The Blue Ridge Inn was just another one of the many ubiquitous motels along Douglas Street. But in its new incarnation as the hip, happening Hotel Zed, it’s something else indeed. Think the vibrant, youthful style of the mid-20th-century Palm Springs. The whole place has been brightened up with eye-catchingly bold lines and bright colors—even the guest rooms are decked out in hues of tangerine and plum or turquoise and lime. A retro-casual restaurant and bar is scheduled to open in fall 2014, and the hotel also features a games room where guests can play Ping-Pong or Monopoly and an indoor swimming pool with a sun-drenched outdoor deck. The hotel is about a 40-minute walk from downtown, but does offer a retro VW shuttle bus for guests, and city buses stop frequently just outside. Plus the sprawling Mayfair Shopping Mall is right across the street. It’s not only the coolest-looking hotel in Victoria, it’s kid-friendly, bike-friendly, pet-friendly, and, best of all, budget-friendly.