When the ownership of a historic building goes bankrupt, the future of that building can be brought into question – if it even has one. Could it become a condo? A restaurant? A hotel? In the case of Esquimalt’s English Inn, the answer is all of the above.
Rosemead House is the new name of the English Inn, which has been transformed into a luxurious hotel, complete with a restaurant and condominiums being added to the property. The Lampson Street site was purchased by Aargon Properties in 2016 and has become a passion project for owner Lenny Moy, who has reimagined the property from the floorboards to the shingles, while keeping most of the original bones and facade intact.
“We have come full circle in the Rosemead concept, being that originally in 1906 this was a private estate lovingly called Rosemead,” said Chantelle Dean, senior sales, marketing and events manager at Rosemead House.
“It was created to be an estate that inspired the vagabonds travelling through this area, and artists in residence. It welcomed all folks who used the space for inspiration.”
As they sought to recreate the inn, the goal was to preserve its sensorial and immersive qualities – or as Dean says, “to incorporate the smells, the taste, the sounds, the feeling of the old world, but with a modern twist.”
That feeling is certainly there. Many of the trees on the property are original, as is the woodwork – although it has been repainted. The furniture and the books are old as well, with much of the furniture brought from the Dorchester and Savoy hotels in England.
“Everything that you see that looks antique is actually antique – with perhaps some new bones,” said Dean, who went the extra mile pointing out a series of 100-year-old books decorating the Crown Library, just up the lobby steps. Many of its furnishings were acquired from the Netflix TV show The Crown – hence the name.
If you can tear your eyes away from the mesmerizing hand-cut tiling of the lobby floor and look up, you may notice an unusual window inside the building. It looks from an upstairs hallway down to the lobby and marks a cherished detail of the English Inn. It was out this window where many couples who wed on the property would look down at their guests to pose for photos.
Even some toilets utilize a pull cord to flush – evoking a time gone by. In the other rooms, toilet seats automatically raise simply by standing near them.
The modern touches are present largely in the lighting, fixtures and art displayed throughout the manor. A more obvious installation is in the hotel restaurant, Janevca, where trees are displayed with faux foliage changed seasonally.
The suites are all unique. “Standard is not a word we use,” said Dean.
Many are adorned with claw-foot tubs – as beautiful as they are functional. In the premier Dynasty Suite, one sits just a few feet from the bed. That suite contrasts with many of the other rooms in the hotel by showcasing antiques collected from Asia, rather than England, like much of the rest of the property.
“I’ve never experienced a place like Rosemead,” said Dean.
“There are some venues you walk into and you’re immediately taken aback. The breath leaves your lungs, you have a moment where you have to calibrate – and not only is that upon arrival, it’s like that around every corner.”
But the Rosemead House manor is just one aspect of the property, which also houses the aforementioned Janevca kitchen and lounge, multifamily upscale condominiums known as Oakwoods, and the Grove – a separate building with additional and slightly more modern hotel rooms. More facilities, such as a gym and spa, are also in the works and will be completed to coincide with the hotel’s official, still-unscheduled, grand opening.
Oakwoods will be move-in ready Sept. 1, designed by the same team behind Rosemead House, who hope to set the space apart from typical condos. The development will feature 179 one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominiums across three six-storey buildings, alongside six three-storey townhomes. The development is inspired by the same Edwardian architecture implemented in the restored English Inn.
While the hotel is not fully open at this time, as they await the completion of some amenities, they are operational. With 14 rooms at the Manor, another 14 at the Grove, and a total budget of $180 million for the entire property, getting a room is set to be an exclusive affair. Dean’s word of advice: get in while you can.
“Get in while it’s accessible and our doors are open with promotions. I don’t anticipate promotions to be part of our vocabulary moving forward.”
In a city like Victoria – already home to some iconic hotels – Dean believes Rosemead offers something new to discover.
“Being off the beaten path, I believe, is a unique draw for this particular property because you have to discover it.”
