Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Electric bicycle charging station
Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Great location
Beautiful grounds
Cons:
Plumbing issues
Insects in bathroom
Confusing elevator system

Categories

Cleanliness
8.11
Concern about silverfish insects found in the bathroom and plumbing issues in the shower.
Service
9.58
Friendly staff and exceptional customer service, particularly regarding special occasions.
Location
9.62
Great location with easy access to restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.
Room Quality
8.57
Some issues with the bathroom faucet and initial room size; however, the upgraded room was better.
Amenities
8.6
Beautiful grounds and pool, but confusion with the elevator system and breakfast line.
Value for Money
8.56
Mixed feelings on value; initial room felt overpriced compared to expectations.
Food and Beverage
9.11
Quality food offered, though there was a desire for more menu options for room service.
Overall Experience
9.08
Many enjoyable aspects but marred by a few significant issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 11:48

Property Description

Luxury Overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbour

Historic Elegance: The Fairmont Empress Hotel offers elegantly decorated rooms with plush seating areas and picturesque windows.

Relaxation and Dining: Enjoy extensive spa treatments at Willow Stream Spa and indulge in traditional afternoon tea with a view of the harbour.

Convenient Amenities: Swim in the indoor pool, admire the Victorian architecture, and explore nearby attractions like the Royal British Columbia Museum and the Maritime Museum of BC.

Book now to experience the charm and luxury of The Fairmont Empress Hotel!

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: YYJ

Property Policies

  • Groups

    When booking more than 4 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed. No extra charges.

  • Parking

    Public parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed) and costs CAD 35 per day.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 17 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children up to and including 17 years old stay for free when using an available extra bed.
    Adults stay for CAD 50 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.9
Based on 1911 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.11
Service: 9.58
Location: 9.62
Room Quality: 8.57
Amenities: 8.6
Value for Money: 8.56
Food and Beverage: 9.11
Overall Experience: 9.08
I
Ingrid • family_with_children • fr
9
Nous avons passé un excellent séjour. Nous avons adoré l’ambiance de cet hôtel.
Pros:

L emplacement de l’hôtel est exceptionnel. L’ambiance palace ancien est très appréciable et le personnel est aux petits soins. L’hôtel dispose d’une piscine intérieure agréable.

Cons:

Notre chambre était au dernier étage et la salle d’eau était très petite.

2026-04-11 • via Nuitee
M
Mcintosh • solo_traveller • us
6
Clean, beautiful, spacious, bright and spendy
Pros:

Everything was beautiful and clean and great. So much to offer food and drink wise, amenity wise. The rooms were gorgeous and clean and bright and comfortable.

Cons:

Its not due to the hotel itself. I just came and visited from the US and wasnt able to connect my streaming services to the tv. I brought my kids with me which made their experience kind of boring for them in the room. I also expected a free breakfast and parking while staying here based on how expensive the rooms were but I didn't do my research cause it says on their website but those alone as well were also quite speedy onto of the room. That also was on me for assuming with out checking.

2026-04-11 • via Nuitee
K
Katja • solo_traveller • de
9
Must see in Victoria
Pros:

The place to be in Victoria. The building is truly stunning and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this. Comfortable rooms. The doormen were an absolute highlight- super friendly and helpful.

Cons:

The bathrooms are renovated but not quite 5 star standard. The pool area was extremely noisy and unfortunately the sauna was right next to it. Relaxing impossible.

2026-04-09 • via Nuitee
Z
Zhixu • couple • us
10
2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
S
SHUNHUA • couple • ca
8
2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
P
Parkin • couple • gb
7
Beautiful building and very friendly staff
Pros:

Amazing building in a perfect location. Appreciated the historic features like the internal mail system and photos...you could make a lot more of them though. The planting at the front was stunning.

Cons:

We were not made of renovations taking place prior to our stay. Not a major thing but it's a shame there wasn't a proper bar. Our room involved a LOT of walking to get to, and we only discovered a slightly more direct route with nearer lifts later on.

2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
C
cheryl • family_with_children • us
9
Relaxing and enjoyable stay
Pros:

Loved the location. Knowledgable staff. Great amenities(bikes were a bonus)

Cons:

N/a

2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
R
Ross • couple • ca
8
I have always loved the Empress, even now as a Fairmont but it’s to expensive for a an entry level room. It just just d
Pros:

Location and Front door staff.

Cons:

It really was too expensive for a room with a bathroom that was so “ efficient” that I couldn’t even splash water on my face.

2026-04-06 • via Nuitee
N
Natashka • family_with_children • ca
9
Worth the splurge!
Pros:

Amenities, comfort, food and entertainment. Loved the gold floor balcony space

Cons:

Price nearly double on a friday night. (!)

2026-04-05 • via Nuitee
C
Claire • couple • ie
10
2026-04-04 • via Nuitee
A
Annette • couple • us
8
Good experience. I always wanted to stay here, so I finally took this opportunity to do it. For me the value wasn’t ther
Pros:

Friendly staff and great location.

2026-04-02 • via Nuitee
J
Jesusa • extended_group • ca
10
2026-03-31 • via Nuitee
D
Devleena • family_with_children • us
8
2026-03-30 • via Nuitee
P
Peter • solo_traveller • ca
10
2026-03-30 • via Nuitee
H
Huber • family_with_children • ca
8
Did not meet any ghosts but had a wonderful stay.
Pros:

The interior decor of the hotel really places into the history of the hotel being haunted. Staff always polite, willing to assist you and always greets you with a warm smile.

Cons:

The cleaning always kept my room spotless but unfortunately had a habit of touching my personal belongings often by reorganizing my belongings. This is a concern I mentioned to the hotel staff during check-out.

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jolanta • couple • ca
9
2026-03-25 • via Nuitee
C
Cheryl • couple • ca
10
2026-03-24 • via Nuitee
Y
Yana • solo_traveller • ca
10
2026-03-23 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • us
10
2026-03-22 • via Nuitee
A
Aman • couple • ca
9
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee