Hotelaholic

Victoria · British Columbia

Fairmont Empress Hotel

721 Government St, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W1W5

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Check-in
Nov 24, 2026
Check-out
Nov 26, 2026
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HAPPI EXPERIENCE

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!

HAPPI HIGHLIGHTS

  • Friendly staff

  • Great location

  • Beautiful grounds

At the hotel

Popular amenities

91 listed
  • 24-hour front desk
  • 24-hour security
  • Access to health care professionals
  • Accessible parking
  • Air conditioning
  • Allergy-free room
  • ATM/cash machine on site
  • Babysitting/child services
  • Bar
  • Barber/beauty shop
View all amenities

Pools & wellness

  • Fitness/spa locker rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Hot tub/Jacuzzi
  • Indoor pool
  • Kids' pool
  • Massage services
  • Sauna
  • Spa/wellness center
  • Steam room
  • Swimming pool

Dining & drinks

  • Breakfast takeaway containers
  • Delivered food - securely covered
  • Food delivered to guest room
  • Kid meals
  • Physical distancing in dining areas
  • Restaurant
  • Sanitized tableware & silverware
  • Special diet menus - on request
  • Wine/champagne

Fitness & outdoors

  • Cycling
  • Fitness center
  • Fitness facilities
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Sun loungers or beach chairs
  • Terrace

Rooms & comfort

  • CCTV in common areas
  • CCTV outside property
  • Heating
  • Non-smoking rooms

Safety & cleanliness

  • Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
  • Contactless check-in/check-out
  • Dry cleaning
  • Fire extinguishers
  • First aid kit available
  • Guest room sealed after cleaning
  • Guest rooms disinfected between stays
  • Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
  • Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
  • Physical distancing rules followed
  • Process in place to check health of guests
  • Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
  • Safety deposit box
  • Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
  • Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
  • Smoke alarms
  • Staff adhere to local safety protocols

Getting around & access

  • Facilities for disabled guests
  • Lift / Elevator
  • Parking
  • Parking garage
  • Valet parking

Guest services

  • Concierge service
  • Currency exchange
  • Express check-in/check-out
  • Fax/photocopying
  • Invoice provided
  • Ironing service
  • Laundry
  • Laundry washed per local authority guidelines
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • Meeting/banquet facilities
  • Pet basket
  • Pet bowls
  • Pets allowed
  • Private check-in/check-out

Services & essentials

  • Business center
  • Car hire
  • Cashless payment available
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Electric vehicle charging station
  • Face masks for guests available
  • Family rooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Key card access
  • Non-smoking throughout
  • Room service
  • Thermometers for guests provided by property
  • Vending machine - drinks
  • WiFi available

Review in focus

2,126 reviews
10/ 10
Gold room service was excellent
Deborah · couple · 2026-10-21

The guest experience

8.9out of 10
2126 verified reviews

Loved most

  • Friendly staff
  • Great location
  • Beautiful grounds

Worth knowing — Plumbing issues · Insects in bathroom · Confusing elevator system

How guests scored the stay

  • Location9.6

    Great location with easy access to restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.

  • Service9.6

    Friendly staff and exceptional customer service, particularly regarding special occasions.

  • Food and Beverage9.1

    Quality food offered, though there was a desire for more menu options for room service.

  • Overall Experience9.1

    Many enjoyable aspects but marred by a few significant issues.

  • Amenities8.6

    Beautiful grounds and pool, but confusion with the elevator system and breakfast line.

  • Room Quality8.6

    Some issues with the bathroom faucet and initial room size; however, the upgraded room was better.

  • Value for Money8.6

    Mixed feelings on value; initial room felt overpriced compared to expectations.

  • Cleanliness8.1

    Concern about silverfish insects found in the bathroom and plumbing issues in the shower.

Live guest feedback

Guest reviews

Consistent

92% of 12 recent stays rated 8+

8.92126 reviews
  • A nice splurge with perfect location next to harbor and pedestrian shopping area

    10/10

    Deborah · couple · 2026-10-21

    “Gold room service was excellent”

  • Staying at the Empress for the first time was excellent.

    10/10

    Cheryl · couple · 2026-10-18

    “Thee view of the harbour was excellent from both rooms.”

  • Breathtaking and amazing stafff

    10/10

    Carol · solo traveller · 2026-10-11

    “Who wouldn’t love this property. Incredible hotel and staff I Love the Canadian people. Polite and cordial! This was one of the absolute best properties I have gone to. I would go back in a heartbeat. 🙏❤️”

  • Good hotel, but not worththe price.

    8/10

    Huayong · solo traveller · 2026-10-10

    “Very nice hotel. clean and locatef in downtown Victoria”

  • Trip to Victoria

    10/10

    Mary · couple · 2026-10-09

    “Amazing staff and facilities. Restaurants were exceptional. Highly recommend if you are visiting Victoria.”

  • Mostly nice except for the day trippers!

    8/10

    liz · couple · 2026-10-09

    “We had a nice stay at The Fairmont, it’s nicely located in the centre of town and other bars and restaurants are within walking distance. I would highly recommend upgrading to a room with lounge access, we very much enjoyed having both breakfast and pre dinner drinks and nibbles there, and it’s much quieter than the main dining areas.”

  • Guest review

    8/10

    Kuo Hua · solo traveller · 2026-10-08

    “古色古香很有特色的飯店. 附近觀光景點也多!”

  • Guest review

    9/10

    Felix · solo traveller · 2026-10-07

    “The access to the lounge all day. Beautiful views of the Inner Harbour”

  • Everyone made me feel welcome !

    10/10

    Carol · solo traveller · 2026-09-19

    “It was one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve stayed in The rooms were lovely.”

  • A dream hotel!

    10/10

    Liege · couple · 2026-09-19

    “Location; extremely comfortable.”

  • Delightful & so lovely. I will go again.

    7/10

    Joyce · couple · 2026-09-19

    “It was beautiful & very picturesque.”

  • Guest review

    10/10

    Sarah · couple · 2026-09-18

    “Food was amazing. Staff were helpful and friendly”

Hotel info and reviews come from third-party sources.