Stayed in the "Gold" section as part of a trip I arranged for my wife's birthday. Scheduled the dates to coincide with the Tall Ship Festival. The Gold section includes a personal concierge and a beautiful pair of lounge rooms with a view of the harbor that are used for various meals and relaxing. Unfortunately, the concierge and lounge were... more

Beautiful property, lovely staff, excellent service. We could not have been happier with our stay. Room service was quick and easy, the concierge arranged a babysitter, everything went so smoothly. It is well-maintained and tremendously located, right in the center of town and overlooking the water. It is famous for its afternoon teas, but I think its gardens rival the... more

This is a beautiful gem. We stayed on the Gold level and were treated like royalty. Beautiful facility, super comfortable room, right on the water. The Gold level staff are so solicitious and the their complimentary breakfast and afternoon appetizers are excellent. Even though this is an historic place, it is perfectly maintained. (Note that because of its age, most... more

Upon check-in I asked for a room with a harbor view, and the staff was able to accomodate me on the second floor. I didn't realize the hotel did not have air conditioning, and the day was unseasonably hot and humid. Because I had this great view of the harbor, an open window meant lots of street noise at night,... more

The Fairmont Empress is great if you like the grand old hotels. It feels elegant and traditional but it is old so if you like new you might prefer staying elsewhere. Our stay was very comfortable and enjoyable. We had a harbourview suite and it was quite lovely. The concierge on our floor was very helpful and willing to please.... more

Got a junior suite with partial view of the harbour. Room was spacious, and bathroom was large. BTW, only a few rooms in the Empress have A/C, so if this is something you need, you'll need to pre-arrange it. But you don't need A/C in Victoria. Anyway, room was very clean. Housekeeping okay if not overly friendly (saw our housekeeper... more

After reading all the reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen pictures of the Empress as a child and had always wanted to visit-- I decided to ignore the bad reviews and take a chance. I'm, personally, glad I did-- but I can't say this place is for everyone. I definitely agree that for the price you're... more

Stunning. What a neat place! Service was outstanding! Nice location overlooking the water. Convenient location to shops, restaurants and museum. Rooms were ok. You will love it here!!! more

I just returned from a one-night stay at the Empress with my mom. She has always wanted to stay at the Empress and we were able to book a package - Steeped in Tradition - through the BC tourism website for $249. Check-in was great - we came off the Coho ferry around 10am and our room wasn't ready. The... more