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Cool to view but tours are closed in the winter, so we were able to wander the grounds only. Not the size expected for a castle, it's part of the university and classes are held in the winter which is why there weren't any tours available.
In 1906 BC Lieutenant Governor, James Dunsmuir, purchased the property. He and his wife Laura commissioned a well known Canadian architect Samuel Maclure to design and build a Tudor mansion with 40 rooms. The Dunsmuirs designed and planted beautiful gardens - still a key attraction, in my opinion. Intricate details of the masonry stone work outside and wood features on walls and floors, using Beech, Oak, Eucalyptus and other woods, is mind boggling to see. I recommend taking the 1 hour tour with a guide and learn all you need to know about the history, family and construction - and more Royal Roads University owns and uses the castle today,
If you are traveling in the area vacation; be sure to check out when the garden tours are because that is the only way to access the interior of the castle.
COVID #44 Watch out for the peacocks and rabbits. What's a castle wthout wildlife. That said, there is no moat, no drawbridge and no knights in shining armour - sorry ladies, your dream didn't come true. Growing your hair long won't result in a Rapunzel ending. Hatley Castle is now part of the Royal Roads University campus. Unbeknownst to me, I didn't know this university existed. It was established in 1995 after the dissolution of the Royal Road Military College. Not terribly busy when I came. Paid parking for visitors. You can see the Esquimalt Lagoon nearby
Meh, castle is a strong word for this. You can't even go in the "castle" unless you're with the university. It was pretty to look at and I'm sure the gardens are nice in the spring/summer. I'm not entirely sure it's worth a drive out from Victoria.
Nerdgasm level 29! This is a must visit place for geeks like me! Hatley Castle is Lex Luthor's mansion in Smallville / Xavier's School in Deadpool and X-Men: The Last Stand / Queen Family Mansion in Arrow. We took bus #75 from Butchart Gardens then transferred to bus #39 to get there. More than an hour trip because of the gajillion bus stops but is sooo worth it. (If you rent a car, should only take 25 minutes from downtown Victoria). Place is beautiful! I can now understand why so many couples like to get married here. Wedding photos would look so good. No photoshop skills required! Guided estate tours are offered from Monday - Friday for a fee. Check their website for rates. There is a complimentary garden access during shoulder season (through April 1).
Beautiful garden and grounds! Free to walk the garden during posted hours and as advertised on the historic site's website (during my visit hours were daily 10am - dusk). I visited in October 2022 and the castle interior was closed to the public (while open to RRU university staff and students). Those visiting May-September may tour the castle when guided tours are offered.
The castle has a lot of history and has been used in a number of movies including the X-Men movies, Deadpool, Disney's Descendants and more. I can see why it would make an interesting setting. It has an interesting history and is currently also being used for classrooms for the Royal Roads University-it is part of the university campus. There was a sign outside saying there was a private event and it was closed but we found out that they do offer tours at select times and we were able to get tickets in the gift shop. There is a tour of the garden first and then you are taken into the castle but only allowed to see the first floor. It's not a large castle but the rooms are quite nice-many different kinds of wood were used which were quite pretty. One room has a large pool table. The guided tour takes about an hour and price is $18.50 for adults, $16.00 for seniors, $10.90 for students 6-17 with kids under 5 free. Their site lists a self-guided tour but not sure how that works. The only parking we found was a pay lot and you have to walk up a small hill to get to the castle. Then entrance to the castle is opposite the parking lot.
I live 400 meters away, and enjoy weekly walks through the estate, university and gardens. Every thing me is stunning and different, and one is never disappointed regardless of the weather. The gardens are superb, the Italian and Japanese being over 100 years old. And, a few weeks ago, the president of Royal Roads decreed that garden admissions be forever removed, the gardens open and free to all Colwood residents and visitors alike! Want to immeasurably improve your day and sense of well-being? Head over to the gardens at Hatley Castle!
