In June of this year we travelled to Canada /Alaska. Whilst in Victoria we went to High tea at the Empress. The experience was wonderful, although quite expensive. Would recommend it for a once off occasion and indeed it was as good as if not... more

We stayed at the Empress December 2017 over the Christmas Holidays. The service was, as usual, impeccable. We had a Gold Suite and it was beautiful and comfortable. There was room for all four of us. We spent most of our time enjoying the service... more

Many small details were not up to par with what you expect when staying at a Fairmont property. Great location and beautiful view from our room. May try a different accommodation when we return to Victoria. Went to celebrate my husbands bday and still had... more

Came for a business conference and was very satisfied with my stay. The rooms are nicely decorated. Bed was very comfortable. Cleaning stafff were great. Bar is wonderful.My only complaint would be the lack of free WiFi even for our group of 80 people or... more

Fantastic location and classy hotel

This is the best location for visiting Victoria. Hotel very nice, rooms great size and bathrooms lovely. Loved the pool ideal after a day sightseeing. Cocktails in Bengal lounge fab! We had room service and came quick and tasted wonderful.

Holy cow, what an amazing experience

We decided to stay in the Empress as a final nod to summer and just to relax and really enjoy ourselves.

The hotel is just gorgeous when you drive up and immediately you are approached by the best valet experience. They come straight over, help... more

A grand old lady

Very helpful and very friendly staff. The old girl shows her age compared to the competition....no walk in showers, views limited in many rooms, etc. We had just spent 3 days at Brentwood Bay Resort and comparisons are difficult. One has fantastic views and interiors. The other has history and style (not to mention high tea). The Empress is downtown Vic, the other is more remote. Both are... more

Pure Luxury

Just a grand hotel. The staff were very, very helpful. The Jazz in the Bengal Bar was incredible. An amazing place for a drink. We were there right before Christmas so the hotel was a bit crowded with tourists who were there to see all the decorated trees. We're looking forward to our next stay.

Beautiful hotel, in a beautiful city filled with lovely people.

Great Hotel. Great Location.

We were a family with an infant, and the hotel was very accommodating. Due to the off-season, we were upgraded to a harbour view, which also provided a nice little enclave for the crib. It bears worth mentioning though, that the window was pretty tiny. Although the lack of natural light helped for the little one to nap. We enjoyed our breakfasts and afternoon tea. High chairs were provided in... more

Ambiance is Everything

We really enjoyed our stay. Loved the room, the staff, and location. Don't stay on the 3rd floor 389-391,393,395,397 side. You're right above a food vent so you get all the smells of the cooking below. Might not be a problem if you're higher as the odour may not travel too high.

Great experience

It's the Fairmont Empress Victoria! Loved our stay. Enjoyed High Tea in the Tea Room! Tried the Bengal Lounge. Very nice.

Minimum 50 characters. It was awesome. Excellent and attentive staff. Beautiful facilities.

Elegant atmosphere

Staying at the Empress was marvelous. We enjoyed the gold floor junior suite, but wish it had had more of a harbor view as we had reserved. Only the side window provided any view of the harbor. The majority of the windows looked onto a side street. This was the only disappointment of our stay. The gold lounge was relaxing and we enjoyed our breakfasts there daily.

Very nice and relaxing

A mum vacation. Very nice and quiet. A great time away.

Felt for the cost there should of been more amenities .. Like free tour for guests.. Discount at restaurants or at least less expensive snack/ lunch food options on site for elderly that can't walk off very far off site..

Great staff, food and amenities. Room-very small

The staff is wonderful. Public spaces are lovely food is amazing. The look on the face of the young woman at reception as she assigned us our room should have been a "clue", the room (542) was very small, dated and next to the ice machine and elevator. It did have a great view of the harbor. We were in a hurry to enjoy victoria and didn't request a change...our mistake.

Very Central Location.

Easy walking distance to shops, restaurants, Fisherman's Wharf, Museum, Chinese District and gardens etc. Tour collection point is right out front of Hotel. Whale watching tours leave from the area across from the Hotel. An excellent location and a wonderful setting.

Great location

Room too dry hot ..bit dowdy,crowded .. Zumba class blairing at 8:00 am ??room not tidied up until after 5:00 ..too busy .. disappointng

Outdated hotel

The musty smell was everywhere, bathrooms were terrible

All was wonderful.

All was wonderful! I would recommend to anyone who wants a 5 star experience in a historic hotel. This historic hotel is beautiful, a true landmark in the gorgeous city of Victoria. The Fairmont Hotel staff are wonderful and very helpful, this is consistent to all their properties.

Beautiful hotel but old and cramped washrooms

Beautiful hotel but super old and tiny washrooms Excellent service from the staff and friendly Loved Earl our waiter from the empress dining room!

Good for History Buffs - But No A/C

Very long trek from the elevators to the hotel room.

Very nice and majestically hotel.

Had a wonderful stay, everything is close to hotel.

Old fashion hotel

The most famous hotel in Victoria. The room is clean,but there is no air condition.

The staff was very friendly and helpful, the bed comfortable. The room a bit too small and the bathroom needed to be renovated. Bathroom was too small and very inconvenient. Fairmont is overprice for the type of room. They always give you the worse rooms even though you pay a high price.

What can you say, it's the Empress. Love the Bengal Lounge, still one of my favorite stops.

No AC and it was so hot in September. Beautiful on the outside, needs a remodel on the interior. The one bedroom suite had a bedroom and separate living area. Both rooms are tiny 15x15 with miniature bathrooms. The water pressure in one bath was hardly a drizzle while the other had great pressure. Luck of the draw. The fixtures and furnishings are extremely old and need to be upgraded. The... more

I knew this hotel was going to be pricey. I didn't know the parking fee was going to be twice as much as in the other public side of the parking garage under the hotel. Supposedly it was more secure but considering that the room rate is three times that of a regular hotel? There was also a fee for wifi. That could have been included in the price of the room. I found out that there were... more

Exceptional service!

This should be the standard

Practically perfect

The location was so convenient: easy to find, in the middle of lots of good restaurants and shops in walking distance, safe neighborhood, right on the waterfront. Room was larger than expected and very nicely furnished. Between the ceiling fan and open windows, the temperature was very comfortable and I never missed air conditioning. Food was delicious and well presented, although a bit pricey.... more

Fabulous and beautiful hotel in a lovely and charming city. The curry buffet in the Bengal Lounge is delicious. Love the Gardens. The front desk staff is excellent

Good experience

Food and drinks not a good value. Otherwise a great three days.

Beautiful, historic hotel overlooking the harbour

I took my wife back to Victoria to celebrate our anniversary and wanted to stay at the Empress like we had 15 years before. I had chosen to upgrade our accommodations to the Fairmont Gold service and I'm very pleased that I had. We had a most enjoyable visit.

No air conditioning!

hot day, no air condioning, room equipped with fans but no apparent way to plug them in. I would not stay here again. Very disappointed, especially after staying at the Fairmont in Vancouver, which got only the highest marks from us!

Yousief was our server for afternoon tea on Feb 8, and he was the epitome of appropriate and quality customer service. We had a small child with us, and he was treated very well, which was noticeable. Of course, the food and tea are top notch, but the server really put the performance over the top. Thanks!

A tired gem

The service was excellent, but the condition of the room was far from 5-star. Bathroom fixtures were very tired (and fairly budget to begin with). The furniture in the room was equally tired and in need of replacing. We left feeling a bit disappointed after looking forward to the Empress 'experience' for some time beforehand.

