Fairmont Empress

Item: Fairmont Empress
Rating: 5
Author: U.S. News & World Report

721 Government Street | Victoria, BC V8W 1W5 [SEE MAP]Victoria, BC [SEE ADDRESS]

#6 in Best Victoria & Vancouver Island Hotels

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Courtesy of Fairmont Empress

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Overview

Completely renovated in 2017

Bathrooms are on the smaller side

A landmark in its own right, the Fairmont Empress Hotel is easily recognized by its old-fashioned facade. The elegant building (a National Historic Site of Canada) draped in emerald green ivy opened its doors in 1908 and was designed by the same architect of the Parliament Buildings nearby. Plus, a $60 million renovation completed in 2017 has restored the hotel's interior to its former glory. Accommodations are outfitted with king- or queen-sized beds and offer views of the city, courtyard or the Inner Harbour, though recent guests said the bathrooms are on the smaller side. The Gold level luxury rooms and suites include continental breakfast, free evening hors d'oeuvres and cocktails and access to a private lounge. During your stay, step back in time and embrace the Victorian tradition of afternoon tea at the hotel. For other eats on-site, head to The Q at the Empress, which serves locally sourced Pacific Northwest cuisine. After your meal, indulge in a relaxing Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Empress treatment, also recently renovated. And if you're a Le Club AccorHotels program member and choose to stay here, you'll be able to earn points.

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Location: Victoria, BC

Hotel Class: 4.0-star

Property Type: Hotel, 464 rooms

Primary View: City center, Bay, Ocean

Style: Traditional, Opulent, Modern

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Scorecard

4.0Hotel Class
GREATCritic Rating

Rankings

U.S. News analyzed more than 30,000 hotels to find the best in the USA, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean, based on reputation among travel experts, guest reviews and hotel class ratings.

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Critic Reviews

Other Awards

Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Awards 2019
AAA/CAA Four Diamond Awards 2019

Fodor's

READ MORE
Designed by Francis Rattenbury, who also designed the Parliament Buildings across the way, the solid Edwardian grandeur of the Empress has made it a symbol of the city.

Fodor's Choice

Frommer's

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The Empress has always been Victoria’s favorite meeting place and hangout, and you’ll find government staff from the legislature hobnobbing in the lounge and locals celebrating special occasions in the posh Empress Room.

Frommer's Exceptional

Condé Nast Traveler

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It’s worth splurging on the Fairmont Gold rooms, which include access to a private waterfront lounge with a fire pit—perfect for soaking up harbor views in style.

Travel + Leisure

READ MORE
Ivy-covered, British-inspired 1908 hotel (don't miss the traditional afternoon tea with scones and finger sandwiches) facing the Inner Harbour; one of Victoria's best addresses.

Other Awards

Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Awards 2019
AAA/CAA Four Diamond Awards 2019

Guest Reviews

A hotel's guest rating is calculated using data provided under license by TripAdvisor. A total of 4833 have reviewed the Fairmont Empress, giving it a rating of 4, on a scale of 1-5.

TripAdvisor Travel Rating:

4.0 (based on 4833 reviews)

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Guest Rooms

After a $60 million renovation in 2017, the Fairmont Empress' guest rooms feature elegant, traditional decor with updated furnishings, including dark wooden furniture, gold and lucite light fixtures, beige and taupe walls with ornate wallpaper and crown molding. Amenities include beds with down duvets, marble bathrooms with hair dryers, coffee and tea making facilities, flat-screen TVs and terry cloth bathrobes. Views are either of the city or property's courtyard. The 65 new Fairmont Gold rooms and suites boast Inner Harbour views and come with exclusive perks like free breakfast, private check-in, detailed itineraries and more.

Wi-Fi is $15 CAD (about $11 USD) per day for non-members

Standard room size: 250 square feet

Premium channels
Workspace/desk
Minifridge
Bathrobes/slippers
Minibar
Shower/tub combo
Separate shower
Separate tub
Internet
Wireless internet
Free internet
Fee for internet usage
Guest rooms with patios and balconies
Adjoining rooms available

See details for room types »

Location & Parking

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The Fairmont Empress is located in the heart of downtown Victoria, just steps away from the area's popular Inner Harbour. Along with its prime location by the water, the hotel is also close to the Parliament buildings and is within walking distance of other top attractions, shops, restaurants and museums, including the Royal BC Museum and The Maritime Museum of British Columbia. Guests can also walk to the ferry, seaplane and Helijet terminals, as well as local transit.

