THE ROYAL VICTORIA HOTEL. 71 
with the new hotel building, and is connected with it by large 
heavy blinds. It has stone stuccoed columns in front, its prin- 
cipal rooms are large and well lighted, and admit of more privacy 
and quiet than most of the rooms in the new building. The 
dining room occupies all of the first floor north of the central 
portion of the hotel, and large windows surround it upon three 
sides. It has three tiers of tables, and ig unusually light, airy 
and pleasant. A refreshing sea-breeze seldom failed to make it 
agreeably cool in the middle of the hottest days, and in no in- 
' stance while we were there was it at night too cool or hot for 
comfort. Hotel parties, and occasional evening entertainments 
were given in the dining room, and when its walls were adorned 
with palmetto leaves, and decorated with English and American 
flags, it did not need the gay dance, sweet music and the land- 
lord’s generous and bountiful entertainment to make it attractive 
even to the mere looker-on. 
The parlors are smaller than those of large hotels at the north, 
but the climate is so mild the parlors are less frequented. 
The hotel is neatly furnished and well kept. The meats, 
many canned vegetables, and the smaller fruits and other sup- 
plies for the establishment, are imported from New York. Packed 
in ice, in large refrigerators, every steamer brings large additions 
to the landlord’s stores. A very superior class of colored waiters, 
uncommonly intelligent, and efficient, materially add to the com- 
fort and happiness of the guests. A gentleman well qualified to 
judge in such matters expressed to us the opinion, founded on 
his personal knowledge, that there is no hotel in the West In- 
dies equal to the Victoria, though some have cost more money. 
We were informed by some of the visitors at Nassau, that this 
fine hotel has not always been well kept, and that its patrons 
have some times fared badly, and been the victims of extortion. 
With an incompetent landlord in charge, and no other suitable 