We ate lunch on the veranda at the Empress Hotel one afternoon last week. We had the lamb burger. It was very very very delicious. We had a Caesar salad along with it and it was a delicious salad. The service was exceptional! The beautiful view over the bay was gorgeous. Our experience at the Empress Hotel was definitely a wonderful one and we would not hesitate to return again if ever visiting... more

Exploring Victoria

This was an absolutely lovely experience. I booked as we drove off the ferry, we arrived at12:30PM and our room was ready. Our room was on the Gold floor with direct view over the harbor. I think Our timing was pretty good to get these accommodations. I utilized the Spa and had a fantastic massage. We loved the Bengali room and Len the bartender was extremely pleasant. I will return to the... more

We went there for a late afternoon tea around 430. We were very fortunate to sit by the window, great view!
The food was very tasty and I got Darjeeling for tea, great match.
The sandwiches were good, the pastries as well, but the scone was so so.
They also offered complimentary tea bags for you to take home in the end.
The only downside of our experience was we were kind of rushed out because... more

Very old Grand Hotel

With lots of improvements, we expected air conditions, a bathroom that was comfortable and beds that were not rock hard. The veranda dining could have been spectacular with that view, but bad food and neglect by the server, well we did not return. The high tea was wonderful, and we did it twice during our stay. Lovely staff in tea room.

I feel like a queen everytime I go. I don't care how expensive it is the service is top notch and I travel all the way from Kansas City Ks to enjoy this experience.

Iconic Hotel in the best location on the Harbor.

Grand public spaces in the original buildings. Wonderful Veranda on the harbor for outdoor eating. Exceptional staff. High Tea was a very nice event with great snacks and beautiful bone china made for Queen Elizabeth's visit in 2002.

My family and I stayed here for a week and had an absolutely marvelous time. Everything about the Empress was fantastic. Our room was spectacular and the service was over the top. I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

This review is of the Veranda restaurant in the Empress. My wife and I arrived on a weeknight without reservations and were seated promptly. Service was very friendly, but slow. The food was marginal at best, and very expensive. I'd avoid the albacore tuna sandwich, which was really a red pepper sandwich with a tuna garnish. Disappointing. We had considered booking for tea later in the week,... more

You can't go wrong with the Fairmont!

Fantastic location. Charming hotel. Stayed with 2 young kids and got to Victoria late. Crib and playpen were already set up in the room. Service there is exceptional!

Grand hotel with first rate service

Everything was well above average except for the room air temperature on hot days. No air conditioning is the only detraction (other than the prices) from an otherwise wonderful experience.

High tea at the Empress has always been a dream of mine. I finally had the chance to try it on a sunny summer afternoon this August.

I was impressed with the grandeur of the Empress building; the location and scenery did not disappoint. My friend and were seated near the window and could enjoy views of the ocean. The place was packed, though, so I would highly recommend making a reservation.
... more

Great hotel as expected

Everything was excellent except for the old facilities which sometimes made a little inconvenient. For example, the window could only open a little bit, and shower water was a bit cold. Other than that everything looks perfect

High priced. High tea

You know the price going in, but with taxes and tip it will end up at over $70 per person and that is before the $14 glass of champagne they will immediately offer you.
All of the sandwiches and pastries are per made and the towers are lined up and ready to go. You could get the same assortment at... more

High Tea at the Empress

We could not go to Victoria without having Tea at the Empress! Pretty pricey, of course ($60 not including tax), but worth it one time. Very English, great ambiance. Didn't look like a lot of food (tea sandwiches, strawberries, scones, pastries), but we were full by the time it was all gone. Hotel and grounds are awesome.

Very nice hotel. No air conditioning in rooms but they have been nicely updated in the rooms. General areas are a bit dated. Pool and workout facility and functional but not overly impressive. Location is the best part- this is right in front of the Harbor and the starting point for all excursions.

Not high tea - not worth it

The Empress is a part of the Fairmont Hotel family. Servers neatly suited in black with white shirts and white gloves provide table service. Piano music plays standards in the background and you can look out the window over the bay across the street and people watch.
Why then only three stars? In my opinion an average score. Well here... more

Great service but food a little disappointing

We stayed at the Empress and decided to have our big family dinner at the Empress Room. The wait staff was very attentive. It took quite a while to get our food. I enjoyed my halibut, but it wasn't hot and was a very small serving. Same with the others in our party. Our nephew had roasted chicken which he... more

Pretty good, but it's the venue

We enjoyed our meal and waiter. Elegant room in an historic hotel, not huge and not with a view if that's what you want. Tasty, well prepared, but not inspired.

Great location, but not worth the price

Rooms are old. A/C did not work well.

A night to Remember

The Empress experience was amazing. The food was very good with a menu that would satisfy all appetites. The ambience of the hotel adds to a fine dine experience that will be remembered for many years to come. The price was much lower than expected and the dessert was the perfect finish to a wonderful birthday dinner.

Great place to stay if you are staying in Downtown Victoria! Walking distance to lots of things, old charm. They could renovate more of the rooms but the hotel is one of a kind and I would stay here again.

Attractive comfortable room

Attractive, comfortable room in a perfect location for exploring Victoria's waterfront, BC Museum, Art Gallery, Laurel Point, Beacon Hill Park, Emily Carr House, etc.

過不足なしのホテルに便利な立地

チェックイン時間は込み合い少し待ちましたがフロントスタッフの対応は良かったです、食事の場所も的確にいい店を教えてくれます。ただ、夜のスタッフは微妙です。夜ルームサービスの注文時うまく電話がつながらなかったので（多分かけ方が悪かったと思います）フロントに行ってメモを見せ、代わりに注文してもらおうと思ったら深夜メニューが変更になっているので自分で聞いて下さいと言われました。メニューが違っていたので注文はやめ徒歩4分くらいのコンビニで食糧調達しました。アフタヌーンティーは込みますので時間に余裕をもって行ったほうがいいとおもいます。ホテルの目の前は景色もよくツアーもよく出ているので立地は完璧だと思います。喫煙所は外の少し奥まったところなので女性が一人で行くときは念の為周囲は確認したほうがいいとおもいます。

Beautiful views

The Empress has beautiful views. The rooms are charming. The staff is helpful. The swimming pool and hot tub were wonderful. The best part of our stay was having tea. High tea was lovely, with more than enough to eat. Our waitress was very personable, and on top of every need.

Fancy older hotel

This hotel is beautiful everywhere except inside the bedrooms where there is no air conditioning, the windows do no open enough upper part or lower part enough to allow for air to flow through. In fact the rooms were not any better then many motels that I have stayed the cost half as much. The public areas are very nice but all are not original to the hotels age. The totem poles are not real in... more

Cool Experience

It is a very cool experience and the views are great out of the room. It is very expensive, however.

Lovely historical hotel

The first time I visited Victoria I saw this hotel and really wished i was staying there. This time around we were in Victoria for 2 nights and spent them at this historic hotel. The grounds and common rooms are lovely. We didn't do the high tea because we had a small baby with us, wish we could have experienced that. We did get drinks in the terrace overlooking the water. The staff were very... more

Bengals

We had the Indian buffet ($30/pp) but great food and you could get all you wanted. The soup was exceptional.

Expensive High Tea But The Experience Is Worth It

As of July 2014 high tea at the Empress Room, which is offered much of the day, was close to $60 Cdn per person. However, tea with extensive array of sandwiches and sweets offered on a three tiered silver tray were worth it in our view. Service was also top notch with waiters offering to take your photo. Making a... more

Landmark hotel centrally located was a nice experience.

Grand but Gross
The hotel itself is beautiful steeped in tradition. The rooms
are very outdated and dirty. Stains on the bedding and furniture
and a tiny tiny bathroom with a yellow dirty tub. It is high
time for a remodel- I've stayed in cheap motels
that were cleaner than this place. A must stop while in
Victoria but stay somewhere else.

I expected SO much more from this hotel. It is a Fairmont after all.

I'm not basing my review off of the customer service or the staff, because they were absolutely courteous and welcoming. The review is based on the rooms the hotel as a whole and the price.

The rooms- they were completely underwhelming. They were outdated, they smelled of old, and they looked rundown. I'll add some photos so... more

Breakfast buffet generous but individual options a little expensive

The breakfast buffet is good value for those with a larger appetite. However, not as much choice as the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, whose breakfast buffet is sublime. Individual times such a bowl of cereal are quite expensive but the service is what you pay for and the service in the restaurants is excellent - on saying that you pay... more

Beautiful Lady

Amazing hotel, great location, friendly, helpful staff: a lovely experience. Will go back soon.

