Dining table arranged in the Pendray Room balcony at Pendray Inn & Tea House

About The Pendray Inn & Tea House

Learn How We Deliver Elegance & Excellence

Formerly known as the Gatsby Mansion, the magnificent Victorian-era Pendray Inn & Tea House offers guests a boutique experience for those in search of a little old-time romance in Victoria. The southern tip of Vancouver Island, home to Greater Victoria, the San Juan, and the Gulf Islands, are the ancestral territories of the Lkwungen (Lekwungen) peoples; Lkwungen, meaning "place to smoke herring," unifies the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. At Pendray Inn & Tea House, we wholeheartedly acknowledge our location on their traditional territories, paying profound respect to their ancestors for granting us the privilege to live, work, and enjoy this cherished land, while also recognizing the lasting impact of land loss and colonialism that continues to shape the experiences of the Lkwungen People today.

Black & white exterior view of the hotel at Pendray Inn & Tea House

Our History

Long before it was a bed and breakfast, the mansion was a family home

Long before it was a bed and breakfast, however, the mansion was a family home – built by William Joseph Pendray, a native of Cornwall, England. Pendray had emigrated to California in 1868, eventually making his way to the Cariboo region of British Columbia to work in the Mosquito Creek mines. After several tumultuous years in the mining industry, during which he made, lost, and re-made his fortune, William settled in Victoria, and turned his attention to a new venture.

In 1890 the Pendrays purchased a plot of land on Belleville Street, overlooking the Inner Harbour. They lived in a small cottage located on the land (known today as the Middle House), while they built a mansion beside it in the Queen Anne style.

Vintage photo of Pendray Family posing by the entrance stairway at Pendray Inn & Tea House

The family, William, Amelia, and their four sons, moved into the completed mansion in 1897. With the help of his uncle, W. J. Jeffree, William acquired a soap factory on Humboldt Street, and began producing cleaning bars and powders. His soap business soon became so successful that he was able to move operations to a much larger plant, and to marry his sweetheart Amelia Jane Carthew, a fellow Cornwall native.

In 1913, William died in an accident during an inspection of his factory; Amelia continued to live in the mansion after her husband’s death. The Pendray children sold the mansion in 1939; it was then bequeathed to the Missionary Sisters of Notre Dame des Anges, who ran the building as a boarding house for young women. It was known as Loretto Hall until 1966. In the 1980s, the Bellevue Street property was purchased and expanded with the construction of the Huntingdon Manor Hotel, styled after the first and finest Canadian Pacific Hotels.

Modern Day

Today, the Pendray family home is an iconic fixture on the city’s Inner Harbour landscape, offering a unique insight into the heritage and culture of the Victorian period. Our distinctive, immaculately appointed rooms have been carefully renovated to maintain their original character, while also providing guests with the modern amenities they’ve come to expect from an upscale hotel. With its remarkable history, outstanding service, and the one-of-a-kind Pendray Tea House, our hotel is a destination unlike any other in Victoria. Plan your stay here, and immerse yourself in the elegance of a bygone era.