Victoria is a medium-sized city with plenty of accomodation options for all.
Unfortunately, there is no camping allowed on the festival site (i.e. the University). A few of the festival organizers have large yards and can accomodate some campers. Please email us and we'll try to hook you up with someone; or just show up and hope that we have space still. March in Victoria tends to be blustery and drizzly, though not very cold, so camping will be not too uncomfortable.
There are very few campgrounds close to UVic; here are a few options that are no more than a 20 minute drive from campus.
Beachcomber RV Park
3290 Campion St
Phone: (250) 652-3800
Off Highway # 17 on the left as you head south from the ferries. Turn off on
Martindale Rd.
Thetis Lake Campground
(250) 478-3845
Off the Island Highway to the West of town, take the turnoff for Thetis Lake
Park
Victoria has some nice hostel options for budget travellers.
Hostelling International Victoria
A nice block in downtown in a lovely old building. Dorm beds from $16, family
rooms, seasonal rates.
516 Yates Street
Phone: (250) 385-4511
Toll-free: 1-888-883-0099
Fax: (250) 385-3232
Email: see http://www.hihostels.ca/hostels/BC/BCRegion/Victoria/Hostels/
The Turtle Refuge Hostel
Dorm beds and family rooms available. Dorm beds from $12.
1608 Quadra Street
Telephone: 250-386-4471
Fax: 250-386-4471
E-mail: turtlerefuge@hotmail.com
Selkirk Guest House Hostel
A few kilometres away from downtown in the opposite direction of the university,
but a splendid spot. Dorm beds from $20, family rooms and seasonal rates.
934 Selkirk Avenue
Telephone: 250-389-1213
Fax:250-389-1313
Toll Free: 1-800-974-6638
E-mail: info@selkirkguesthouse.com
Ocean Island Backpackers Inn Hostel
Dorm beds from $18, cheap family rooms, located downtown in a heritage building.
791 Pandora Avenue
Telephone: 250-385-1788
Fax: 250-385-1780
Toll Free: 1-888-888-4180
E-mail:get-it@oceanisland.com
There are lots of cheap hotels in Victoria (even cheaper if you're from the US); virtually all of them are near downtown. If you are driving into town, many cheap motels can be found along Gorge Road, which can be reached by heading south into town on Hwy # 17; turn right at Hillside Avenue, then at the next traffic light (a strange five-way intersection) proceed straight through and you will be on Gorge Road. Follow the road and within 5 minutes lots of cheap motels will appear. Getting up to the University from this point is easy, follow Hillside Avenue in the other direction (east) for about 5km and turn left on Foul Bay Road, you will soon pass the "Welcome to UVic" sign. The road at this point makes a sharp right to turn into Ring Road which goes around campus past the SUB, where the festival will be held.
Several cheaper hotels can also be found along Douglas street (Highway 1) on the way into town; if you are coming into town from the ferries on Highway 17, turn right at Cloverdale and left onto Douglas (the next major light) to get onto Douglas before the main string of hotels.
There are of course the usual chain hotels in town, which are mostly available to book online: Travellers Inn, Quality Inn, etc - these tend to be downtown and higher priced.
Here are a few hotels which you may like; listing them here does not indicate they are superior to other hotels, just that we could find information on them more easily.
Paul's Motor Inn
Rooms from around $40 a night. Decent hotel north of downtown.
1900 Douglas Street
Phone: (250) 382-9231
Fax: (250) 384-1435
Toll-free: 1-866-333-PAUL
Crystal Court Motel
Cheap old motel close to downtown.
701 Belleville Street
Tel: (250) 384-0551
http://victoriabc.com/accom/crystal.htm
Quality Resort Sea View
A bit closer to campus than downtown and easier to get to, with a nice ocean
view next to Mount Douglas Park.
4550 Cordova Bay Road, Phone: (250) 658-2171
Get onto Cordova Bay Road by taking the Royal Oak Drive turnoff from Highway
17. Turn left (east) onto Royal Oak Drive and follow it; after crossing Blenkinsop
it turns into Cordova Bay Road.