Value for Money

Even though the menu looks pricey, it is definitely worth it for the food quality and dining experience. We'll definitely return!

Empress Dining

The Empress is a grand old hotel and it's main dining room is quite exquisite. Food was wonderful, though portions were not huge. Service was very good. The wine list is extensive, a bit pricey though not out of line for this quality of restaurant and venue.
It is a great place to dine for a special occasion--relaxing, great ambiance and very good food!

Huge old grand dame hotel overlooking the harbor.

Ambling around the historic hallways and corridors of the hotel is an activity in itself. The staff is first rate, and the hotel manager was ready to jump and "make it right" when we had a special request. Make sure to check out the old dining rooms for beautiful carved wood ceiling. High tea is expensive, but a real treat.

Rooms are nice,... more

Afternoon Tea at the Empress

Lovely piano music, yummy scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam. Our waiter was attentive. I was sad to see that even though there was a posted dress code, other guests were dressed very casually.

Nine out of Ten.

Fantastic upscale ambiance, excellent staff, very good food and the chef obviously understands the value of flavour subtleties. Being vegetarians we were hoping for more than one main course choice. The portions were very small. The "compliments of the chef" lemon sorbet was appreciated very much. A very artistically rendered "Happy Birthday" dessert was brought even though the birthday person... more

很不错

好处不用多说，大家都知道，缺点是有点旧了，房间在副楼。

Lovely

Beautiful hotel. Old and stately. Perfect location. Only negative was no wifi and the room was tiny!

High Tea at lunch time

One must reserve for this experience as it is very popular. WE made a booking for 1145 as that was what was available. Even though it advertises for 1200 onwards. Already the room was packed. This is the most expensive High Tea I have ever taken (and I have had many) but it was not the best. I felt we... more

All show and no substance

The Fairmont Empress is the type of hotel you book for your mother. She enjoys the pomp and circumstance, the eloquent hotel features, and the rich history of old things. Indeed, The Fairmont exceeds in these qualities to the fullest. However, this is where the function of a stay at The Fairmont ends. For one of the most expensive hotels in the immediate area, one would think the lavishness... more

Exquisite Hotel

Wonderful Staff: Very Professional, Friendly and Courteous. I have been in the Hospitality Industry for 30 years and the first thing I look at is Employee behavior in any Establishment. Everyone I Met and Spoke with where Knowledged, Attentive and had a Positive Attitude....Thank You to all of them for making my Stay so much more Enjoyable.

I am glad that this place was finally sold to the developer Nat Bosa. I sure hope that he updates this place and make it feel less creepy.
I get the chills when I enter this place. I could've sworn I saw a ghost in one of the stairwells late at night. Extremely creepy at night!!!
This hotel is over-rated, overpriced, and over-pretentious. I do hope that Empress gets a facelift but retain it's... more

Excellent

Wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend.

25th Anniversary :)

This evening was fantastic. We also included the Royal Table to make the occasion just that much better. The table setting, chef's additional surprises throughout the evening, and the dedication to the evening by our sommelier, Jae, made for a fantastic dining experience and celebration and the evening couldn't have gone any better.

Over.. Rated.. wow..
Rooms are tiny.. TINY.. bathrooms are 30 years old.. needs remodelling

Beautiful view? ahm, we got the view of the garbage compactor in the back.. what??

No Air Con.. really? no air conditioning? u know it gets a little hot in the summer right?

Checkin was 10 min wait as the clerk took 10 mins with ONE person to check in.

just so poor in every way.. it's unreal given... more

Beautiful, charming hotel located right at the heart of the Victoria inner harbor. Great service by friendly staff.

The hotel is lovely... They definitely need to redo their plumbing as the washroom in our hotel room did not work will and we had to call for maintenance twice.

Empress Room

Celebrating our 50 the wedding anniversary.
Wow! It was the very best meal we have ever had! The food was so delicious! Flavors incredible! Meal presentation was perfect, so special! Our waiter, Jae, was wonderful! He was very attentive, and anticipated our every need, couldn't have been better, was outstanding. It was the most memorable dinner we have had.

No air conditioning made it uncomfortable

Was really hot. Beautiful hotel, lots of charm, but no air conditioning in the room made it very uncomfortable. They did have a lot of fans (ceiling and otherwise) but it was still hot.

Nice hotel, a little on the old side.

Room was nice and comfortable but everything in it was a bit dated. Especially windows looked like they could use replacement. Location was perfect for a short stay in Victoria and the pool was very nice (the pool was why we chose the hotel in the first place). Our room wasn't ready when we got there and they gave us a few free drink coupons to make up for the hour wait. They charge for... more

A Big Room With Pillars, Dark Wood and High Ceilings

We dined in the Empress for breakfast and dinner. Neither experience was what I had anticipated. For Breakfast we opted for the menu and not the buffet. There wasn't anything unusual or very interesting about the menu. They sat us behind a pillar next to wait station on the far right side of dining room. Our service was terrible. We... more

Wowzer!!

What a perfectly beautiful romantic dining experience!! The food topped the charts of anything we had on our trip. The service impeccable!
Food allergies were accommodated with ease and good taste. And then there's the atmosphere of this grand building. WowZER! Go and enjoy!

Super food and service

The Empress room is finished with wood paneling (walnut finish) and faded tapestries. The room bespeaks elegance. Dinner started with the best bread I have had in a long time -- fresh brioche that were warm and soft. I had vichyssoise (cold soup) and my wife had a Caesar Salad. Both were outstanding. We share a lamb chop dinner. We... more

Great menu and a beautiful setting

This is a very elegant victorian restaurant providing high quality cuisine. The menu is varied and there is a good choice of affordable wines and cocktails. The service was superb with experienced sommeliers to help with the wine menu. No complaints or dislikes. Highly recommended.

Breakfast with a smile

Service (as in the entirety of the Fairmont) was exceptional and the food was good...usual offerings for a hotel. I did not have the buffet, but it looked to have a wide variety. My omelet and rye toast was satisfying and the non-tobacco hot sauce (something Jamaican the waitress suggested) was incredible! Definitely worth asking for!

Breakfast buffet in old-world style - elegant

We thoroughly enjoyed the full breakfast buffet at The Empress Room. Both the food and service were terrific. We found the selection of breakfast choices to work for all of us, and were glad to savor an elegant meal.
TIP: Arrive early into Victoria and head directly to breakfast here. The room will be almost completely empty, leaving time to... more

Dirty Dish

We had breakfast and found the dishes unclean as well as the apron of the server. Water glass had a bad smell as well. Very disappointing

Beautiful stately hotel, lots of character. You must have the Afternoon Tea. The Gold upgrade was worth the large beautiful room, extra amenities, and tasty breakfast buffet / snacks and personal concierge service.

We hope the new owners don't change things too much!!

Almost Fabulous

I reserved a Royal Table dining experience in the Empress Room for a special 70th birthday celebration, for a party of 7. We had pretty high expectations after reading reviews from other diners. Overall the evening was a success. However, I do feel the 'Royal' part was not quite worth it.Pros: VERY good service from our server. Fairly quiet considering Canada Day celebrations were going on in... more

Anniversary find!

The Empress Room has fabulous food in a quiet and romantic setting. The service is superb and offer to help in selections. The food was so delicious and presentation was incrediblble done. They ended our dessert with a personalized happy anniversary!

A Taste Of the Grand Tour

High Tea at the Empress Room is more theater than dining experience, and provides a glimpse into a time long gone. The elegantly presented and served savories and sweets are most certainly a meal despite their diminutive size. The service itself is one of those rare things in North American life: wait staff who are professionals and who clearly take... more

Gets my "Most Overrated" award. Staying in the basic Fairmont room. The room is very small and very dated. I have stayed at economy hotels that have been more comfortable and cleaner.

Bottom line, I would AVOID unless
You are staying in a premium room. There are far better options for the
Price.