When I visited the site during the weekend, the castle was closed to public due to a private event. I was a ninja, snuck in and snapped up photos of the interior. According to their website: Hatley Castle Museum The museum houses artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the site from the days when the property was a Coastal Salish Indian burial site to the present time when it is home to the campus of Royal Roads University. The museum has many original artifacts from the days when Laura and James Dunsmuir lived an elegant life here on this estate. For 55 years the site was also an military officer's training school and the museum highlights that era in a room named for one of the college's most supportive commandants, Rear-Admiral John Charles. The displays also relate the development and history of one of Canada's most innovative universities as Royal Road University evolves to meet the needs of learners in the global economy. The muesum is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and heritage maintenance of Hatley Castle, together with the outbuildings and grounds and gardens, which were a part of the James and Laura Dunsmuir's Hatley Park Estate, Royal Roads Military College and Royal Roads University. The museum aims to help visitors understand the significance of the site and the role of Hatley Park in the development of Vancouver Island and in the education of effective leaders for Canada, both through Royal Roads Military College and Royal Roads University. Hatley Park Museum is open every afternoon from 10:15 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is located in the basement of Hatley Park Castle, the administrative centre for Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Road, in Colwood on Vancouver Island. Hatley Castle overlooks the Esquimalt Lagoon, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. There is a parking lot at the base where it is $1 per hour.
Calling all mutants! Report to mutant training! Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters from X-men is a Canadian National monument that you can tour for $18 on your visit to Vancouver Island. You can either buy a tour pass in the basement gift shop for $18, and go into this Edwardian-styled mansion, or pay $9 and stay out the exterior of the house and tour Hatley Castle's extensive gardens. Hatley Castle has changed hands several times. It started out as a coal baron's home and castle owned by the Dunsmuir Family, morphed into a Canadian naval academy when the family lost its figurehead and fortune, and most recently it has emerged as the private, progressive Royal Roads University, with the castle used as everything from a university meeting place, to a wedding locale, to the set for movies like X-men. The gardens alongside Hatley Castle are deceptively large and beautiful, stretching alongside the main house on one side out to the water. The house itself is impressive, but the downside is that much of the original furniture has been removed over the years, leaving only untouched and original tilework, woodcarvings,and stained glass, and some modern furniture. The original billiard table and score cupboard from London remains in the room used as Professor Xavier's office in X-men, and that is something to see. If you can hunker down for a one hour tour, ours was pretty informative and with the tragic family stories of the original owners, the house comes alive. Also cool to see the balcony that Wolverine jumped down from, if you are a X-men fan. The setting is pretty, the gardens lovely, and you can get your geek on. If you want to see a castle with original period furniture, and you are not an X-men fan, but a fan of history, the family also owned Craiggdarroch castle nearby. This Victorian home has its period furniture mostly intact, for some surreal time travel.
Oh, what a beautiful place to walk around. We made it one of our must see destinations while visiting Victoria. Easy enough to find and plenty of parking if you show up early. The walk from the parking lot up to the grounds is so peaceful and relaxing and makes for great photo ops, too. Unfortunately no inside tours the day we visited. It was interesting to see how vast the grounds are when standing from the house looking down. This place is beautiful and so rich in history.
Very disappointing. You can't go inside unless you are part of a pre-booked tour. You also can't get on a pre-booked tour unless you have a minimum of 10 people who want to go with you. I searched and searched for a tour company we could hop onto that included Hatley in those itinerary but found none. The website is so outdated the hours of operation sheet shows spring of 2018 so you don't know you can't get a tour until you drive out there. The gardens are pretty and if you brought a picnic lunch you might think it was worth it just to sit out there and enjoy it but if you want to see a castle you will be disappointed. Apparently it's only the lower floor that is the "museum" so even if you can get on a tour and see it, the experience is limited. Seems like a waste of national history to me to have it be admin offices for a college. I do t recommend driving out to see it unless you are good with seeing the exterior only.
