Aragon Properties (‘Aragon’) announced today that it will reopen the Old English Inn in Esquimalt, BC, as of fall 2024. The property is undergoing a comprehensive top-to-bottom restoration to transform the hotel into Rosemead House, a fully reimagined landmark for Esquimalt and the City of Victoria.
Family-run Aragon Properties acquired the property in 2015 and, alongside design architect Paul Merrick, is reinventing the hotel for travellers seeking elevated and authentic experiences while honouring a celebrated legacy. The newly restored hotel will feature 28 unique guest rooms and additional long-term stay suites, the signature Janevca Kitchen and Lounge, Salt and Ivy Spa, and over 2,500 sq feet of newly created meeting and event space.
Rosemead House represents a significant investment Aragon has made to enhance the boutique hotel experience available to guests of Greater Victoria. The hotel is the centrepiece of their Oakwoods community, one of several master-planned condo developments that Aragon has in the Victoria area, including Esquimalt Town Square, Cook Street Village in Victoria, and the upcoming Wadams Farm in Sooke.
“As we restore this beloved hotel to its original splendour with an eye for the future, we are proud to showcase the area’s history and culture while creating a world-class hospitality experience for all who visit,” says Lenny Moy, Owner of Aragon Properties.
The historic property was originally designed by architect Samuel Macclure, best known for developing the Government House (with Francis Rattenbury) and Hatley Castle. Built in 1906, the English Inn debuted as a Tudor Revival manor home to several prominent families before being converted to the Old English Inn in 1947 as a landmark building in Esquimalt. The hotel enjoyed decades in the spotlight, playing host to society weddings and heads of state before receiving heritage designation in 2012 for its architectural, social and cultural significance.
Janevca Kitchen and Lounge, the hotel’s signature restaurant, will open to the public in the summer of 2024, setting the stage for Rosemead House. Helmed by celebrated chef Andrea Alridge, Esquimalt’s newest restaurant brings the art of cooking over wood fire to Vancouver Island, shifting the dining landscape while celebrating the best of the community in a stunning dining room complete with vistas of Esquimalt and the Salish Sea.
Rooted in family traditions, the new Rosemead House is part of the Oakwoods master-planned community, a residential development steeped in history, miles away from the ordinary. Debuting this Fall will be 179 privately owned residences, also designed by Paul Merrick, nestled amongst the Garry Oak trees and surrounded by lush European gardens.