Cool to look at

This place is cool to look at but nothing compared to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. It is mostly just nice to look at.

Superb meal, superb service

Six of us dined at the Dining Room at the Fairmont Empress Hotel for Fathers Day. What a treat! Our server, Guy, was outstanding....fun, attentive, knowledgeable and very prompt! He recommended our bubbly, knew exactly which wine would go with six different entrees.....and knew exactly where each meal should go. Every appetizer and entree at the table was met with... more

Food to die for

I don't know which was better, the excellent food, the ambiance or the service. Combined it was unbeatable.

Horrible experience. Our party of six was looking forward to a nice high tea. Our server explained she had 18 years of service at the establlishment. I am not a particularly picky person but when the server reached her tea stained white cuff shirt to fill an obviously dirty tea cup, I immediately felt violated. She did fill our first cups but left us to serve ourselves. I have done high teas... more

English High Tea at its finest

It was a delightful and delicious experience for us. We enjoyed impeccable service, delicious finger food and perfect tea, lovely piano music playing in the background, great ambience. We felt it was "perfection all around. I do not think it is too pricey for what they offer and the experience in itself. We felt special, were treated like favorite guest... more

Despite the renovations it still feels dated. The rooms are too small for the price charged. The afternoon tea while fun, is overpriced.

Empress Room Elegance

Fellow diners, please avail yourself of the hospitality and grandeur that this restaurant affords, but be prepared to pay for it. The overall dining experience should be a couple hours, as you want to relax and enjoy each exquisite offering with its recommended wine pairing and not feel rushed.
The Royal Table is highly recommended as you are personally engaged by the chef and have a fabulous... more

Highlight

Our dinner at the Fairmont Empress Room for dinner was the highlight of our trip to Victoria.

Eh, I heard it was more Grandioso than what I actually experienced. It was okay, but after having been at the Palace of Versailles in France, you can't compared that to the insides of the Empress. It wasn't that impressive.

good food but very quite

Had 2 dirty items of cutlary in the resterants. Did get them changed but at this standered would expect better

This historical hotel has seen better days. It is still very beautiful and interesting to walk through but I think a little bit overrated.

They have really nice shops and the tea for the afternoon looked fantastic. If you are in the area, go ahead and stop inside. Otherwise, don't waste your time if you are pressed for time.

A little too old to be luxurious

I booked ahead for high tea here. Pricey, at $60 a head, before taxes and tips. Though you could not want for more as far as food and service goes. Sandwiches, scone, sweets and individual tea pots are included. Ambiance-wise and price-wise, you could get a better deal high-teaing at the Georgia hotel in Vancouver. The tea didn't stay hot... more

This is a review of the Tea Room.

We came here with high hopes and expectations, well our fault I suppose as none of them were quite met. The reservation process was good, they took meal preferences quite seriously and made sure it was retained and clearly defined. However upon entering the restaurant, we felt it was nowhere near what was advertised. It is a glorified restaurant of the modern... more

Great location and excellent service that is paramount for Fairmont Hotels.

Weekend getaway

Hotel location was great as it was close to everything downtown. Of important note, the hotel does not have air conditioning--making for a couple of really warm nights but thankfully it Victoria cools down at night so you can open a window.

Ridiculously slow service.

We were there 3 hours and did not even want to stay for dessert! Tasty fish dishes. Loved all 3 once they arrived. (Crispy skin salmon, halibut, sablefish) Rib-eye was average, w/minuscule (2 ½ inches) lobster tail added on for $15! 3 of us had a salad and we ordered a nice bottle of wine, after cocktails. Thankful for the fun conversation b/c the insanely long waits between service (being... more

Fairmont Gold is Worth the Extra Cost!

When we arrived via boat into the Victoria harbor the Fairmont Empress was a truly majestic sight. We reserved a room in the Fairmont Gold level. The room was small but comfortable. What made this experience was the Gold staff and the hospitality suite that provided breakfast bar, snacks and a wonderful happy hour with appetizers. My only complaint was the hard bed and the room was a bit... more

Great Tea Time

The time we spent there was great. The Empress tea was just right, not strong but with delicate flavor. TIP, between 4 and 5 pm there is live piano music playing, get a reservation around that time. The finger sandwiches were delicious, the fillings were egg salad, salmon, curry chicken, cucumber. The staff is very friendly, Yiosef made our evening... more

Had cocktails on the Veranda. Gorgeous view, not to be missed. If you cannot afford High Tea, signature cocktail will do just fine.

Wonderful experience

Booked thru trip advisor open table. Worked perfectly. Even called to add another to our party. Wonderful tea, food and atmosphere. One of our party had not enjoyed their last outing at the empress, I was determined it wouldn't happen again. Got seated a few minutes before our reservation, even though cruise ship had just gotten there. Asked for a... more

Exceptional Food

3 egg Omelette is exceptional, although 2 eggs would be enough for a woman as serving portions were extremely large. We were also served fresh fruit. Meal started with oven fresh raisin scones. I am celiac and the toast they provided was very light and fluffy, the best! Only downside is they serve real Canadian Maple syrup with pancakes and... more

Excellent as usual

I've been here many time for dinner and breakfast and have never been disappointed by the experience. The only glitch this time was that the server was a bit slow approaching the table to start and never really engaged with us. It seemed like she was preoccupied with something else. The food was exceptional as always and the ambiance was good for breakfast.

Exquisite dining experience

While staying at the Empress, we enjoyed dinner in the famed Empress Room. Wait staff was most gracious for two late night diners, as we dined after our evening exploration of the beautiful city. Waiter's suggestions were great and he was attentive without being intrusive. Food was outstanding.

No visit to Victoria would be complete without tea. While the price tag is high, the product and service is beyond exceptional.

Very good brunch

Easter Brunch was very good. Excellent selection, seafood, breakfast items, fruit, desserts. Would highly recommend

Beautiful historical building. It's breathtaking. I am weak for such beauty's.

The room: super comfortable bed and pillows! TVs in the room and great view of the marina. Very clean rooms. Vintage!

Food: we went to a restaurant here and it was okay, nothing splendid. But the restaurant itself is SO beautiful, big beautiful fireplace, live music on some evenings, and you sit in beautiful... more

Outstanding! Gorgeous! Ornate! Incredible! All of these apply! I only stayed here one night of my entire life, but I enjoyed and cherished every minute of it, and will remember this one night stay for the rest of my days!

Very beautiful, historic hotel. I was impressed by the modern accomadations in such a historic old building.

Unique Quality: We were there in the Fall of 2003, and they had an antique boat show in the harbor, that is directly in front of the hotel. It was amazing to see some of the fine craftsmanship in some of the old boats.

Directions: Victoria Harbor

Wow! It's certainly not every day that you stay at the Empress Hotel, and what a surprise it was! For my 25th birthday, my significant other booked 2 nights at the Empress so that we could spend the weekend in Victoria. While I had never been to Victoria many times, he had not, so it was quite a luxury calling the Empress Hotel "home" while we toured the city.

During our time at the Empress,... more

Fairmonts are ratedto be one of the best hotels in the world, and in the one in Victoria I would not necessary call the best. It was nice and cozy but you can tell that the building is old and some of the things there were a bit run down for a four or five star hotel.

Other then that the service was great, everyone was super friendly and helpful. And it was fun walking in the hotel and window... more

I knew the Ottawa Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel from experience, but the Victoria Fairmont Empress is even more impressing with the Victoria Inner Harbour in front.

Also the front garden adds to the majestic size of the building.

The building is a true landmark, locally known as the Queen.

Directions: At the Inner Harbour; not to miss.

