Chocolate Masterclass

The Hotel Victoria has stood in the core of the city for more than 100 years, drawing guests from all over the world with its central location, sophisticated spaces, and uniquely iconic history. After the great fire of 1904 destroyed much of the city’s downtown core, renowned Canadian architect J.P. Hynes was commissioned by hotelier Fredrick Mossop to create one of the city’s first fireproof buildings.

In 1909, the 48-room, eight-storey gem—appropriately named the Hotel Mossop—opened to the public. ​​A respected architectural journal of the time called the Hotel Mossop “one of the most thoroughly constructed fireproof buildings in the Dominion.”

“The façade is of red pressed brick with cut stone piers and belt courses up to the third floor, and finished at the top story with arched opening which agreeably relieves the otherwise somewhat rigid and austere treatment of the windows.” — Construction, November 1909

The hotel was prosperous for many years, and even served as an emergency hospital during the flu pandemic in 1918, when hospitals were overflowing with sick patients. After facing difficult times during the Prohibition movement of the 1920s, the Hotel Mossop was forced to close in 1927.

This architectural gem was quickly snapped up by the Elliot Brothers, who refurbished and renovated the entire building—and renamed it the Hotel Victoria in tribute to the Queen. Fast-forward to summer 2023, when the Hotel Victoria of today reopened—with a modern new look, updated amenities, and the same old-world charm that’s set us apart for more than a century.​