Wow, gorgeous castle and grounds! When we visited, there were plenty of people taking photos and exploring the area. I wasn't able to enter as you need a guided tour, although there was enough to do by wandering the grounds. If you're lucky, you might see some peafowl foraging in the grass for delicious food. They're quite skittish. Don't feed them though! Be sure to explore the nearby gardens. There's an Italian garden, Japanese garden, and a rose garden. The Japanese garden in particular is a great place to sit and enjoy the stillness of the area - the pond reflects the sky and the surrounding vegetation and you can really take it all in. It really is an oasis. Of note, the carpark is a pay-to-park lot. There's not a lot of publicly accessible washrooms either. read more
8 months ago
Hatley Castle, tucked away on Victoria Island, was a serene and picturesque stop on a crisp morning. Even though the air was chilly and the castle didn't open until 10 a.m., wandering the grounds beforehand felt like a moment out of a storybook. The expansive, beautifully kept gardens and coastal views made the stroll well worth it, offering a quiet and peaceful way to take in the surroundings. Paid parking is available, making it an easy stop to add to a morning itinerary. read more
2 years ago
Very scenic. We took tons of pictures in front and at the gardens. There's a lot of greenery, a bridge and a couple of ponds. We couldn't go inside. read more
Cool to view but tours are closed in the winter, so we were able to wander the grounds only. Not the size expected for a castle, it's part of the university and classes are held in the winter which is why there weren't any tours available. read more
In 1906 BC Lieutenant Governor, James Dunsmuir, purchased the property. He and his wife Laura commissioned a well known Canadian architect Samuel Maclure to design and build a Tudor mansion with 40 rooms. The Dunsmuirs designed and planted beautiful gardens - still a key attraction, in my opinion. Intricate details of the masonry stone work outside and wood features on walls and floors, using Beech, Oak, Eucalyptus and other woods, is mind boggling to see. I recommend taking the 1 hour tour with a guide and learn all you need to know about the history, family and construction - and more Royal Roads University owns and uses the castle today, read more
COVID #44 Watch out for the peacocks and rabbits. What's a castle wthout wildlife. That said, there is no moat, no drawbridge and no knights in shining armour - sorry ladies, your dream didn't come true. Growing your hair long won't result in a Rapunzel ending. Hatley Castle is now part of the Royal Roads University campus. Unbeknownst to me, I didn't know this university existed. It was established in 1995 after the dissolution of the Royal Road Military College. Not terribly busy when I came. Paid parking for visitors. You can see the Esquimalt Lagoon nearby read more
4 years ago
Meh, castle is a strong word for this. You can't even go in the "castle" unless you're with the university. It was pretty to look at and I'm sure the gardens are nice in the spring/summer. I'm not entirely sure it's worth a drive out from Victoria. read more
Nerdgasm level 29! This is a must visit place for geeks like me! Hatley Castle is Lex Luthor's mansion in Smallville / Xavier's School in Deadpool and X-Men: The Last Stand / Queen Family Mansion in Arrow. We took bus #75 from Butchart Gardens then transferred to bus #39 to get there. More than an hour trip because of the gajillion bus stops but is sooo worth it. (If you rent a car, should only take 25 minutes from downtown Victoria). Place is beautiful! I can now understand why so many couples like to get married here. Wedding photos would look so good. No photoshop skills required! Guided estate tours are offered from Monday - Friday for a fee. Check their website for rates. There is a complimentary garden access during shoulder season (through April 1). read more
4 years ago
Beautiful garden and grounds! Free to walk the garden during posted hours and as advertised on the historic site's website (during my visit hours were daily 10am - dusk). I visited in October 2022 and the castle interior was closed to the public (while open to RRU university staff and students). Those visiting May-September may tour the castle when guided tours are offered. read more
The castle has a lot of history and has been used in a number of movies including the X-Men movies, Deadpool, Disney's Descendants and more. I can see why it would make an interesting setting. It has an interesting history and is currently also being used for classrooms for the Royal Roads University-it is part of the university campus. There was a sign outside saying there was a private event and it was closed but we found out that they do offer tours at select times and we were able to get tickets in the gift shop. There is a tour of the garden first and then you are taken into the castle but only allowed to see the first floor. It's not a large castle but the rooms are quite nice-many different kinds of wood were used which were quite pretty. One room has a large pool table. The guided tour takes about an hour and price is $18.50 for adults, $16.00 for seniors, $10.90 for students 6-17 with kids under 5 free. Their site lists a self-guided tour but not sure how that works. The only parking we found was a pay lot and you have to walk up a small hill to get to the castle. Then entrance to the castle is opposite the parking lot. read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