Even if you don’t stay at this hotel you must stop for afternoon tea which is enjoyed by over 100,000 people every year. The Victoria Fairmount Empress Hotel serves its own special blend of tea in fine Royal Doultan china. Tea is had in the magnificent Victoria Fairmount Empress Tea Lobby surrounded by handcrafted tapestries, lovely mouldings and polished hard wood floors

Unique Quality: One... more

The Empress Hotel as it is run today could have easily gone by the wayside, demolished in favor of something more modern and functional. True, by 1965 the grand old dame of the British Colombian Hotel world was showing more than wear and tear. Many cried that without The Empress the town would lose many of its faithful tourists so a $4 million campaign to refurbish it was undertaken. In the... more

EMPRESS HOTEL as shown in the picture if you can afford it. We stayed at the 'RED LION MOTEL'
$200.00 and up.
The RED LION was $150.00 double occ. We arrived on a Thursday with no reservation (On the week end they moved us to a smaller room as the weekend crowd get the best rooms ( the ones with a water beds). I WONDER WHY?? HA! HA!

Unique Quality: We had a water bed King Size for a while.

The Empress Hotel Did not stay here. Famous for its high tea which comes with a high price of $34 off season, $46 in the summer.

very expensive but you should stay at least one night here for the experience. Dont stay in one of the standard rooms, they are very nice but for this kind of money you might as well shell out a little more for a superior room.

Unique Quality: The ivy covered hotel looks like a castle and is one of the oldest in the city. The rooms are very romantic, done in victorian colors and decor. There... more

I stayed at the Empress for four nights at the beginning of March with my husband and we had a positive experience there. We booked the hotel as part of a package through West Jet Vacations and got a very good price. We decided to book a Deluxe Harbour View Room, as it was only about $20 per nightmore. Growing up in Canada, somewhat near the Rocky Mountains, I’ve always known about all the old... more

The Empress is Victoria's century old jewel, accomodating five stars in most tourist books. For more information about the Empress, check out my Must See Activities page.

Unique Quality: The hotel serves British style Afternoon Tea for eager patrons. The rooms are also very luxurious and among the best hotel surroundings in the city.

Directions: Next to the BC Parliament Buildings, the Royal... more

There are few hotels that give you a map when you check in so you can find your way around! A friend of mine left me chocolates through the Concierge, that went out and hand picked some choc -- wow, what service. Everyone is friendly and I just can't imagine staying anywhere else since the Empress is so much apart of the skyline of Victoria. I think the spa is a bit expensive but the bath... more

EMPRESS HOTEL: I didn't really stayed here, but it's a hotel belonging to the best chain CANADIAN PACIFIC HOTELS in Canada. So, it has to be good! Judging by the look of it, I passed by while walking around the harbor, I may not be able to afford it. But for those of you who'd like to explore Victoria, a one-night stay is recommended.

US$100-US$150.

Since I lived in Victoria, I never stayed in any hotels but the Empress isdefinitely the Queen of hotels in the city.

The most famous hotel here is the Empress which is pictured on the top of this page. It is a beautiful old hotel with perfect views of the harbour.

The Empress by the inner harbour, and also near the inner harbour--Days Inn.
The average price is about $80 per night, but then it depends on the season, and the type of accommodations desired.

Unique Quality: If you can get a hotel or motel with a view of the sea, it's worth it. At the Days Inn, I could look out the window, and see the Empress and the inner harbour, the Johnson street bridge... more

We stayed here over Easter, and I will never go back. First, they don't mention the charge for parking when you book a room, which was $30 for valet, and $30 for self park. A night. Thanks. Then, they advertise a free continental breakfast, that turns out is only for gold club members.

I also left my watch behind, and called that afternoon. They claim to have never found it. It was a $500... more

Let's start off by saying this is a gorgeous building, the service is amazing and the facilities work. That's the great part.

The not so great part. I upgraded to a "Fairmont" room over a standard queen room and I can't tell the difference for $30. The Fairmont room has nothing that the standard queen room didn't have. Not sure what the $30 was for. Also if you don't belong to the presidents... more

My boyfriend found this deal on Groupon. We stayed for 2 nights to celebrate Valentine's Day. We love the old Victorian/ Shining's Overlook hotel feel. We got lost in the labyrinth-like corridors at one point. I love the Rose 31 bathroom products, the exotic teas and the electric kettle. I loved that our bedroom was tucked away in a romantic and cozy, little nook. Make sure you fully explore... more

had the tea at the hotel, after short tour of parliament building across the street. probably should rate it four stars, but giving three stars, as it is a bit pricey for common folk, as noted in other reviews. service very nice, and server answered our questions, and offered to take picture of us. i think that the tea is cheaper at the fairmont in vancouver and other locations, and i can't... more

We did not stay at the hotel but we did have high tea during our July 2013 summer vacation to Victoria. I must say that the High Tea experience was probably the highlight of our trip to Victoria. When we made our reservation, we were able to ask for specially prepared vegan food items. Our little custom-made vegan sandwiches and pastries were so delicious! We enjoyed every single one, but... more

It was a getaway weekend. My boyfriend and I decided to hop the ferry to Victoria. I always wanted to stay at the old Empress Hotel, which we did. You know how sometimes you wish for something so hard for so long and it turns out to be disappointing. Well, that is exactly what happened to us. The building from the outside looks like a castle and the lobby is really nice but our room was not at... more

If you can splurge and stay on the Gold level. The hotel may be a tourist mecca but the Internet deal through the hotel's website makes for everything a well-heeled traveler would ever need; including a separate entrance and check-in location.

Dillon, Duane and Jeremy took care of us even to the point of running up the stairs three flights of stairs to see why the elevator had stayed put.

The... more

Family getaway

The location of the hotel is super convenient . If you want to take CVS city tour, the pick up stop is in front of the hotel.The room is nice although a little bit old. Staff is nice. The heater was broken in our room, they sent someone to check immediately and offered to move us to another room right away. I would highly recommend this hotel.

This is the place you'll hear every tourist center mention. High tea is supposedly the experience people go for this place. It's highly expensive for people to dress up nicely, drink tea, and enjoy cakes. Instead, we walked through the first floor, saw some people enjoying their tea but looked around the hotel and enjoyed the Christmas tree contest that is held in December.

Majestic Building

The empress is an impressive building situated in the heart of Victoria, Beautiful!!

Let's be honest, I'm first nations and I'm not a big fan of Victorian/old English culture....however I got a deal on a medical conference I was attending that I couldn't pass up so I figured I'd try it. I'm kind of in love with the Empress now. The customer service was exactly (and better than)what I would have expected. I felt very relaxed during my stay. The rooms at my conference rate were... more

For me the most important is that the beds are good. The beds are great!
Second is that the temperature and airflow is consistent and fresh - Check!
If there is good service on top of the first two - that is a bonus. Service is great!
Food is ok, but if you want a fantastic meal you usually wont eat at your hotel, right? Yelp have a long list of good eats.

the high tea at the Empress hotel is amazing. second time and still enjoyed it immensely. the champaign cocktail was also delightful :)

Stopped in off of the Victoria Clipper. Early check in. Super nice staff. The Hotel is in fine shape. Wife bought some fine China in the gift shop. Went swimming, drank in the Bengal Lounge and pretty much just soaked up the history and beauty of the hotel. Clipper Vacation price for 2 round trip fares and hotel was $293. Super deal for a super hotel . Will go back for sure. Went to Chinatown... more

Great hotel, great location, impeccable customer service and fast Internet... Seriously, don't question this place, just stay here and enjoy..

We stayed at The Empress because it had long been a dream of my husband's. It was decent in terms of a hotel, but it was not worth the price. If you have a dream like my husband's, then go. Otherwise, save your money. The most impressive thing about our room was the view of the harbour at night. Glorious! :)

This one-star rating though is for our experience at The Veranda, which is a... more

This was an Awesome experience!

Very British

Ein historisches in die Jahre gekommenes Hotel.Vielen Ausstattungen und dem Mobilar merkt man die Jahre an. Autos werden in einem öffentlichem Parkdeck ($ 16,-/Tag) geparkt, das Hotel verlangt $ 30,- pro Tag.

High tea. What a disappointment. Service terrible. Food average or poor. Not for anyone who has high tea before in any other place. Definitely not worth the price. After the hype,I really expect something exceptional.

