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Hours |
Mid-May to Aug castle tours daily 10am-4pm (Sat-Sun until 3:15pm), museum and gardens 10am-8pm; Sept-Apr gardens and museum daily 10am-5pm |
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Address |
200 Sooke Rd |
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Location |
Royal Roads University, Colwood |
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Transportation |
From Victoria, take Government St. north for about 2km (1 1/4 miles), turn left onto Gorge Rd. (Hwy. 1A) and follow about 20km (12 miles); turn left onto Sooke Rd. (Hwy. 14A) and look for signs to Royal Roads University or Hatley Park National Historic Site |
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Phone |
250/391-2511 |
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Web site |
www.hatleypark.ca |
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Prices |
1-hr. castle tour and garden access C$17 (US$10/£5) adults, C$16 (US$14/£7) seniors, C$11 (US$9/£5) youth 13-17, C$9 (US$8/£4) children 6-12. Gardens only C$9 (US$8/£4) adults, C$8 (US$7/£3.50) seniors, C$6 (US$5/£2.75) youth 13-17, C$27 (US$23/£12) family (2 adults, 3 children) |
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Frommer's Review
Craigdarroch Castle was built during the 1880s to serve as Scottish coal-mining magnate Robert Dunsmuir's home. In 1908, Dunsmuir's son James, after a bitter inheritance battle with his mother, built his own palatial manse, Hatley Castle, on a 226-hectare (565-acre) waterfront estate about 25 minutes from Victoria. The younger Dunsmuir reportedly commissioned architect Samuel Maclure with the words, "Money doesn't matter, just build what I want." The bill came to more than C$1 million (equivalent to about US$40 million/£21 million today). The impressive castle, built of local stone in a hybrid Norman-Tudor fantasy style, belongs to Royal Roads University but is open to visitors on guided tours from mid-May to Labour Day (the not-very-interesting museum down in the basement is open year-round). As you're shown around the castle, you have to use your imagination, since all the furniture was sold in 1937 (much of it is now in Craigdarroch Castle) and the rooms are either empty or filled with office modules and equipment. The paneling and wood floors are truly remarkable, though. The surrounding estate features several lovely heritage gardens, including the tranquil Japanese Garden, designed almost a century ago by the Japanese architect Isaburo Kishida, who also designed the Japanese Gardens at Butchart Gardens. Allow 1 to 2 hours; I'd recommend that you take the 1-hour tour.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
