A Review of the Fairmont Empress Hotel In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada is a picturesque location, situated at the head of a small bay a block away from the ornate Parliament Building in downtown Victoria.

The first view one gets of the hotel is typically as the ferry pulls into the bay. In a word, the old building is beautiful, standing majestically at the head of the bay. A short trip through customs finds a traveler about a block from the hotel.

After using the valet to park our car, we were pleasantly greeted by the concierge. Our reservations were for the Gold package, which is highly recommended. Our concierge took us on a tour of the private, Gold package only, tea room, then to a very clean, spacious, and well-maintained room. Our room included a Bose Wave Machine clock radio with amazing sound. We experienced no problems with noise from other rooms or the hall.

There are a number of fine restaurants in the immediate area of the hotel. These include everything from a homey little deli, to excellent fresh seafood, to sheik contemporary dining. One should make it a point to not miss High Tea in the hotel dining room.

The hotel pool was a nice distraction and came complete with a small wading pool for younger visitors. The hotel staff was courteous and tremendously helpful.

We also took advantage of the horse-drawn carriage ride through area neighborhoods. Fruit trees along the route were in bloom and our driver would brush the branches as we passed underneath, causing flower petals to shower my wife and daughters.

There are a number of interesting sights in the immediate area of the hotel. The museum across the street is a wonderful look into the history of the area and includes mock period streets complete with sounds and hidden alleys and window views. The Parliament Building, a block away, is dramatically lit on the exterior at night and beautiful to look at during the day.

There are a number of other worthwhile attractions within a few miles of the hotel. These include the historic Craigdarroch Castle and the floral beauty of Buchart Gardens.

Approximately 20 minutes from the hotel is the Royal Roads University. This wonderful mansion, built by a coal tycoon in 1908 to look like a medieval castle, has beautiful gardens and amazing architecture. Those who have seen the "X-Men 2" movie will recognize this castle as Professor Xavier's School in the movie. There was only one other couple there on the day we took our tour.

Our drive from Seattle required two ferry rides. These ferries only run at certain hours, so check the schedules to make sure you don't "miss the boat."

All-in-all, our stay at the Empress in Victoria was absolutely wonderful. The hotel is extremely highly recommended and the area is beautiful.