Not what we expected

We could have got the same type of room and service at another hotel for a much cheaper price. There were no signs to even tell guests where the hotel and spa were. We only found it because we went into the 1 elevator out of 4 that had it listed. We were not the only ones to not know about it.The location was excellent but service in our room wasn't great. No bath at one day and the soap wasn't... more

This centrally located hotel has all the basics: clean room, friendly staff, plenty of ambiance. It does not have air conditioning, so our stay in July was a bit warm. The pool was large, clean and heated. We tried to eat breakfast in the hotel but the high pitched drilling noise was too much like being at the dentist. Would have liked to attend tea or dinner, but we were too busy driving... more

(No good way to separate the afternoon tea experience from the accommodations, so pardon to those seeking overnight feedback.)

Ah, the Empress does indeed present ironic historical qualms, as an earlier reviewer rightly pointed out. As someone whose ancestors had been subjugated (I'm Hong Kong-born), perhaps there's a reclamation of sorts at work when I'm the one being served. Except than the... more

Needs Upgrades

The Empress was obviously a world class hotel at one time. It now boasts outdated rooms in desperate need of upgrade (lemon yellow fiberglass bathtubs) and a staff that cannot be bothered to even make eye contact, let alone offer a greeting. t was great to experience this classic property once, but I would not return until some serious investment is made in the hotel.

Fairmont Empress

Really grinds me when hotel charges $16 per day for internet access.

All in all, a very blah experience. Overpriced, overbooked, customer service that was polite and friendly but sorely lacking in addressing problems that arose in a timely fashion. The whole place had a "corporate efficiency" feel, where they were understaffing and under-resourced in order to meet bottom lines determined from corporate central. It was generally difficult to get anything done -... more

We stayed at the Fairmont Gold level of this historic, beautiful hotel. I don't really want to let everyone in on this secret because I don't want it to be hard to get in next time I go (there will definitely be a next time because of my incredible experience!). If you are able to spend a bit more on your room for the evening, consider Fairmont Gold. The rooms are recently renovated, they are... more

The staff at the Empress made all of the difference in the world, particularly a young lady at the front/reception desk named Iva. I came in to the hotel, almost in tears because of a bad experience at a earlier hotel on the eve of my 25th anniversary. Iva arranged an upgraded room for us and sent up a small bottle of champagne with two glasses for us to toast with, and told us of the... more

We do a lot of afternoon tea (high tea) in San Francisco. The tea and food here really isn't anything special. It's fairly standard. For $60 a person, it's overpriced. I think $40 is more like it.

My current experience here was just sitting and walking around this old historic hotel while waiting for the bus back to the ferry. This place is so pretty and everyone is very friendly. They have some wonderful shops selling art, jewelry, cigars, and gifts. Make sure you explore the different rooms downstairs and pay special attention to the Victorian motif. If you're on Victoria Island you... more

Amazing

It was fun. The breakfast was great and the rooms had plenty of comfort.

Got a great deal on this 5-star hotel on the internet and was very pleased. Read some negative comments initially about the old facility and small rooms which did not pan out. I paid about $55 (US) for an upgrade upon check-in for a premium (larger) king room with harbor view and it was worth every penny. Saw ferries come in and sea planes taking off from my window. Got terrific views of... more

yes. however, they had difficulty to find my hotel reservation when i check in. it took about a half hour

The property is beautiful and everyone working there was very friendly. I booked a room with a harbour view, and was told when I checked in that there were none available, so they put me in the "gold" level. This included use of the lounge where they had a fabulous complementary breakfast and also lovely snacks and a bar in the evening. I was very pleased with the property. I would... more

Everyone should stay here at least once and enjoy the old style ambience of the hotel and restaurants, the proximity to the local sites and the unique experience of high tea. I found nothing lacking in the hotel and it was reasonably priced.

room excellent afternoon tea excellent our waitress was more than obliging and assissted us in any way with any request. She is credit to the company.( her name Krista ) bengal room good dinner this left a lot to be desired large plates with small quantity of food for the price. Vegetables were nhon existant and had to ask for the fiddleheads listed on the menu but not supplied.JUne asked for... more

Fantastic hotel and also the historic centrepiece of the city. Upgrade when you get there if it's available - the space, the view and the lounge are worth it. Great service and high spec furnishings, linens etc. Loved it.

We Loved the Fairmont Empress

Highly Recommended; a Pleasant experience; staff and management extremely helpful; we took in Afternoon Tea - an exceptional experience.

The location and convenience of this hotel cannot be beat. We got a great deal a week or two before our stay and luckily enough, we got a room as it was fully booked the night we stayed. Afternoon tea was fabulous. However the non-smoking room we stayed in clearly had a smoker in it and the water temperature had a mind of its own. Small details like those made the hotel not meet my... more

While the hotel itself is very good.i found the charges for parking at hotel outrageous.Most major hotels have free parking facilities. Cont.breakfest a little expensive for what you get also,other than that,i would certainly use your service again.Best regards, Paul

I got a great price and the room was fabulous! The entire hotel is worth experiencing.

Worth it for one weekend. Maybe. Just to say you did it.

But probably not again. The Empress is famous and beautiful and the location/view cannot be beat, but there are tons of other more reasonable options within a few blocks. For this price, you'd think Wi-Fi would be included. I enjoy staying in high-end hotels and can't stand getting nickel-and-dimed for stuff like this.Stay somewhere less expensive and come over for the Afternoon Tea or a drink... more

Second stay, won't do it again.

You are really on your own at this hotel. Prices for room service are the highest I have ever seen for breakfast. The exchange rate they offer is a blatent rip off. Just walk 100 yds and get a descent rate. This hotel is not interested in taking care of thier customers, just taking your money.

Great Location

Great location! Music in Bengal Lounge added to stay. Staff was great.

Tired

It's a beautiful hotel, very elegant and turn of the previous century, fantastic staff but the rooms could and should be updated.

Would go back again!

We took the advice we received on line and upgraded to the gold level. It is a beautiful old hotel and we heard that the rooms not on gold level are shabby. For the upgrade we had breakfast included each morning in the lounge reserved for gold level rooms only and there was cocktail hours between 5 and 7 where there were hors douvres. Food in the Veranda restaurant was just terrible. In all... more

Empress Visit

When we first arrived we went into the parking lot where the attendant didnt even give us a look. The pamplets were completly out for hotel guest to take to learn how to Validate parking. When we entered the building we were given a vocher for 30 dollars a day to park (after we asked for it) instead of 100 dollars a day otherwise. We were told we that our room was ready and were checked in.... more

Beautiful Hotel

The room was small but comfortable. The coffee pot was used when I got there and was not cleaned until the third day when I made it obvious. Nothing is included in the price of the room. Cheapest breakfast cost me $60 for one and parking was $30/night. I loved the location.

The room is too small

The room is too small and a bit old. The high-tea at the restaurant is quite expensive but they tactically compensate you with the classic atmosphere, attentive service and a box of free tea bag when you paid the bill., the price is still OK.

High tea at Empress Hotel

This historical bldg. is a Fairmont run hotel. They do a very decent job of maintaining its original look & decor. I booked the standard room w/c is the smallest room, but it slept us 4 adults comfortably. Bathroom is tight, use is one-person-at- time fit. Overnight parking was $30, but you can leave car up to 4pm. next day of checkout.I got the cheapest rm. that cost a fortune, but its the... more

classic

good location & atmosphere, normal service, small room

great experience

this hotel is located in the heart of downtown victoria so it's within walking distance of everything. the room was super clean and we even got a free upgrade to a suite with a breathtaking view of downtown. the staff were friendly and hospitable and the bed was insanely comfortable. i would stay here again in a heartbeat.

"""Skip the Empress Room, or leave it to the hordes of marauding tourists, head directly to The Bombay Bar for the curry lunch - very pukha!"""

"""What can I say about the Empress other than AMAZING! If you enjoy fine dining and are willing to pay fine dining prices, then you have to eat at the Empress Room at the Fairmont Empress. I went there with my fiance for an anniversary a few years back, a"""

"""Loved the quaint atmosphere, but thought the price value relationship was not as good as what I had hoped for. Service was great and so was the experience, but the food didn't wow me like I had hoped."""

