Featured in Seattle Magazine's 18 Romantic Fall Getaways
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Fairholme Manor
Victoria, B.C.
638 Rockland Place; 877.511.3322; fairholmemanor.com
$110-$275 CDN. Travel time by car and ferry: 4 to 5 hours, via Washington State Ferries
(wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) from Anacortes or BC Ferries
(bcferries.com) from Tsawwassen, B.C.; 1 hour by air via Kenmore Air (kenmoreair.com).
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What could be more romantic than flying or ferrying to a foreign country for a weekend getaway? Lucky for us, we can capture that romance easily, heading northwest to Victoria, where the plush and private Fairholme Manor awaits.
This elegant six-room Italianate mansion is nestled in Victoria’s Rockland area, home to stately mansions and well-groomed lawns and gardens. It’s a 20-minute leisurely walk or a quick drive from Victoria’s Inner Harbour area. Choose to stay in the Olympic Grand or Fairholme Grand suites, both with wood-burning fireplaces and king-size beds. In the Olympic also enjoy a private sunroom and deck; the Fairholme’s spacious spa room includes a double Jacuzzi and palm trees. If your getaway is about indulgence, spring for the romance package, with its in-room massages, long-stem roses, champagne and truffles.
Victoria is known for its sunny and warm climate – even in the fall – so take time to explore the grounds; among the large rhododendron hedges and colourful roses, you’ll find private nooks with benches. Or stroll over to the nearby 1890s Craigdarroch Castle (1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria; 250.592.5323; craigdarrochcastle.com), a towering Victorian mansion that is open to the public, or the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1040 Moss St., Victoria; 250.384.4101; aggv.bc.ca), with its impressive Asian collection and garden (home to the only authentic Japanese Shinto shrine in North America).
In the early evening, stroll down Fort Street to Café Brio (944 Fort St., Victoria; 250.383.0009; café-brio.com) and dine on West Coast cuisine (and B.C. wines) in the deep-hued candlelit room. The baked toffee pudding makes for a satisfying ending before you head back to sink into your elegant suite. SUE FRAUSE.
