Rosemead House hotel in Esquimalt completes $25 million maximalist refresh
The property, once the Old English Inn, now features antiques from British hotels and vibrant design after a major renovation.
ESQUIMALT — The Rosemead House hotel in Esquimalt, B.C., has completed a $25 million maximalist refresh, transforming the former Old English Inn with antiques from historic British hotels.
Developer Lenny Moy, who bought the property in 2016, led the project. "We buy pieces, have them shipped here, and then do refurbishment," said Moy, who maintains a nearby warehouse for items purchased at auctions of goods from London's Dorchester and Savoy hotels.
The hotel now features thousands of antiques, including minibars, writing desks and light fixtures, alongside technicolour William Morris wallpaper and claw-foot tubs. Replica Buckingham Palace gates from the set of "The Crown" mark the entry.
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"Purposefully, we wanted colours to pop, we didn’t want anything subtle," Moy said of design elements like plush upholstery in red, pink and blue geometric motifs. Creature comforts include deluxe mattresses from Swedish company Duxiana.
The hotel offers complimentary e-bikes, placing guests near Esquimalt's gourmet destinations. Fry’s Bakery, run by owner Byron Fry, uses historic methods for sourdough and is known for pretzels, sausage rolls and turning into a pizza shop every Sunday.
A five-minute walk away is the Market Garden, a whimsical boutique grocer with imported marzipans, glacé fruit and a non-alcoholic wine cellar. Live piano music accompanies shoppers on weekends.
For lunch, Syriana offers home-cooked Syrian meals. Founder Safaa Naeman, who moved to Esquimalt as a refugee, opened the restaurant in 2023. "This is such a warm, close, friendly community," Naeman said of her decision to put down roots. She plans to open a second location focusing on coffees and desserts near Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion this season.
Driftwood Brewery's patio hosts Dumpling Drop, serving crispy dumplings and steamed baos. The hotel's own restaurant, Janevca, serves wood-fired meats, pizza and Pacific seafood in a dining room with a seasonally changing artificial tree canopy. Pastry chef Brian Bradley offers a trompe l'oeil Peach Melba on plates from the Savoy.
Local coffee spots include the Esquimalt Roasting Company, which roasts beans on Wednesdays, and Hide + Seek coffee next to the Market Garden. Marina Bay Cafe, owned by Maria Tanjaoui, is designed as a space without voices or music to respect visual communication and Deaf culture. Its Turtle Latte, with caramel, hazelnut, chocolate and salt, is a customer favourite.
Nearby attractions include Macaulay Point Park with maritime meadows and abandoned navy barracks, and Esquimalt Gorge Park, home to North America's oldest Japanese garden. The garden, originally built by the Kishida and Takata families, was restored by the township with an ornamental stream, Japanese bridge and torii gate after the families were forced to an internment camp in 1942.
From June to late September, the Gorge Park Pavilion hosts Monday evening markets. Stays at Rosemead House start from $399 per night.
With files from The Globe and Mail