"""Everything was white glove service.Our server introduced herself,she explained we had our choice of teas,we all chose the house blend.We started off with champagne(an extra cost).Blueberries the size of golf balls and whipped cream was next,we feasted on"""

Lots of tourists but overall a very pleasant meal in sumptuous palacial surroundings fit for an Empress (or Emperor)

"""Oh my. This is grand, colonial, British Empire dining. Wear your cameo ladies and long skirts."""

service excelled the dining room is lovely food left a little to be desired we had a 5 course with wine should have ordered off menu

High Tea is Lovely

Rediculous!!!

Food does not measure up to surroundings

overpriced overblown hotel restaurant

So worth it!

This was the first trip to Victoria and hence I was ready to splurge a little on the stay though I'm usually not looking to go overboard with the hotel part as we just sleep there for a few hours (not big in using the spa/fitness/food at hotel).The location is the best part of this hotel - it is right in the center of the Victoria universe so you can't go wrong with that part. The rooms are a... more

perseverance

Had trouble booking a room for 3 people. Hence requested a rollaway bed. Confirmed 3 days before departure and at check in. We were gone all day and when came back, no rollaway bed was in room. Called the front desk and manager told me I didn't book a large enough room. After some debating with him, they finally gave us a separate room with pull out.

Expected More

We arrived at the Empress at 3pm and were told check in was at 4pm and that all rooms were guaranteed to be ready by 4pm. Ours wasn't ready until 5pm. They did offer to comp us two drinks however. Having traveled all day the room being ready on time would have been appreciated. Some of the staff seemed less than eager to assist and I would have expected more. Also, the hotel rooms are not... more

The chefs table was amazing surroundings with beautiful style and elegance you would expect from the Empress. The hostess is also the Sommelier she seated us at the chefs table (and was very charming and gracious). After being seated the Chef came out to greet us and brought his sue chef with him. The chef asked us what kind of things we would like for dinner and told us a bit about himself.... more

Spring first!

gave us a bigger room on the harbor because we asked! Also drinks! because we told them we were on an anniversity trip. Quite nice, really. generally just loved it!

What can I say about the Empress other than AMAZING!

all good ;)

we enjoyed our long weekend ;)

The hotel is lovely, but pricey.

The hotel is lovely, but pricey. Glad that Hotel Club had a great price!

Empress Hotel

The Empress Hotel is a beautiful old hotel with a lot of history.Parking is tight, with low clearance (our mini-van barely cleared the pipes in the undergound garage. Large SUV's probably will have problems with the underground parking.Tea at the Empress was great, we had beautiful weather and was able to sip our tea, eat pastries and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Over priced Closet Room

The room was smaller than my closet. Cramped could not walk between bed and TV dresser. Not like other Fairmount hotels. Pet fee was chg however unlike other Fairmount they provided water, bowl and very used dog bed. Fairmount in Whistler provides food, menu, nice bed in addition. Staff greeted our dog by name. Not in Victoria staff not very pet friendly. Way over price. Have Tea don't... more

The Lovely Empress

Fabulous! The hotel is beautiful and maliciously maintained. The Bengal Lounge mixes a mean cocktail and the curry buffet is tasty. The room was small, but nicely appointed. The bed was incredibly comfortable. From the room, we could clearly hear others as they walked up and down the halls. We look forward to staying at the Empress again.

Beautiful Hotel...smallish room

My girlfriend and I went up to Victoria for a couple nights. We stayed at the Empress the second night and really enjoyed ourselves. The hotel is very classy, and the service was amazing. The only downside is our room was a bit small.

perfect location perfect product and per

tried to check in early and they gave us a temporary room for my wife to rest while I went to a meeting. Moved our bags for us while we were out shopping later when our requested room cam eavaiable.Darleen at teh desk had just the right measure of personality and professional expedience.

Fairmont Empress

The Fairmont Empress building could not be duplicated today because of the craftsmanship and cost required. The decor in the public spaces is beautiful and unique. Our room was very quiet. The staff is very pleasant, efficient, and attentive. The food and service in the restaurant is traditional and very good. The location is very close to the tourist sites and shopping areas downtown. ... more

[...]

I felt discriminated against because I booked through [...]. I was in Victoria for three nights. I went to check in at 2:45pm. I was told my room was not ready. Okaty, I may be a little early. I went to do the preliminary paperwork. They asked for a credit card. I discontinued my credit cards because of the rediculous interest rates and chose to go as I spend. I had $450.00 in cash... more

loved it.

The hotel was great, service wonderful. Room nice. Full when I was there, so busy, but still good.

真的是高級飯店啊！很豪華的感覺，雖然很貴，但值得一住，可以去

真的是高級飯店啊！很豪華的感覺，雖然很貴，但值得一住，可以去體會一下以前女王奢華的生活。建議不要浪費錢喝那邊的下午茶！

Best location in Victoria

If you are going to Victoria, a stay at the Empress makes the trip complete. It personifies the founding British colonists and is in the heart of everything.

"Beautiful but beware the small print"

Through [...], I booked a "city courtyard view" room at the Fairmont. But upon arrival we were led up to the top floor, to the back of the hotel, for an intimate view of some ugly green hotel rooftops as far as the eye could see. Off in the very distance we could see the city. Two separate front desk people did not seem overly concerned that my reservation did not match the room I was given.... more

An elegant getaway

Before reserving, we went into the hotel and asked to see a room. The reservations clerk was happy to show us one, which was entirely acceptable, so we reserved for one night at a terrific rate. The room was lovely, beautifully decorated, the bathroom more than adequate, if small, and the bed was comfortable. They don't use contour sheets, however, and our bottom sheet became untucked which... more

Best Location in Victoria

Best location for all the downtown festivities and restaurants

A Classic Hotel

It was a classic old hotel.

Empress is over rated

the hotel staff was friendly and front desk upgraded us to a room with a view of the harbor without charge. we declined the room as it was in the sun for most of the afternoon and the room was 87 degrees with no air. we chose a room without the view but out of the sun. rooms were tiny but we were there for the thrill of staying at a landmark hotel. you pay for the landmark status.

Review of Fairmont Empress staying

Afternoon tea is special experience. It was great.In the room, there is no air conditioning. You can only use fan to cool down. It was a very warm night.

amazing for children

From the moment we arrived they treated us (especially our 4 yo son) very well. They had a coloring book for him, special room service treat, a "just my size" pool- would highly highly suggest to families with children. Even his breakfast was free! We had the best stay, wish it could have been longer... more

Enjoyable with perfect location

Location was perfect. Walking distance to BC Museum, Ferry Tour, Float Plane and fine restaurants. Bus tour from hotel door to Butterfly and Butchart Gardens prompt, convenient and informative.The Concierge Service was excellent as was the Bell Hop/Valet Service.Service was good at Empress Dinning. We tried a breakfast and was a little disappointed at the interpretation so we did not try... more

Meh

We had a very "blah" Victoria experience. The staff was friendly, but not very warm or welcoming. There also seemed to be a lot of "nickel & dime" charges for every little thing - very similar to the Las Vegas megaresorts. It made traveling on a budget much more difficult. Also - the TV's in the room were quite small...maybe 13 inches, and it looked like it was from 15 years ago. For the... more

Excellent location and wonderful service

We had a problem with our room initially. Ryan Griffin the hotel Reception Manager corrected the problem immediately and professionally. In the end, he went above and beyond to make our stay extraordinary.

excellent experience in fairmont

excellent experience in fairmont gold. Terrific hotel, wonderful service.

Renovations made it a less pleasant

Renovations made it a less pleasant stay, but location cannot be beaten

we loved the grand hotel

yes I would recommend it to others.The situation was very impressive. Good value for the money. All expectations were met

Wonderful Hotel

Elegant hotel with the finest amenities.

