Fairmont Empress Elevates Victoria's Luxury Hotel Scene with Refreshed Dining, and an Enhanced Fairmont Gold Experience

The Archive Folio

• July 12, 2026
• ByShaena Engle

More than a century after first opening its magnificent doors on Victoria's picturesque Inner Harbour, the iconic Fairmont Empress continues to reinvent itself with a vigor that belies its considerable age, preserving the timeless elegance that has made it one of Canada's most celebrated and instantly recognizable hotels while embracing the innovations that contemporary travelers demand. Recent enhancements throughout the landmark property include the reopening of the historic Bengal as a breakfast destination of remarkable character, an elevated Fairmont Gold experience featuring additional guestrooms and an impressive private lounge that has quickly become one of the city's most sought-after spaces, and recent renovations to Q at the Empress that further modernize the hotel's culinary offerings while respecting the property's extraordinary heritage.

Each enhancement has been conceived with a clear understanding that the guests who choose the Fairmont Empress are seeking something beyond mere accommodation—they are seeking a connection to the history, culture, and natural beauty of British Columbia's capital, delivered with a level of service and sophistication that honors the building's storied past while looking confidently toward its future. The result is a property that feels simultaneously grand and welcoming, historic and thoroughly modern.

The Fairmont Empress has long served as the undisputed centerpiece of Victoria's waterfront, its copper-domed silhouette standing as the most recognizable landmark on a skyline that has enchanted visitors for generations. The hotel seamlessly blends Edwardian architectural grandeur with contemporary comforts that have been introduced with careful sensitivity to the building's historic character, ensuring that every modernization enhances rather than diminishes the sense of stepping into a grander era of travel.

Whether guests arrive for a romantic weekend getaway filled with candlelit dinners and harbor-view sunsets, a wellness escape centered on the hotel's exceptional spa and pool facilities, or a culinary adventure through the Pacific Northwest's extraordinary food and wine culture, the Fairmont Empress continues to offer one of the city's most complete and compelling luxury experiences—a property where every detail, from the polished brass fixtures to the impeccably maintained gardens, reflects a century of dedication to the art of hospitality at its finest.

Bengal restaurant interior featuring dark wood accents, elegant lighting, and a tiger sculpture, showcasing a refined dining atmosphere.

One of the property's most anticipated new additions is the return of The Bengal, a storied space that has welcomed generations of visitors in different forms throughout its rich and colorful history, each incarnation adding new layers of character to a room that already possessed more stories than most hotels can claim in their entirety. Today, the beautifully restored room has been transformed into the hotel's dedicated breakfast venue, housing exposed beams that speak to the building's original construction, plush seating arranged for both intimacy and comfort, and abundant natural light that streams through tall windows to illuminate a space that feels both grand and inviting.

The refreshed setting manages to be sophisticated without losing its essential sense of history—a delicate balance that the best heritage hotels achieve through restraint and respect rather than heavy-handed nostalgia. Breakfast features many of the morning favorites previously served at Q at the Empress, ensuring continuity for returning guests, along with signature dishes inspired by the room's colorful past that create a fresh way to begin the day before exploring Victoria's many attractions. It is a space that rewards lingering, where the pace of the morning slows to match the gentle rhythm of the harbor visible through the windows.

Fairmont Empress

Guests seeking an elevated and deeply personalized stay should reserve one of the Fairmont Gold accommodations, an experience often described as a hotel within the hotel that offers a level of exclusivity and attentive service that transforms an already exceptional visit into something genuinely extraordinary. The premium experience now includes twenty-two additional guestrooms and suites, significantly expanding the Gold offering while maintaining the intimate atmosphere that has always been its signature, along with access to an exclusive lounge that has rapidly become one of the property's standout features and a favorite retreat for those who discover it.

Designed by the acclaimed HBA San Francisco, the sophisticated space incorporates original 1908 architectural elements that have been lovingly preserved and thoughtfully integrated into the contemporary design—exposed brick walls that bear the patina of more than a century, steel beams that speak to the building's industrial heritage, and restored fireplaces that anchor intimate seating areas with a warmth both literal and figurative. The introduction of warm contemporary furnishings, stellar harbor views through oversized windows, and carefully considered lighting creates a space that honors the past while providing every comfort of the present.