Budget Victoria rental car across the street
Victoria International Airport is about 17 miles north
Valet parking and self-parking is available for $33 CAD (about $25 USD)

24-hour valet parking ($33 CAD (about $25 USD))
24-hour self-parking ($33 CAD (about $25 USD))
Airport shuttle (with fee)
Car service (with fee)

Within walking distance of:

Bus stop
Restaurants
Movie theater
Train station
Beach
Theater
Subway/metro stop
Grocery store
Shopping

Dining

The Q at The Empress is the hotel's main restaurant. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Q serves Pacific Northwest cuisine made with regional ingredients from local farmers and artisans as well as the chef's own vegetable and herb garden. The Q Bar serves drinks and coffee, as well as a bar menu with a small selection of tapas-style dishes. Guests can also take part in afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Number of restaurants: 1

Fine dining
Casual dining
Quick service cafe/coffee shop/marketplace
Bar/lounge
Room service
24-hour room service
free breakfast

Pool

The hotel offers a heated indoor lap pool, an indoor whirlpool and a childrens wading pool.

Pool open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Lap pool
Wading pool
Lazy river
Family pool
Infinity pool
Whirlpool/hot tub
Adults-only pool
Lifeguard on duty
Poolside service
Waterslide
Deck chairs or cabanas
Pool bar

See more pool hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Spa

The Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Empress features over 85 different massage therapies, body treatments, facials and couples services. Signature treatments include the Coastal Retreat, which includes body exfoliation, a shower, massage, body wrap, hair conditioning and gel masque. Spa guests receive access the to the mineral pool, the steam room and the Finnish-style sauna. The spa also offers salon services, including manicures and pedicures.

Combined spa and booking packages available

Services offered:

Massage
Facial
Body Treatments (i.e. scrubs, wraps)
Salon services
Outdoor treatment area
Steam room
Sauna

See more spa hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Kids

The Fairmont Empress has several activities and amenities for its young guests. Kids ages 5 and younger eat for free from the childrens menu and children ages 6 to 12 eat for half-price from the regular menu. The hotel offers a scavenger hunt around the property, complimentary bicycles and a childrens wading pool. Other activities include a Prince and Princess afternoon tea and in-room movies with refreshments (additional fees apply for some activities). Child-sized bathrobes are available upon request.

Babysitting services available for additional fee

Kids Club
Free Kids Club
Fee for Kids Club
Cribs
High Chairs

See more family-friendly hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Fitness

The fitness center features two saunas, cardio machines, strength-training equipment, free weights and men's and women's locker rooms. The Fairmont Fit program provides complimentary workout apparel, footwear, yoga mats and MP3 players to Premier and Platinum members (small additional fee for other loyalty club members) and the hotel has BMW bicycles that all loyalty club members are allowed to use.

Fitness center open 24 hours

Weight equipment
Cardio equipment
Yoga mats
Free fitness classes
Premium fitness classes (with fee)

See more fitness hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Business

The Fairmont Empress offers 23,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can accommodate groups of 12 to 1,200 guests. The hotel features two of Victoria's largest ballrooms, several smaller meeting rooms and a dedicated boardroom space. The Crystal Ballroom features glittering chandeliers, ornate wall tapestries, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a Bose sound system. For smaller gatherings, the Library features hardwood floors, wall paneling, a working fireplace and harbor views. On-site audiovisual equipment support and catering are available

Parliament buildings are one block south
Victoria Conference Centre is located on the other side of the hotel
Business center open 24 hours and has laser printing, photocopying and faxing capabilities along with a workstation

Number of meeting rooms: 22

Business center
Meeting rooms
Meeting and event planners available

See more business hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Pets

Pets are treated like royalty at the Fairmont Empress, with in-room amenities like a bed basket, food and water bowls, bottled water, treats and waste disposal bags. A fee of $25 CAD (about $19 USD) per pet per night is added to the guestroom bill.

The hotel offers maps of pet-friendly areas in the city as well as dog-walking trails
Litter boxes available for cats

Pets allowed (with fee)
Dog walking
Pet-sitting

See more pet-friendly hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

Wedding

The Fairmont Empress offers two of Victoria's largest ballrooms for wedding ceremonies and receptions, as well as the romantic Rose Garden for outdoor celebrations during the summer season. The ornate Crystal Ballroom can fit up to 320 guests for a banquet-style event, 500 guests for receptions or up to 280 guests for dinner and dancing, while the smaller, refined Shaughnessy Ballroom can hold 180 guests for seated dinners. Both ballrooms are equipped with Bose sound systems. For more intimate weddings, the Library's wood paneling, fireplace and harbor views offer a classic, cozy space that is able to fit 30 guests for a banquet or 40 for a standing reception. The Rose Garden, located at the southern end of the grounds, is filled with color during the spring and summer, and the hotel offers an indoor backup venue in case of inclement weather.

Maximum wedding guest capacity: 320

Hotel hosts weddings
Outdoor space for weddings
Wedding planners available

See more wedding hotels in Victoria & Vancouver Island »

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Find the Best Price

at the Fairmont Empress

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