Breakfast Room Gingerbread Cottage Bed and Breakfast Victoria BC Canada

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC – Common Areas

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC – Common Areas

The Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada is a 1905 Victorian Arts and Crafts Side by Side converted Duplex design ideally suited to a bed and breakfast operation as it has great zoning and lots of Common Areas for Guests to Enjoy. Rooms are quiet and private.

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC British Columbia Canada
Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC British Columbia Canada

Registered Guests at our Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC are welcome to use several common areas during their stay:


Professional Check In Desk

Grade Level Lobby and check in area at Front Entrance. Vanessa owned a hotel and worked at several others so this area is professional and business like.

Check in Counter at the Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada
Check in Counter at the Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada

Complimentary Hot drink Bar in Reception Area 24/7

There is a Keurig Coffee/tea/hot chocolate/decaf. coffee machine in the Reception are. You can help yourself anytime to a hot drink. China cups as well as paper cups are stocked for your convenience.

You will also find bowls of complimentary candy in all rooms and hallways


Living Room Conversation and Music Area

The guest Living Room with Gas Fireplace is nice for relaxing in the evening, conversation and getting together with other guests.

Our Living room also has a Wurlitzer Piano with recent tuning.

You are welcome to play the Piano.

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada Internet  Nook
Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada shared common living room.

Professional  Dedicated Breakfast Room

Our Dedicated Austrian “Gasthaus” themed Breakfast Room is also available in the morning. It’s like a small Restaurant. Everyone gets  their own table and can be private if they wish or join in the room conversations.

Breakfast Room Gingerbread Cottage Bed and Breakfast Victoria BC Canada
Breakfast Room Gingerbread Cottage Bed and Breakfast Victoria BC Canada

Garden and Patio Terrace

Our back Garden off the Breakfast room has nice private deck with canopy umbrella and is available to guests in the afternoons and early evening.

The kitchen/breakfast/Office area is locked off in the late afternoon, but there is also a small table with chairs in the front garden.

Some of our guests use these space for enjoying a smoke or two. It’s hard to find anywhere to smoke these days.

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada Garden Terrace
Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada Garden Terrace

Our Backyard Garden also has a seating area under the cherry tree.


Peaceful Garden Meditation Area

In case you wish to get in touch with your inner gingerbread we have a quiet place for just relaxing or lighting a candle and contemplation.

We have a lot of European religious art and this little area is a lot like the chapels or roadside prayer stations found in Vanessa’s Austria.- In fact, once  a Mother Superior stayed with us and she said she felt very comfortable with our facility.

Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada Meditation Chapel
Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada Meditation Chapel

We have had several weddings in our garden and Vanessa has catered countless weddings.


Our Herb Garden

Vanessa is a real strong believer in local foods and grows many of her own culinary herbs and also some medicinal herbs.

Chives, Arugula, Cilantro, Chervil, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Oregano, marjoram, Thyme, Basil, English Mint, Lemon Balm, Bee Balm, Lemon Verbena,  Bay Leaf, Nettle, Echinacea, Wormwood, Lady’s Mantle, Feverfew, Sorrel, Borage Comfrey, Lovage, Violets, Calendula, Lavender, to name a few…

Nasturtiums, Violets, Roses and other edible flowers also do well in our Herb Garden.

Herb Garden Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada
Herb Garden Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada

Rose Garden Patio in Front Yard

The Rose Garden Patio in Front of the Gingerbread Cottage has a cute table and chairs to relax for a few minutes. When cruise ships are in town there is a lot of people walking by and conversations are kind of fun in this area.

Front Patio Rose Garden Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada
Front Patio Rose Garden Gingerbread Cottage Victoria BC Canada

We are within walking distance of everything in downtown Victoria, Plan your stay today!


Your Hostess

Vanessa von Schellwitz
Owner Operator Gingerbread
Cottage B&B

  • As a child, Vanessa was a real life “Heidi” living in the Eschen Villa on the clean, cold alpine Attersee Lake, in Seewalchen Austria, 50 KM East of Salzburg. 
  • Vanessa’s birthplace was located 50 meters from her Godmother’s famous Paulick Villa – the Summer Playground to Vienna’s Elite Art nouveau Community including Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Richard Teschner and Friedrich Paulick at the turn of the 19th century.
  • In fact, the aunt of Vanessa’s Godmother, Gertrude Floege, was the famous fashion designer Emelia Floege – life companion of Gustav Klimt who frequently painted at the Paulick Villa..
  • Also the last Countess Maria dei Medici, who lived adjacent to the Eschen Villa hand wrote a poem for Vanessa as a child… Not many People can say that!
  • Vanessa got her teaching Degree in Salzburg but her real love and talents were for cooking.. 
  • Coming to Vancouver Island via Culture City itself – Salzburg Austria – A true Austrian,Vanessa has pure Mozart flowing through her veins and a delicious piping hot Austrian ApfelStrudel in the Oven for her many guests!
  • Vanessa and her 70’s husband owned and operated the Austrian Chalet, an 80 room hotel with 3 Restaurants in Campbell River BC
  • Vanessa spent many years as Victoria BC’s busiest and most Versatile Culinary Instructor from her Veni. Vidi, Coxi Cooking School, and operating her busy “Vienna Catering” Business
  • Author of 8 Cookbooks, Vanessa also wrote a food Column, had her own TV cooking show and did food styling for other local authors and magazines.

Vanessa makes all her guests feel like Austrian Royalty in her c. 1905 Victorian “Arts and Crafts Heritage Home” with Cozy Themed rooms and Elegant 3 Course Breakfasts in her “Bavarian  Gasthaus” Style Breakfast Room

Please Feel Free to Contact us for booking information.
Call Toll free 1-877-767-2121
Email: [email protected]


Past Member of International Association of Culinary Professionals 

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1905 Victorian Arts and Crafts Heritage Bed and Breakfast steps away from Pacific Ocean