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Fairmont Empress

4.5 star property

Photo gallery for Fairmont Empress

Exterior
Lobby
Ocean views, serves lunch and dinner
Lobby
Ocean views, serves lunch and dinner

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Map
721 Government St, Victoria, BC, V8W1W5
  • British Columbia Parliament Building
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Victoria Harbour
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Victoria, BC (YYJ-Victoria Intl.)
    ‪34 min drive‬

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Exterior

Hotel Grand Pacific

  • Pool
  • Hot tub
  • Pet-friendly
  • Kids pool
4.6 out of 5, Wonderful, (2035)
The price is NZ$360
for 1 room
includes taxes & fees
15 Apr - 16 Apr
Hotel Grand Pacific

About the area

Victoria

Fairmont Empress is in the heart of Victoria, within a 5-minute walk of Maritime Museum of British Columbia and Victoria Bug Zoo. .This family-friendly hotel is 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from British Columbia Parliament Building and 0.3 mi (0.4 km) from Victoria Harbour.

What's nearby

  • Royal BC Museum - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • British Columbia Parliament Building - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Victoria Harbour - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Victoria Clipper Ferry Terminal - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Chinatown - 10 min walk - 0.9 km

Getting around

  • Victoria Intl. Airport (YYJ) - 34 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Milestones - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Q Restaurant at the Empress - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Tea at the Empress - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Chocolats Favoris - ‬4 min walk

About this property

Fairmont Empress

Edwardian Victoria hotel connected to the convention center, steps from Maritime Museum of British Columbia
Fairmont Empress offers 431 air-conditioned accommodations with minibars and safes. Beds feature premium bedding. 32-inch flat-screen televisions come with cable channels and pay movies. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, slippers, and designer toiletries.

In-room wireless Internet access (speed: 25+ Mbps) is available for a surcharge. Business-friendly amenities include desks, desk chairs, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary newspapers and coffee/tea makers. Hypo-allergenic bedding, change of towels, and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

An indoor pool, a children's pool, and a hot tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna.

Children under 16 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool, health club, fitness facility, or hot tub without adult supervision.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

The onsite spa has 11 treatment rooms including rooms for couples. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, sports massages, and Swedish massages. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. The spa is equipped with a sauna, a hot tub, and a steam room. The spa is open daily. Children under 18 years old are not allowed in the spa without adult supervision. Guests under 18 years old are not allowed in the spa. There are hot springs/mineral springs on site.
Make yourself at home in one of the 431 air-conditioned rooms featuring minibars and flat-screen televisions. Wireless internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs or showers feature designer toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and desks.
Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages, body treatments, and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, including a health club, an indoor pool, and a hot tub. Additional features at this Edwardian hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands.
Satisfy your appetite with American cuisine at Q at the Empress, one of the hotel's 2 restaurants. Wrap up your day with a drink at the bar/lounge. Full breakfasts are available daily from 6:30 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, limo/town car service, and express check-in. Planning an event in Victoria? This hotel has 22600 square feet (2100 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center and meeting rooms. Guests may use a cruise ship terminal shuttle for a surcharge, and self parking (subject to charges) is available onsite.
Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
Q at the Empress - Overlooking the ocean and garden, this restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Guests can order drinks at the bar and enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). A children's menu is available. Reservations are required.
Lobby Lounge - Overlooking the ocean and garden, this restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves lunch and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. Open daily.
Q Bar - Overlooking the ocean and garden, this bar specializes in American cuisine and serves lunch, dinner, and light fare. Guests can enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). Open daily.

Awards and affiliations

Eco-Certified Property
This property participates in Biosphere, a program that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural-heritage, the local economy.
The property is a member of Historic Hotels of the World.

Languages

Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Danish, English, Filipino, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: WiFi (CAD 14.95 per night)
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Electric car charging station on site
  • Cruise terminal shuttle (surcharge)
  • Ferry terminal shuttle (surcharge)
  • Limo/town car service
  • Parking on site (CAD 37 per day; includes in/out privileges)
  • Valet parking on site (CAD 51 per day; includes in/out privileges)

Food and drink

  • Daily full breakfast available 6:30 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee: CAD 20 to 40 for adults and CAD 10 to 20 for children
  • 2 restaurants
  • A bar/lounge
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

  • Lobby Lounge
  • Q at the Empress
  • Q Bar

Things to do

  • Art gallery
  • Bicycle rentals
  • Children's pool
  • Designer stores
  • Full-service spa
  • Health club
  • Hot tub
  • Indoor pool
  • Sauna
  • Shopping centre
  • Steam room

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Indoor pool
  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Hair salon
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 24-hour business centre
  • Conference centre (22,600 square foot of space)
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • On the waterfront
  • Picnic area
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace
  • Vegetable garden

Full-service spa

  • 11 treatment rooms
  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Facials
  • Hot stone massages
  • Hot tub
  • Hot/mineral springs
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Prenatal massages
  • Sauna
  • Spa open daily
  • Sports massages
  • Steam room
  • Swedish massages

