I initially chose Barbara's place because it was a 10 minute walk to UVic - my daughter is a student there - and it is an easy and beautiful walk to campus. The self-contained apartment is beautifully decorated, sparkling clean, quiet, private, and has everything you need for a relaxing and comfortable stay. There's even a small table and chairs at the door which faces the backyard and the city where you can enjoy morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. Just a short walk down the road there is small shopping area with a grocery store, pharmacy, liquor store and some restaurants; Pizza Factory delivers, great pizza. Barbara's place is also on a bus route; the number 14 will take you to UVic and downtown. I did a Victoria City Tour and the bus took us to Mount Tolmie; Barbara's place is a one-minute walk from the base of the mountain. The day after the bus tour I walked up to the top, gorgeous 360 view of the city, I strongly recommend it. Barbara is the ultimate host; thoughtful, professional, informative, pleasant, and very kind. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and I will definitely stay there again.