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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Empress Hotel offers four star comfort and has 104 refurbished bedrooms of which there are a number of Executive Sea View rooms and a fantastic top floor Penthouse overlooking the whole of Douglas Bay. All of the remaining Classic single, double and twin bedrooms are fully equipped with the comforts of home. For dining, we have The Brasserie Restaurant offering an a la carte selection of carefully prepared dishes by our expert team of chefs and this is located by reception. Alongside the restaurant is the Piano Bar offering bar meals, coffee and drinks which is open from 11am until late with our resident pianist playing up to 4 days a week and Sky/BT Sports also available for Sports fans.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Classic
Ocean View
Languages Spoken
English, Bulgarian, Polish
Location
Central Promenade, Douglas IM2 4RA
The Empress Hotel
4 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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The Empress Hotel boasts an inviting atmosphere, particularly in its piano bar, which many guests find conducive to relaxation. While the hotel's rooms are often described as small, the majority of travelers consider them clean and functional, some with the bonus of sea views. The prime promenade location earns consistent praise for its convenience to transportation and attractions.
Opinions on value and service quality, however, are mixed, with some reviewers highlighting good value in meals and others dissatisfied with the service and pricing. Cleanliness throughout the hotel is consistently commended.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Cramped
Value
Variable
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Stayed 3 nights recently and the location on the centre of the promenade is perfect for accessing restaurants/bars and getting out for a walk along the promenade. Check In was so easy and we stayed on two rooms on the second floor, the rooms are very small but functional in that the bed is comfortable, clean sheets /towels and coffee/tea available in rooms along with decent storage and a TV. Bathroom is again small but clean & the shower in the bath is good. Bar in hotel closes most nights at 12 midnight but on a Sunday, it's 11pm and has good choices of beers/wines. Breakfast is self service with continental and cooked options and the food was tasty and plentiful. Pleasant staff throughout the hotel makes it feel welcoming - this is a nice hotel but keep in mind the rooms are small but even that issue, wouldn't stop me from recommending this hotel to stay in.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our second stay this year taking advantage of their excellent value winter staycation offer of two nights B&B with dinner on the first night plus a bottle of the house red, we opted for the sea view suite which has a separate lounge with full sea views, settee, arm chairs, sky TV and a coffee maker. The bedroom has a king bed, it's own TV and full bathroom (hairdryer on wall but not suitable for styling), only criticisms are no fridge and a rather hard mattress. General housekeeping is very good as is the staff professionalism and friendliness also the décor and ambience is pleasant and relaxing with a pianist with a nice voice on the Friday night, more often in the summer I believe. We eat both nights, first in the Brasserie Restaurant then in the adjoining Piano bar, different menus and both good with the tapas in the Piano Bar especially good value. I was disappointed when wanting a glass of red with the meal to be offered only (Merlot), fortunately there was a bottle in the room also choice of beers at the bar is a bit limited, plenty of gins though. In conclusion I would put the Empress in the top five island hotels well located on the sea front with good public transport connections, on the minus side there is no parking and public parking could be an issue also there are quite a few steps to negotiate at the entrance and public areas, lifts are available all floors.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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This is my 2nd visit here and all the virtues remain - outstanding views and near enough the town centre to be walkable, yet far enough away to escape the hustle and bustle. There are over 100 rooms across 4 floors, but only 1 small lift due to the age of the building. The stairs are adjacent to the lift, should the need arise to use them. My compact single room had been recently refurbished and all that was missing was a fan to help with the August heatwave. The breakfast is served early enough to cater for guests booked to return home on the 8.45am ferry to Heysham. Always plenty of staff around and the evening food service in both the restaurant and bar was attentive with good portions and sensible prices. I thoroughly enjoyed the convivial atmosphere during my stay, with the hotel attracting a more mature guest.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Empress is in an excellent location with panoramic views of the bay. You enter through a covered stairway into the conservatory, with spacious seating and bar on the right, brasserie restaurant on the left, and reception straight ahead. We ate in both the restaurant and bar, and on both occasions the food and service were very good. Reception staff not particularly personable or helpful, but elsewhere all the staff were great. We had a spacious king room overlooking the sea, and it was excellent. This room had a large tv with all the UK Sky channels, although a bit fiddly to operate. Note, there are no room safes. We did notice that some of the standard rooms are quite small, so worth paying a bit extra for the larger ones. Breakfast is buffet style, served in the promenade restaurant on the lower floor. Good buffet choice, regularly topped up, and you can order Manx kippers. Like many hotels in Douglas, the Empress occupies a series of Victorian houses joined together, with interesting changes in floor levels as you transcend it. It has a lift, but no car park. However, free parking is available along the seafront running North from the hotel, for up to 16 hours per session/ space, and free all day Sundays. We never had a problem finding a space, usually directly opposite the hotel. Well appointed, clean, and comfortable. Tip - all prices are significantly less expensive if you book direct through the hotel website.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amazing staff, extremely helpful. My husband fell outside the hotel and broke his pelvis in 3 places and spent 13 days in Noble Hospital. As a result I stayed behind when our coach returned home. One member of staff helped me book a flight home after I was scammed. I was made to feel special by the staff, asking me how my husband was and how I was managing. Cleaners moved my luggage to different rooms when I had to change, extremely pleased as I wasn't relishing doing that on my own. Special thanks to bar staff who kept me going, also reception, waiters/waitresses, chefs and cleaners. Delicious food.Couldn't have had better service anywhere. Would definitely recommend this hotel. Huge thanks to everyone x
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Bar food delicious and good value