The Old Dame is still as beautiful and regal as ever :-) Owing to the disappearance of the Empress' more casual restaurant, the dress code at The Empress Room has had to become more casual; the decor, food and service has NOT suffered as a result, howeve

stuffy & smelly

old world elegance british style. formal but great fun

Great old traditional haunt a must visit for any Canadian growing up in BC. Service was excellent but slow.

Sunday High Tea is not to be missed...a bit pricey, not the greatest food, but the dying ritual in a room filled with history makes you want to wear your white gloves, pearls and a hat while sipping perfectly brewed oolong. (Gents, get out the chaps and bowlers).

Not to be missed in Victoria! Grand old room with great food and truly rich service. Stay at the Hotel and you will feel like royalty!!

An absolute must for any visitor to Victoria. Sit back and enjoy the piano music while your server attends to your every need. The house tea, a blend of several different leaves, is the most popular and with good reason. The decadent tower of finger sandw

Tip: in the drawers of the tables with couches are comments from guests over the past years - highly entertaining and revealing! Service is impeccable, curry buffet a must-try! This refers to the Bengal Lounge. Finally a use for the beautiful veranda f

This is the place for High Tea. Although this late afternoon meal is not of the gourmet variety it gives nostalgic memories of high teas in Britain. Decor and atmosphere is worth the cost.

when you need a formal dining experience

The grand queen of all afternoon teas. Flakey scones with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, delicate pasteries, and an endless pot of the Fairmont Empress Hotel's signature tea blend. The steep price is worth this utterly unique experience of being pamp

Grand dining in Victoria

We had a lovely breakfast here our last morning in Victoria. We had to wait 15 minutes (call for reservations). Our server was very attentive but not stuffy. We had a great omelet and pancakes (with yummy Canadian maple syrup). Both were quite flavorful & filling. The decor is elegant (we felt underdressed in shorts but many others were similarly attired. I wish, that they did not use styrofoam... more

We have eaten there a few times. It has a beautiful view. However the staff is not always the most accommodating.

Cost reflected is for breakfast. Beautiful, ornate dining room with old-world service. Very elegant. A "must" for those wishing grand service for breakfast.

Fantastic service and food, worth every penny for a special evening.

This historic room has really upped their game this year. Stellar.

Dined herefor an anniversary dinner. Although the hostess was not prepared to accomodate a very particular seating request, the senior waiter overruled her and ensured we had the perfect table. The rest of the service was efficient if a little rushed, a

I'm nostalgic for the old Empress--seems to have become a bit more like a Fairmont you'd find in any town than the Victoria Empress. Anyway, the dining room is still terrific, the dessert bar in the middle is a wonderful and memorable stop on any Sunday

Visit limited to High Tea, done very well, lovely view, nice room, great selection of teas.

High tea in high fashion at this dominant if fading dowager of the Canadian Pacific hotel series. A must-do in Victoria.

A visit to Victoria would not be complete without coming here. A place fit for kings and queens. Treats tourists as if they were locals.

We loved the High Tea

The decor is impressive

This is a faded jewel, which needs much polishing and repair to resume its rightful place at the head of the crown. 'Tis unfortunate that the Fairmont has not seen fit to refurbish what once was the fairest princess in the land. Food is good--but far ov

A wonderful night where I felt like royalty.

De Rigeur for afternoon tea in a perfect setting. Bookings absolutely essential especially during holidays.

A touch of Old Victoria. Also, drop by the Bengal Lounge for a Martini. You really get the feel for the ambiance of Victoria in the 20's.

The Empress Room is very good for a restaurant in a hotel. The décor is nice if you're in to stuffy old English castles, which a lot of tourists to Victoria are. A few tables have nice views of the inner harbour.

wonderful

Old British Empire turn back in time. An experience.

Beautiful hotel and accomodating staff

We had a problem with teenagers running around our floor, and the hotel accomodated this by moving us to a gorgeous room! The entire stay was wonderful

We dined at the Empress Room 2 times while visiting Victoria and had room service from the same kitchen. Hands down this is one of the best dinners we've had this year. They limit the dining room to a managable size so they spend more time and effort on each table. The food is truly amazing, cooked perfectly with just the right amount seasoning. A must eat place for those visiting Victoria.

Everything we hoped for and then some

Dollar-for-dollar, this was the best hotel experience in ages (possibly ever). We stayed there for five nights on the concierge lever for about CN$239 per night! The rooms were immaculately cared for and the Concierge Level staff took excellent care of us the entire week. With breakfast included each morning in the lounge, this value was even better (saved our group of 5 about CN$100 per... more

Excellent staff

Met our expectations. Staff were excellent and room was very comfortable. Even had our very own seagull who perched on our windowsill waiting for a hand-out. Enjoyed the high-tea. While the tea was expensive, it was a great experience. Expected to see the Queen walk in at any moment. One thing to be careful of was you had to step up into the bathroom. We had to be careful and not trip on our... more

Met expectations for a hotel of this standard. Nice room and very quiet as it was off season!

The Empress, is THE hotel in Victoria. We stayed for a low price in a very large comfortable room. We got the feeling that the room was situated in a slightly older part of the hotel, but the quality of the room nevertheless was excellent. And very charming. Reception staff, prters and concierge were friendly and helpfull. Hotel facilities excellent, location of the hotel also excellent.... more

Elegant demeanor thruout the hotel. Would recommend without hestation as a memorable experience. Helpfull assistance from entire staff, just made you feel good. Herb & marge rosenthal

Needs to be refurbished

Tea at the Empress was very expensive and not worth it!!! Have had high tea in nicer hotels for less money. Three out of the five chairs we sat in had tears in them. The hotel needs to be refurbished. We were two families traveling together and one of the rooms was so small you could walk past each other in the room. Both rooms were clean and bathrooms updated. Hotel at 100% capacity and... more

Dined 4x over April 12-15, 2007Service impeccable,..Some entres better than others but our group was large (over 20) so each meal was a semi catered task.Eggs Benedict with local ham was superb, Fish entres xlntAll good will return

Although tea in the Empress Room is tops for ambiance and service, the pricing, which may refer to dinner entrees, shown in this Virtual Concierge description is very misleading, since most of the article seems to refer to the tea. We went for afternoon tea there and were quite overwhelmed when we got the bill averaging about $60 per person for the tea.

Service excellent. The Empress' tea was a good recommendation. Average food; some of the sandwiches weren't the freshest. Lasting impression: very expensive for a "tea" relative to other comparable places around the world. Would I recommend it? No, based on the price alone. It's just not worth it. There are better places to enjoy an afternoon / high tea at a reasonable price.... more

Wonderful experience, beautiful decor, and ambiance, location was great, tea was to die for, food was above average, but $50 per person! Didn't get that much food which was like production service. For that price, food production should have been hidden and plastic wrap taken off of mass produced food BEFORE to came into the main room. Ruined some of my ambiance. Where was the Devonshire... more

We enjoyed the tea at the Empress, however, it was bit pricey. Also, I received an empty souvenir can of tea. This kind of mistakes shouldn't be happening at Empress. Otherwise, a wonderful experience.

Lovely music and view provide nice ambiance to the "tea experience." More variety to the sandwiches would improve the overall value and quality of this light meal. A touch of chocolate would serve as a nice enhancement. Service is attentive and the tea is hearty and flavorful.

Superb.

Fabulous new menu, chocolate soufflé to die for. Service impeccable but not formal.

Restaurants like this are rare these days where they focus on pampering the customer with great service. I remember to food being pretty darn good, but honestly, it was a couple years ago, and the details I rmeember most is being treated like royalty. I'll never forget it.

excellent "mark" and staff

The food was exquisite, the staff (especially Jordan) was attentive, and the ambiance exceptional. In short, I can't imagine a finer dining experience.

the place for tea!

Sadly, this restaurant is overrated, merely because of its location.

Perfectly delicious - elegant beyond!! They are very accomodating especially for wheelchairs, etc.

High tea at the Empress was a disappointment. It felt very much like a tourist experience and left us with this thought--"is that all there is?"