Accessibility

  • No lift

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Bathtub or shower
  • Designer toiletries
  • Dressing gowns
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels
  • Pay films

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Cleaning products are eco-friendly
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Eco-friendly toiletries
  • Energy-saving switches in guestrooms
  • Free daily newspapers
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • LED lighting
  • Phone
  • Portable fan
  • Recycling
  • Safe
  • Water-efficient showers
  • Window screens

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in is available for a fee
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 19

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets stay free
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
2 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Food and water bowls are available

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
3 children, up to the age of 17 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately CAD 20 to 40 for adults, and CAD 10 to 20 for children
  • Fee for in-room wireless internet: CAD 14.95 per night (rates may vary)
  • Self parking fee: CAD 37.00 per day (in/out privileges)
  • Valet parking fee: CAD 51.00 per day (in/out privileges)
  • Early check-in is available for a fee (subject to availability)
  • Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Cashless transactions are available
This property uses solar energy, plus a grey water recycling system
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards
This property affirms that it follows the cleaning and disinfection practices of ALLSAFE (Accor Hotels)
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
The photos are representative of rooms offered and may differ from the actual room received.

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Pool access available from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Children under 16 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool, health club, fitness facility, or hot tub without adult supervision
Guests under 18 years old are not allowed in the spa, and guests under 18 years old are only allowed with adult supervision
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)

Property is also known as

Empress Fairmont
Fairmont Empress
Fairmont Empress Hotel
Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria
Fairmont Empress Victoria
Empress Hotel Victoria
Fairmont Hotel Empress
Fairmont Hotel Victoria
Fairmont Victoria
The Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria
Victoria Fairmont
The Fairmont Empress
Fairmont Empress Hotel
Fairmont Empress Victoria
Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria

Fairmont Empress Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 1418 out of 2019 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 323 out of 2019 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 161 out of 2019 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 63 out of 2019 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 54 out of 2019 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Oi Ping

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Elegant hotel, bed is comfy and I had the nice stay, best way to celebrate coming 2025.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

6/10 Okay

Jamie

Liked: Staff & service
Eh.
You are paying for the name & location. The room was small. Not enough room for someone to open the bathroom door while brushing your teeth. Horrible shower pressure, more of a high volume drip out of an overhead shower head. The LG television was from 2010 at best, slow interaction with the remote, no option for screen mirroring or blue tooth comparability. An endless maze of elevators to get to the lobby. 1 bar, 1 restaurant and a tea room with a decaying paint peeling ceiling. The fitness centre is seriously outdated, small and stuffy, with an industrial fan blowing for circulation. Only one of the three treadmills worked. The pool and hot tub area is fine but it seems to be a 1 km walk to get back and forth from your room to the pool. Great for the photo op’s but I don’t see any need to stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Haitian, Louisville

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location!!!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Les

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Superior service at check-in, at the bar and room service.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cindy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent experience!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Beautiful historical property
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Awesome
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brett

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Zachary Patten

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was such an amazing place to stay at. The staff were so incredibly friendly and helpful. Having tea in the lobby was my favorite part of the trip, so definitely be sure to book a table. For ghost lovers, this hotel is one of the most haunted in the world, which we learned after having a glass move on its own during dinner at the restaurant.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Melissa, Seattle

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love The Empress! Our stay was dreamy—we had a lovely large corner room overlooking the harbor with amazingly high coffered ceilings and a tall window that let in lots of morning sunshine. The beds are deliciously comfy—in fact, everything about the room was cozy and restful. The hotel is immaculately maintained, and now that the ivy has been removed, it’s easier to appreciate its grandeur. Amazing, attentive service—from the housekeeping staff to the front desk attendants, all were top notch. What a lovely experience. Can’t wait to go back!!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Carolina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Raymond

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Tammy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Very expensive for an old hotel. We paid $500 for 1 night and our room windows were frosted and only opened 6 inches. I felt claustrophobic. The sheets were nice and bed comfortable. The old wood window rattled with the wind. The room was clean. Parking was good.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jinduck

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dawn

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Juliana

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Small rooms , tiny bathrooms, great staff but overall for the cost it was underwhelming. Bathroom was especially treacherous for my elderly mother.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

GABRIELLE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice place to stay. Room was a bit of a maze to get too and there was no continental breakfast included like I thought it said.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amber

Travelled with pets, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Fairmont Gold experience was worth the money. We highly recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Magical
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

2/10 Terrible

Karanvir

Travelled with partner
Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Staff & service
Staff is rude at front desk and they serve food in disposable containers. Worst experience
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

2/10 Terrible

Azita

Travelled with family
Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This hotel is overrated, overpriced with no specific service. They charge you for even basic things but don’t give equal value!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Zara, Redmond

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful hotel in prime location. Our room was fresh and clean, plenty of space. Toiletries were of high quality (you can buy them at the hotel store). Staff was polite and pleasant. Food at Q restaurant was tasty, and waiters were very professional. We enjoyed carols in the lobby. Excellent place.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024