Fairmont Empress Hotel

Happy with overall stay experience - clean, excellent service, fantastic room. The feel of the hotel was unique in its vintage and historically significant decor. Only felt that the restaurants within the hotel were not exactly family friendly but there are plenty of them just right outside the hotel for us.

Spacious and clean, perfect sunset harbor view from the window but toothbrush and toothpaste were not provided

I’ve always wanted to stay at this iconic hotel. The room was comfy and the staff was friendly. Of course the location is pefect. I had to walk a long way down 3-4 hallways to get to my room which I thought was to get to my lovely “city view” room but no. My “view” was into other rooms.

We visited the hotel for our Duex Days event and overall had a pleasant experience. The valet parking was smooth and professional, and the hotel staff were generally polite and courteous. However, one aspect could be improved: flexibility at check-in. I was running a bit late, so my husband, who shares the same last name and was on the reservation, tried to check in ahead of me. Despite offering to send a photo of my ID and confirming the reservation details, the front desk staff insisted that I had to be there in person. I understand the importance of security, but a bit more flexibility or alternative verification methods would have made the process more convenient and guest-friendly. Aside from that, our stay was enjoyable, and we appreciated the service and atmosphere overall.

Fairmont seems to be a luxurious five star hotel. Nevertheless it’s a bit over-expected. The room is very small, and the toilet can only be used by one single person each time, which is very inconvenient if you go with young kids. High tea quality is unexpectedly low, the environment is good but the staff are not enough. The food is simply not delicate for such a renowned five star restaurant.

Historic hotel with the best location in downtown Victoria with easy walking distance to everything