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a really good few days at the Empress. It was all clean, everything worked and service was prompt and efficient, if possibly a little "scripted" at times.Our seaview room on the 3rd floor was quiet with a great view and had enough floor space to do our exercises. The over-bath shower had good water pressure and grab rails. The food was good throughout, from the plentiful choice of buffet breakfast through to a full evening menu and a good range of bar meals which include lighter items. The room was serviced correctly on a daily basis. We parked on the promenade, but could have easily parked in the town centre car parks a short walk away. The lift is small and can create delays during the arrival/departure of coach parties. I think that the finish in the bathroom is less than 4* - heavy handed grouting and sealant, cheap and wobbly toilet seat, wobbly grab rail, no mirror light (which we normally use as a nightlight) and we found the mattresses a bit soft, though we do have very firm beds at home. So, overall, we were very happy at The Empress and these latter points did not substantially detract from our overall comfort.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don't get me wrong, the hotel staff were helpful and friendly on the whole and the food was excellent however, the hotel is tired, the rooms are small and their descriptions misleading. Some rooms should be advertised and sold as 'with restrictions' due to low beams, sloping floors or just generally tiny!. We were a party of 5 and i complained about my room and was moved. Another member of the party also complained about their room and were given the room we originally complained about!. The evening entertainment in the bar area on nights were pianists who also sang. It was too loud even though we were seated as far away from them as possible making it hard to conversate and I am sad to sad one of the vocalists was dreadful (out of tune and banging the keyboard instead of playing it - dreadful song choices too that he tried to sing with a fake American accent. The senior leadership team for this hotel need to step up what's on offer for the price and I suggest insisting they provide guest feedback forms and not just relying on customers voicing there frustrations to the front of house team who were clearly weary on all the complaints at checkout this morning. I overheard another guest compla8n that they were not served a bar meal last night as 'walk in' customers had been given priority. The breakfast facilities are chaotic too! The hotel is in a prominent postion and could be fantastic if they listen to customer feedback. This was a true reflection of our stay and not meant to offend but give an honest reflection of our stay.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I spent four nights bed, breakfast and evening meal here as part of a coach tour to the island, so we didn't book directly. We did however check the hotel website and were duly impressed, which proved to be a huge mistake. Our room was extremely pokey, really a single room into which a double bed had been shoehorned, as it was impossible for both of us to move around at the same time, and I had to move the chair into the doorway at night to avoid bumping into it during the night en-route to the bathroom. The emulsion-splattered window revealed a dismal prospect over an inner courtyard featuring cracked and falling masonry, together with what appeared to be an asbestos sewage pipe. Above this space was suspended a net, presenting an image of a prison yard. Each morning the clearing of throats echoed unpleasantly outside our window, and the curtains did not meet so with daylight streaming through at 4 am each morning it was impossible to get a decent night's sleep.
I did ask reception to upgrade us at my cost on two occasions but nothing better was apparently available.
The food was of poor quality badly presented, a much lower standard than a certain national pub chain. The eggs and bacon at breakfast had been kept warming for far too long, leaving them hard and rubbery. Similarly a kipper one morning was tough and chewy. At dinner, gravy was added to plates before the meals were served, even over the chips. I had to constantly ask for salad dressing which gave the impression that the hotel simply wanted to bang out the meals as quickly as possible with little consideration. The staff however were very friendly.
The bar area was very pleasant and comfortable, and we did enjoy a concert by a pianist one evening.
We would certainly not stay here again and I will be submitting a copy of this review to the coach company.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is such a well located hotel on Central Promenade, on entering, bar and restaurant areas are bright and modern. Reception which is ahead to the left is actually titled Reception and Business Centre, and staff sit in an area behind the reception desk and look out for you through a window, before coming round to the front, it is certainly not designed to be guest friendly and approachable. We stayed in the Penthouse which was spacious with a great balcony and views. Our main issue was on checking the mattress protector which I always do, it was unacceptable with multiple stains, it was replaced for us on request but without any apology, another cleanliness issue was the small sofa and chair in this room which were stained and grubby. Overall we enjoyed our stay, all meals were of a reasonably good quality. Just disappointed that no apology from management was forthcoming, a little bit of customer care would have been appreciated.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was easy to book on the hotel’s own website. We had a sea view room from 2nd to 6th September 2024 and found the room very comfortable and dining in the Piano Bar excellent. We also thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely breakfasts each morning. All the hotel staff we encountered during our stay were always friendly and helpful. Would certainly stay there again if we revisit the IOM. If, during your stay, you are intending to use the various buses and trams to visit the numerous heritage sites we found the “GO Explore Heritage Adult Pass” to be good value and there are convenient bus stops near to the hotel.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isle of Man, United Kingdom153 contributions32 helpful votes
Bus stops within 20yards on both sides, regular services, every 20 minutes, routes serves Promenade, sea terminal and airport, search bus vannin for timetables and fares also a useful findmybus.im website showing location of all routes plus heritage railways.
London, United Kingdom76 contributions55 helpful votes
Hi you can park right outside for free on the road if there is space or just in the side roads further up. You can normally park on the prom but it's being refurbed at the moment
"Unfortunately pool not in use anymore I loved it but not enough visitors using it.... the island when there where amusments was more an comersilizedpity
"
There are more places to choose from in the Douglas area.
PRICE RANGE
£84 - £105 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
empress hotel douglas, empress hotel isle of man
LOCATION
United KingdomIsle of ManDouglas
NUMBER OF ROOMS
104
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