I live 400 meters away, and enjoy weekly walks through the estate, university and gardens. Every thing me is stunning and different, and one is never disappointed regardless of the weather. The gardens are superb, the Italian and Japanese being over 100 years old. And, a few weeks ago, the president of Royal Roads decreed that garden admissions be forever removed, the gardens open and free to all Colwood residents and visitors alike! Want to immeasurably improve your day and sense of well-being? Head over to the gardens at Hatley Castle! read more
When I visited the site during the weekend, the castle was closed to public due to a private event. I was a ninja, snuck in and snapped up photos of the interior. According to their website: Hatley Castle Museum The museum houses artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the site from the days when the property was a Coastal Salish Indian burial site to the present time when it is home to the campus of Royal Roads University. The museum has many original artifacts from the days when Laura and James Dunsmuir lived an elegant life here on this estate. For 55 years the site was also an military officer's training school and the museum highlights that era in a room named for one of the college's most supportive commandants, Rear-Admiral John Charles. The displays also relate the development and history of one of Canada's most innovative universities as Royal Road University evolves to meet the needs of learners in the global economy. The muesum is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and heritage maintenance of Hatley Castle, together with the outbuildings and grounds and gardens, which were a part of the James and Laura Dunsmuir's Hatley Park Estate, Royal Roads Military College and Royal Roads University. The museum aims to help visitors understand the significance of the site and the role of Hatley Park in the development of Vancouver Island and in the education of effective leaders for Canada, both through Royal Roads Military College and Royal Roads University. Hatley Park Museum is open every afternoon from 10:15 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is located in the basement of Hatley Park Castle, the administrative centre for Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Road, in Colwood on Vancouver Island. Hatley Castle overlooks the Esquimalt Lagoon, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. There is a parking lot at the base where it is $1 per hour. read more
Calling all mutants! Report to mutant training! Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters from X-men is a Canadian National monument that you can tour for $18 on your visit to Vancouver Island. You can either buy a tour pass in the basement gift shop for $18, and go into this Edwardian-styled mansion, or pay $9 and stay out the exterior of the house and tour Hatley Castle's extensive gardens. Hatley Castle has changed hands several times. It started out as a coal baron's home and castle owned by the Dunsmuir Family, morphed into a Canadian naval academy when the family lost its figurehead and fortune, and most recently it has emerged as the private, progressive Royal Roads University, with the castle used as everything from a university meeting place, to a wedding locale, to the set for movies like X-men. The gardens alongside Hatley Castle are deceptively large and beautiful, stretching alongside the main house on one side out to the water. The house itself is impressive, but the downside is that much of the original furniture has been removed over the years, leaving only untouched and original tilework, woodcarvings,and stained glass, and some modern furniture. The original billiard table and score cupboard from London remains in the room used as Professor Xavier's office in X-men, and that is something to see. If you can hunker down for a one hour tour, ours was pretty informative and with the tragic family stories of the original owners, the house comes alive. Also cool to see the balcony that Wolverine jumped down from, if you are a X-men fan. The setting is pretty, the gardens lovely, and you can get your geek on. If you want to see a castle with original period furniture, and you are not an X-men fan, but a fan of history, the family also owned Craiggdarroch castle nearby. This Victorian home has its period furniture mostly intact, for some surreal time travel. read more
Oh, what a beautiful place to walk around. We made it one of our must see destinations while visiting Victoria. Easy enough to find and plenty of parking if you show up early. The walk from the parking lot up to the grounds is so peaceful and relaxing and makes for great photo ops, too. Unfortunately no inside tours the day we visited. It was interesting to see how vast the grounds are when standing from the house looking down. This place is beautiful and so rich in history. read more
7 years ago
