Reviews of Best Western Dorchester Hotel 3 stars
70 Church St., V9R 5H4 Nanaimo, Canada
#6 of 19 hotels in Nanaimo
Guests' ChoiceReview score
Based on 763 hotel reviews
8.2Score breakdown
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Cleanliness
8.6
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Comfort
8.7
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Location
9.1
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Facilities
8.2
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Staff
8.9
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Value for money
8.2
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Free WiFi
8.6
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Reviewed: 2 September 2025
Wei
Canada3 reviews1 helpful vote8.0“A comfortable and good place to stay.”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Family Suite with Two Queen Beds and One Sofa Bed - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Certain areas were old and needed refreshing.
Great location and great staff. Overall, good value for the money.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 31 August 2025
Sally
Australia1 review8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • King Room with Harbor View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Very well positioned hotel for the start to our Vancouver Island holiday. Excellent staff and would absolutely stay again next time we visit the island.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 28 August 2025
Brian
Canada4 reviews8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The parking was bad, and there was a smell in the the hotel lobby and hallways
The view from the room. It was a view of the water.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 27 August 2025
Gwen
Ireland5 reviews9.0“Great service, comfort and excellent location.”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveller
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Great location. I could see the waterfront from my bedroom window. The room was great, comfortable furniture, large clean bathroom. I ate at the bar and enjoyed a lovely meal. Staff were friendly and helpful. I found a space in the car park which was handy.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 24 August 2025
Tint
Canada7 reviews8.0“Good stqy”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Parking....after a long drive parking was a pain. The room had a strong chemical scent in it. I am not sure if they had a BB problem in it and tried to mask it. I just wish they left the windows open for a day
Location was great, close to bars and restaurants. Front desk amazing via phone and in person!
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 24 August 2025
Nellie
Canada20 reviews9.0“Nice place, we came back another night.”- • Business trip
- • Couple
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The junior suite was a spacious room, clean facilities and lovely restaurant with great breakfasts and a good happy hour.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 24 August 2025
Nellie
Canada20 reviews9.0“Nice hotel, very clean.”- • Business trip
- • Couple
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Our bed in 404 was sagging slightly on the right side closest to the bathroom. I kept rolling toward the outside edge of the bed. It wasn’t visually obvious. Seemed to have lost some support on that side of the bed.
Nice spacious room. Nice staff. Nice restaurant. Excellent breakfast, great happy hour.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 19 August 2025
Chee
Canada25 reviews8.0“Good”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Queen Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The air conditioner, too loud
Good location
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 19 August 2025
Xiao
Canada2 reviews8.0“Thank you for the wonderful staff there. We had a good and pleasant time at the hotel.”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Towels were getting old. The air conditioner filter was dusty.
A lovely hotel with harbour view room. Walking distance to harbour front, museums, art gallery, library, restaurants and coffee shops. Great restaurants with good food.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 17 August 2025
Hazel
Canada34 reviews7 helpful votes9.0Superb- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
The bathroom could use some updating.
The beach view is beautiful, and the beds are very comfortable. Having restaurants right in the hotel was super convenient, even though they were a bit on the pricey side.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 17 August 2025
Carolyn
Canada8 reviews1 helpful vote8.0“Good”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • King Room with Harbor View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Bottled water in room would have been nice
Location was excellent and breakfast was really good
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 16 August 2025
Courtney
Canada26 reviews1 helpful vote8.0“Good hotel”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • King Room with Harbor View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
The room had a musty smell and there was some smudges on the walls. Also the AC would turn off throughout the night and it was quite hot.
The location was nice with a variety of food options nearby. Beds were comfy too.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 15 August 2025
Joanne
Australia44 reviews3 helpful votes7.0“Good location & comfortable but note late check in of 4pm”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Check in was 4pm which we felt is too late when you only have 1 day in the town - we asked if we could check in earlier but it didn’t happen - when we asked if we could stay another 1/2 hour after check out (because we were trying to phone Air Canada about our cancelled flight) they said no - we were not impressed with the lack of flexibility
Good location - comfortable
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 8 August 2025
Erin
Canada7 reviews8.0“Good location downtown, friendly front desk staff!”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
n/a
Proximity to water!
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 4 August 2025
Viktoria
Canada25 reviews4 helpful votes9.0“Great long weekend getaway”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Wonderful staff and great location
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 2 August 2025
Julie
Canada10 reviews2 helpful votes9.0“Where i want to be when i am in Nanaimo. Will be back. Excellent business attitude”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds and Harbor View
- • Stayed 2 nights
Nothing!
Lovely view of all the harbour action, first morning light, blackout blinds that still let the fresh air in when they are closed and windows are open. Excellent air conditioning. Huge TV. Clean new bathroom. Decent restaurant off of Lobby - good basic breakfast is $15. 1 block from Mélange, one of the city’s best dining and cocktail experiences. And 3 blocks from Gabrielle’s Cafe, the best breakfast i have had in ages. 5 minute walk to the Newcastle Island water taxi, and the Gabriola ferry. Truly lovely and accommodating staff. Good free parking.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 2 August 2025
Karen
Canada26 reviews2 helpful votes7.0Good- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • King Suite with Sofa Bed and Harbor View - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
The King Suite was not ready for check-in at 4:00pm, as per the guaranteed check-in time. Instead I had to wait with my family, including a toddler, in the lobby for an additional 20 minutes.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 25 July 2025
Joe
Canada29 reviews7.0Good- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Queen Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Parking was a problem. No parking on site. Sent me a ways away, with terrible instructions. There were 3 pay parking places beside each other. No mention I was to go to a pay parking, or which one it was. After 3 phone calls, figured out which one it was, and that I did not need to pay in spite of the signs. Walked back to the hotel.
Quiet and clean. Lots of restaurants in the area.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 25 July 2025
Ian
Canada28 reviews1 helpful vote7.0“Comfortable Room, Parking Access unaceptable and House keeping policy needs to change for price paid”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • King Room with Harbor View
- • Stayed 3 nights
Poor house keeping policy, have to call for room a day before to have cleaned. Would not even gather garbage 3 days without an appointment booked to do it. Parking Horible, 2 small lots never sure of a place to park. Price of Hotel parking should be guarenty and housekeeping services.
Bed very comfy. Tv and streaming good. Location Only for Harbor.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 24 July 2025
Julia
Canada12 reviews2 helpful votes8.0“Nice old vintage hotel in a great location for a decent price.”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
The bath is in need of a deep clean, moldy tile grout was a bit off putting.
Nice view of the harbour, large and cozy room with windows that open. Great restaurant and coffee shop a few steps down the street.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 17 July 2025
Tanya
United Kingdom6 reviews8.0“Great hotel close to ferry departure”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Family Suite with Two Queen Beds and One Sofa Bed - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Close to Ferry Departure
Easy check in with parking. Friendly stuff, clean room.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 14 July 2025
Dave
Canada33 reviews7.0Good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Queen Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- Parking is a challenge as the lot is very small - room is very small for 2 people traveling with 1 suitcase and a couple backpacks - we could hear a lot of external noise
Location is very good, close to the ocean
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 9 July 2025
Chris
United States50 reviews5 helpful votes8.0“Good stay in the heart of Nanaimo”- • Leisure trip
- • People with friends
- • Junior Queen Suite with Sofa Bed
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Parking location and access to hotel. Breakfast in hotel restaurant not great
Location is excellent. Nice views from view rooms.
Stayed in June 2025
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Reviewed: 8 July 2025
Christine
Canada6 reviews8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Double Room with Two Double Beds
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Loud construction in the morning
Location is great (across the harbour), gym, and clean rooms
Stayed in July 2025
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