtown attractions and ocean boardwalk. Stayed here multiple times and would stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Melissa, Grimsby

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
Terrible experience overall. We booked a family suite, but the floors were dirty upon arrival. I’ve included a picture of a towel I used to wipe up some water in the living room. Despite asking twice for someone to come clean, no one ever showed up. There was also mold in the bathroom. We received a parking ticket while parked in the hotel lot (which is shared with public parking); it seems to be common practice for the hotel to handle these tickets after they're issued. The design of the hotel was also inconvenient — stairs between the elevator and the room made it impossible to use a luggage cart. In addition, a large gap under the door allowed all the hallway noise to come through. The only positive was the hotel’s close proximity to our whale watching tour.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Bonnie

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jaime

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

JoAnne

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
We will stay here again! Great views from a great room .
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Baijun, Maple Ridge

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location right in downtown core area. Nice staff and free parking
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey

Excellent accommodations.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Karen

Room was perfect for us. Comfortable beds and pillows, everything clean, nice view.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marcina

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was good and comfortable there
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Walter

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

John Richard

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Natan

Liked: Cleanliness
Air conditioner not working. Very uncomfortable sleep
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
located near the waterfront and walking distance for many interesting activities - close to ferries. Older building but beautifully updated.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Kim

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities
Beautiful view from the suite but no door on the bedroom and the only bathroom in the bedroom
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Dan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice location , can walk to a lot of restaurants
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Katrina

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Tired hotel with definite odours. Rooms need updating. Very, very slow to flip rooms (despite low turn-over)
Stayed 1 night in May 2025