This fall we decided to focus our travel on a part of BC that we really haven’t explored enough of, Vancouver Island! We spent some time in Victoria and got to cross something major off our bucket list. We’ve always wanted to stay at the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel and go to their famous Afternoon Tea, so we’re very happy we finally got to do it this year! The Empress is a beautiful historic hotel that was built in 1907 and is full of history. This bucket list experience was every bit as special as we imagined, and we can’t recommend it enough if you’re planning a visit to Victoria. Keep reading for more details on the Fairmont Empress Hotel in BC!
How to Get There
The Empress is a gorgeous hotel that sits on Victoria’s inner harbour. If you’ve been to the city of Victoria before, then you’ve definitely seen it! To get to Vancouver Island, you can either take the ferry over from the mainland, or fly directly into Victoria Airport. You can also arrive by seaplane and land right in the harbour! The hotel is in a beautiful location, right on the water with plenty within walking distance. It’s in a great spot to explore the city, and experience everything Victoria has to offer!
The Hotel
We’ve always loved Fairmont Hotels for a number of reasons. First, they have such beautiful properties and they are always in amazing locations. Second, they are proudly LGBTQ+ friendly and we always feel so safe and comfortable staying at a Fairmont as a lesbian couple. We actually partnered with the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver during Vancouver Pride earlier this year, and we were really impressed with everything the brand is doing to become more inclusive and supportive of our community! Lastly, our favourite thing about Fairmont is that they’re pet-friendly. It’s so fun to bring your pet along to a luxury hotel, and Theo got to come with us to the Empress! He was definitely treated like a VIP (very important pet), and we had such a fun stay with him. Many of the Fairmont Hotels including The Empress also have canine ambassadors, so we got to meet Winston, their resident hotel doggie!
The Rooms & Amenities
The Fairmont Empress has 464 rooms and suites, it’s a huge hotel! Many of the rooms have lovely views of the harbour, and all the accommodations are decorated beautifully. The hotel also has some great amenities including a health club, a heated indoor pool, the Willow Stream Spa, and of course the on-site restaurant and bar. You will have plenty to do during your stay without even leaving the property!
Q at The Empress
The main restaurant at the hotel is open daily for breakfast and dinner, offering Pacific Northwest cuisine and a menu focused on fresh, local ingredients. You can also arrange in-room dining and we highly recommend ordering breakfast to your room one morning! That way you can stay cozied up in your robe to start your day and have your meal delivered to you. Q Restaurant offers plenty of options for everyone and they can also accommodate dietary restrictions. We enjoyed an amazing plant-based breakfast each morning during our stay!
Afternoon Tea at The Empress
The Fairmont Empress is probably best known for its famous Afternoon Tea. The hotel has been serving a traditional tea for 113 years and counting, and they offer various options including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. It is a full tiered tea service with fresh scones with house-made jam, pastries, finger sandwiches, and a rotating menu of ethically produced, looseleaf teas. It’s such a unique experience! Afternoon Tea at the Empress has become an important Victoria tradition, and people travel from all over the world to experience it. In the summer months, the Empress serves more Afternoon Tea than most hotels in London! The tea is served in the hotel’s elegant Lobby Lounge, on royal china that was a gift from her Majesty in 1939. It’s served from Wednesday through Sunday and we highly recommend booking in advance! This was absolutely one of the highlights of our stay, a proper vegan Afternoon Tea is hard to come by and being able to enjoy it at the Empress was so special.
Lesbian Friendly
The Fairmont brand prides itself on being LGBTQ+ friendly, and welcoming to all queer travellers. The Empress is definitely an inclusive space, and we felt completely free to be ourselves as a lesbian couple during our stay! We can certainly recommend this hotel to other LGBTQ+ travellers and same-sex couples for a great romantic stay in Victoria. Be sure to add it to your list!
For more information on the Empress, you can visit their website here.
Disclosure: The Fairmont Empress generously hosted us (and Theo) for both accommodations and meals during our stay. We were able to experience so much of what this hotel has to offer and we had such a wonderful time. We’re so excited to share the Empress with our audience!
