Guest reviews The Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria

by Adventurer573097

Difficulty with gift certificate spoiled our holiday

We stayed for a weekend in November 2020. To celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary we (tried) to use a gift certificate given to us by our family for our wedding. There was an issue with the gift certificate and it took literally hours over a 48 hour period on the phone with Fairmont and in person in the hotel with management to sort it out. It also took our family hours on the phone since Fairmont insisted on speaking to the person who had purchased the gift certificate. Luckily that family member is in banking and could provide all of the documents Fairmont requested, even from 5 years previously. It was finally sorted out the morning we checked out and the gift certificate was applied to our bill. we felt as though we were not welcome in the hotel and that we didn't belong there. We received a verbal apology from the staff member who checked us out but that was it. No acknowledgment of the hours we wasted on what should have been a special weekend. Be very careful in purchasing Fairmont gift certificates as there appears to be problems in the system.

by triprkb

Honeymoon

My wife and I stayed at the Empress for our honeymoon. We couldn’t be happier. Their Christmas decor was gorgeous and the staff very professional. We were treated so kindly on our special day. Not only was our room upgraded to a beautiful harbour view, but there was a congratulations card, chocolate, and a bottle of champagne waiting for us. Check-in was easy, and safe. Their Covid protocol left us feeling confident every moment of our stay. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a honeymoon. Only wish we stayed longer!

by 19WANDER

FABULOUS FAIRMONT!

I really don't understand some people who take the time to complain about nothing, I feel sorry for those miserable types who find fault with such a stunning, heritage property, this property is perfect and was perfect for us! We stayed here for two nights and we splurged on a suite overlooking the harbour, and I'm so glad we did for a mini-break in Victoria. From check in to check out, the staff is typical world class, well trained and they made us feel like special guests. Our experience was memorable and created memories to treasure for a lifetime. Any hotel that has a resident dog is my type of place. The actual building is breathtaking, they reached that perfect balance of traditional along with a design forward modern twist. The bar/restaurant is AWESOME and we felt very safe, since there's enough space and again the employess took great measure to make us feel safe. The drinks, food and service were outstanding and the view, well, how could you not like it, breathtaking. We didn't want to leave, I could of stayed a full week, we will be back next time we're in town. If you want to stay in a luxurious property with the personal, friendly service to match, well, then this is your place. What a treasure, I feel the entire Farimont Empress staff went above and beyond to make our stay a special one, and we thank you! Here's to a better year ahead.

by Mariola A Niagara Falls,

Nice building and perfect loation ONLY

Disappointing stay . We stayed 4 nights in this hotel. The level of services were not comparable with the price of the stay. Perfect location and really nice building from outside only. Disappointed with all hidden fees, you don't know about it until check out. NO free WIFI , no complimentary water in the room, parking FEE .

by esg772016 Calgary, Canada

Great jewel in the middle of the city.

We've always wanted to stay here after many visits to Victoria, and it didn't disappoint. First of all, the property itself is literally in a fantastic location. It is clean, has all the modern amenities you could ask for, but the staff is what really did it for us here - from Q Bar to check in/check out, everyone was friendly and took pride in where they worked. A HUGE shout out to Jade L. for helping us out with a small issue that arose - this property is so lucky to have such an amazing manager working for them. We cannot wait to come back to experience the Gold Floor when it reopens (it was closed due to Covid, and the Covid precautions they take here made us feel very safe and very relaxed).