Very disappointing. You can't go inside unless you are part of a pre-booked tour. You also can't get on a pre-booked tour unless you have a minimum of 10 people who want to go with you. I searched and searched for a tour company we could hop onto that included Hatley in those itinerary but found none. The website is so outdated the hours of operation sheet shows spring of 2018 so you don't know you can't get a tour until you drive out there. The gardens are pretty and if you brought a picnic lunch you might think it was worth it just to sit out there and enjoy it but if you want to see a castle you will be disappointed. Apparently it's only the lower floor that is the "museum" so even if you can get on a tour and see it, the experience is limited. Seems like a waste of national history to me to have it be admin offices for a college. I do t recommend driving out to see it unless you are good with seeing the exterior only. read more
This place is gorgeous!!! Why isn't there more reviews about this place? What a gem. It's still used partly as a college, also, so some areas are off limits. But can you imagine being a student here? Of course, this castle was used in X-men movie as the X-men mutant school; as well as in Smallville TV series as Luthor Mansion, so that's another cool fact as well. The grounds are well manicured, and there are lots of benches for visitors. Parking is also plentiful, and also beautiful sight for sunsets! I really like the vines running up the castle, gives it a cool effect, though I hope it doesn't disintegrate the building. Inside of the building was a bit odd for me, I did not expect so much wood and stuffed animal heads. Otherwise there is a small tour section the you can walk around in. I personally loved walking on the outergrounds, taking pictures of the garden and enjoying the beautiful weather outside. You can have a cute picnic here, too, definitely a wonderful idea!! If not, just drop by this place when you're passing by and you will be amazed! read more
Hatley Castle is full of history in regards to Victoria and architecture quite amazing. To be honest what drew me to this location was the fact that X-Men the movie had been filmed here. I do appreciate good it architecture as well. Be aware that the castle is part of the University and is not always available for tours and not always accessible. Parking is not the easiest and it is not free. I was hoping that with the tour you would get full access to the castle but unfortunately only get the first floor. The tour last maybe an hour and has a lot of history including about the movies and shows have been filmed there. But I could leave a lot to be desired. Overall it wasn't bad but I can't say I wouldn't do it again. read more
8 years ago
Got here and saw this sign (posted) that says, 'Access to Hatley Castle is limited to invited guests and staff." The grounds are beautiful but we came specifically to tour this castle instead of the main one that is advertised everywhere. Total bust. read more
8 years ago
Gorgeous grounds and interesting history. If you're lucky, you'll see a peacock! In Canada we may not have the rich history of Europe and 1000 year old castles BUT this is part of the little history we have to represent here in young Canada. Great place to come and walk around with your family, and see what life is like for Royal Roads University students read more
7 years ago
Hatley Castle is a great place to stop if you are driving west of Victoria to Sooke or onward. The gardens are spectacular and the outside of Hatley Castle is stunning. The location is now a university but was a military college for decades before that. The Dunsmuirs originally built Hatley Castle, as well as Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria. The only disappointing part is that the tours are offered infrequently so we toured the gardens for an hour before our tour. It's probably worth calling beforehand to see when the tour is .The guide was wonderful and told us a lot about the family and the gardens. We were only able to see the bottom half of Hatley Castle since class was in session. Queen Elizabeth has visited the place twice. Even though there are more historical items at Craigdarroch Castle, I found Hatley to be a better experience due to the grounds and tour guide. read more
10 years ago
My wife and I watch a few shows that use this castle as a location. We went at about 4pm, so there were no tours going, but we just walked the perimeter ourselves. Other reviewers have noted that the tour doesn't show you much on the inside because it's an active college. We found it to be a great thing to do for free (aside from parking which costs $1/hr at the time we went). It's easy to see why so many shows and movies use this as a location! read more
9 years ago
15 years ago
12 years ago
Beautiful castle, great tour, glorious gardens! A nicer visit than craigdarroch since the grounds and gardens are mostly kept up, not broken up into lots surrounding the castle. A nice little trip if you've been to craigdarroch and want to see something else. read more
8 years ago
8 years ago
10 years ago
The castle wasn't as big as I expected but it's still cool to see. Unfortunately there was a private event going on so we didn't see the inside, we paid for the garden tour and it was ok, it wasn't as maintained as well as I would have expected. read more
9 years ago
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