Our Stay at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria BC
Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by Kelly
The Fairmont Empress is undeniably Victoria’s most luxurious hotel. Built in 1908, it’s hosted famous celebrities and many members of royalty, as well as everyday tourists. Because of the hotel’s majestic architecture, it’s known as Canada’s Castle on the Coast. There are a number of amenities, a prime location, and excellent restaurants. It’s even been named one of the 21 Most Iconic Hotels in the World.
We recently spent 3 nights at the Fairmont Empress for our babymoon, and it was one of our favorite hotel experiences. In this post, we’re sharing our full review, photos from our trip, and more!
About the Fairmont Empress Hotel
The Fairmont Empress is located directly overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Its location cannot be beat! It’s within easy distance to top Victoria attractions such as the Royal BC Museum, the Parliament Building, Inner Harbour, and downtown Victoria.
The chandelier in the lobby is comprised of over 250,000 crystals! The photos don’t do it justice – it had some serious sparkle!
The Fairmont Empress is a National Historic Site. The hotel was recently underwent a $60 million renovation between 2015-2017 and is an excellent blend of historic and modern luxury.
As you can see from the photo before, the Fairmont Empress is positioned right in the center of the Inner Harbour.
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Important Information
- Click here to check prices and make reservations at the Fairmont Empress
- Address: 721 Government St, Victoria, BC V8W 1W5, Canada
- Phone Number: 250-384-8111
- Number of Rooms: 431
- Year Built: 1908
There are tons of things to do in Victoria BC, and visiting the Fairmont Empress should be one of them!
Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress
Whether or not you choose to stay at the Fairmont Empress (and we highly recommend that you do!), you can visit the Fairmont Empress for Afternoon Tea. This is one of the most popular places in Victoria for tea, so we recommend that you make your reservations in advance.
When you choose to have Tea at the Empress, you’ll step back in time as you enter an elegant lounge complemented with purple hues. You’ll be served your tea in china that has the same pattern that was used by royalty. Queen Elizabeth gifted Royal China to the Empress after her visit in 1939. That same pattern is used for the current tea service, and you can view a display of some of the original china while at the Empress. The Empress has been serving tea for over 115 years, so they definitely know what they are doing! They have the entire tea service perfected.
The tea service itself includes a wide variety of loose-leaf teas and a towering tray of snacks and desserts. These typically include savory finger sandwiches, fresh scones, and miniature pastries. The Fairmont Empress emphasizes the use of local ingredients. They make their own strawberry jam, use lavender from their rooftop garden, and use honey from their own bee hives.
One thing that is unique about Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress is that the teapots arrive with a heat source underneath them. This way, you can take your time enjoying yourself and you don’t have to worry about the tea getting cold.
At the time of this writing, an adult tea service costs $95 CAD. If you’re traveling with children, there’s the option to have a Prince or Princess Tea Service for $52 CAD.
We think it’s one of the best places for Afternoon Tea in Victoria!
Dining
Q at the Empress
The Q at the Empress is a restaurant located on the second floor that serves both breakfast and dinner. For both menus, the emphasis is on local ingredients and the plating is beautiful!
Veranda
The Veranda is a patio that overlooks the Inner Harbour. It’s the perfect place to spend a summer evening! The Veranda doesn’t accept reservations, so it’s a first-come, first-serve restaurant. The Veranda is open for lunch and dinner.
Q Bar
The Q Bar is known for the locally-made Empress 1908 Gin. This iconic gin has a purple hue which makes for beautiful cocktails. The bar is open for lunch and dinner, and there’s often live music or a DJ on the weekends. The Q Bar is an elegant bar that is perfect for a date night!
Unique Dining Opportunities
The Fairmont Empress also has some unique dining opportunities. The Sunset Sips takes place in the evening in the tea room. Cocktails are poured from tea pots, and tapas are served on a three-tiered stand. Lunch on the Lawn features picnic baskets full of delicious food, and the picnic blankets and pillows are provided. Afternoon Tea To-Go has all the treats from the tea service beautifully packaged. With the to-go service, you can enjoy tea anywhere! Finally, there’s the option for In-Room Dining.
Our Room
We stayed in a Fairmont City View room with a king bed.
The room was clean and comfortable. The view of the city wasn’t spectacular, but we also chose a more affordable option.
One thing to note about the street view: It got a little noisy at night. We heard people coming home from the bars later in the evening and it was slightly disruptive.
The bathrooms were small, but they contained nice bath products and bath robes.
The room keys were made out of wood. I really liked that they didn’t use plastic!
Our room had a mini-fridge, small coffee maker, and glassware.
We definitely enjoyed our stay. The room we chose wasn’t spectacular, but it was definitely worth it to stay at the Empress for its location and amenities.
Amenities
As a 5-star luxury hotel, there are a number of amenities!
Swimming Pool
There’s a large indoor swimming pool that’s perfect for all seasons. The large windows allow plenty of natural light. Adjacent to the swimming pool is a children’s wading pool and a whirlpool.
There’s a large locker room area that comes equipped with plenty of pool towels.
Sauna
Inside the locker room is a small cedar sauna that can fit several people. Each locker room has a separate sauna, so there’s not an option for a co-ed sauna.
Willow Stream Spa
The hotel is home to the Willow Stream Spa, which is an award-winning spa. When you book a treatment service, we recommend that you arrive early to engage in their spa ritual. The ritual includes a Traditional Finnish Dry Sauna, Steam Inhalation Room, and a Thermal Mineral Pool.
Fitness Center
If you are planning on exercising while on vacation, their gym is open 24 hours a day. The fitness center contains treadmills, free weights, ellipticals, stair climbers, and more.
Shopping
There are a number of boutique shops just past the tea room. Whether you’re looking for locally-made art, jewelry, or souvenirs, there’s plenty to capture your attention.
Family-Friendly Activities
There’s a number of family-friendly activities at the hotel. As mentioned previously, children can enjoy a Prince or Princess Tea service in the tea room. There’s also a scavenger hunt within the hotel, marmot watching, honey bee watching, bike rentals, and even child-sized bathrobes.
Fairmont Gold
For an additional fee, you can choose to book the Fairmont Gold experience. With Fairmont Gold, there is a private check-in counter and a private lounge. The lounge contains complimentary heated breakfast, alcohol, canapés, and late-night sweet treats.
History
The idea for the Fairmont Empress hotel began when the Canadian Pacific Railway sought to have several high-end hotels strategically placed along the railway line. Construction on the Fairmont Empress hotel began in 1904 and was completed in 1908.
Several members of British royalty have stayed at the Fairmont Empress, including King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip. Famous celebrities have included John Wayne and Shirley Temple.
In 1981, the Fairmont Empress became a National Historic Site. In 2020, the Fairmont Empress was named the Best Historic Hotel in the Americas.
How to Get There
The Fairmont Empress is located directly on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. It’s located about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Victoria International Airport.
We arrived to Victoria BC via the Victoria Clipper which arrived in the Inner Harbour. Once we arrived, it was less than a 10-minute walk to reach our hotel.
More Photos From Our Trip
Summary
Although the Fairmont Empress is one of the more expensive hotels in Victoria, we have no regrets about our stay. The historic charm of the building, its excellent location, and all of the amenities made this splurge “worth it.”
We traveled to Victoria for our babymoon. It was so nice to relax and be so close to all the attractions. I would definitely return in the future!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