The refreshed Fairmont Gold guest rooms continue the refined aesthetic established in the lounge, offering calming neutral palettes that create an immediate sense of tranquility upon entering—essential for travelers seeking respite from the demands of the day. Plush beds dressed in premium linens promise the kind of sleep that only the finest hotels can deliver, while spacious marble bathrooms featuring rainfall showers transform daily rituals into moments of genuine luxury. Each room includes a comfortable sitting area for reading or planning the day's adventures, espresso and tea stations for those essential morning and evening moments, and many rooms overlook the Inner Harbour, where the ever-changing maritime panorama provides a living artwork that no television screen could ever replicate.

The attention to detail extends throughout every element of the room design, from the quality of the towels to the selection of bath amenities, creating a cohesive experience where nothing feels overlooked and everything contributes to a sense of being genuinely cared for. For guests who appreciate the difference between adequate and exceptional, the Fairmont Gold rooms deliver on every expectation.

Fairmont Empress

The private Fairmont Gold Lounge provides an extensive complimentary breakfast that sets a standard few hotel lounges can match, featuring artisan breads baked fresh each morning, premium smoked salmon sourced from the Pacific Northwest's finest producers, artisanal cheeses selected for their quality and provenance, fresh seasonal fruit arranged with an artist's eye, rotating hot selections that showcase the best of regional cuisine, fresh-squeezed juices, and specialty coffees prepared with self-service espresso machines that produce a cup worthy of any Victoria café. Throughout the afternoon, guests can visit for snacks and beverages that sustain the hours between meals, while evening brings canapés and desserts crafted with the same attention to detail that defines the hotel's restaurant kitchens, along with an honor bar that invites unhurried conversation.

Cozy reading corners stocked with curated periodicals, harbor-view seating that transforms the simple act of enjoying a coffee into a moment of scenic meditation, and an outdoor terrace that captures the gentle afternoon breezes off the water all combine to create a peaceful retreat elevated above the bustle of downtown Victoria. The lounge often becomes the highlight of a Gold stay—a space where guests return not merely for the amenities but for the atmosphere of relaxed privilege that permeates every corner.

Fairmont Empress

Dining remains one of the defining experiences at the Fairmont Empress, a tradition that has only grown stronger with time and thoughtful investment. Q at the Empress has just completed an extensive renovation of both its restaurant and bar spaces, resulting in an environment that feels simultaneously fresh and deeply rooted in the hotel's culinary heritage. The menu emphasizes the extraordinary bounty of the Pacific Northwest, with regional seafood caught in local waters, seasonal produce harvested at the peak of ripeness, locally raised meats selected for their quality and sustainability, and herbs harvested from the hotel's own gardens—ensuring that every plate tells a story of this remarkable corner of Canada.

The adjacent bar remains one of Victoria's favorite gathering places, a destination in its own right that draws locals and visitors alike for cocktails crafted with the hotel's signature Empress 1908 Gin, whose vibrant botanical profile and distinctive hue have become synonymous with the property itself. The gin, produced in small batches exclusively for the hotel, captures the essence of the Pacific Northwest in every sip, and ordering it at the bar where it was born is one of those travel rituals that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

Fairmont Empress

No visit to the Fairmont Empress can be considered complete without experiencing its legendary Afternoon Tea, a tradition that has welcomed royalty, celebrities, and discerning travelers for more than one hundred years and continues to set the standard for this most refined of rituals across the entire country. Served in an elegant setting overlooking the harbor, where the afternoon light filters through tall windows and paints the room in shades of gold, the tea features delicate finger sandwiches prepared with precision and care, freshly baked scones accompanied by clotted cream and lemon curd that achieve the perfect balance of richness and brightness, handcrafted pastries that demonstrate the pastry kitchen's extraordinary skill, and premium loose-leaf teas selected from the world's finest estates.

Many ingredients are sourced directly from the hotel's own rooftop herb and lavender gardens, which also supply the kitchen with seasonal botanicals, and from the on-site bee hives whose honey finds its way onto the tea service and into the hotel's culinary program throughout the year. This commitment to growing and producing ingredients on the premises reflects a philosophy that connects the hotel to its surroundings in a tangible, delicious way, ensuring that every cup poured and every plate served carries the unmistakable flavor of place.

Fairmont Empress

Beyond its celebrated dining offerings, the hotel continues to distinguish itself as a premier wellness destination in the heart of the city, providing guests with comprehensive facilities that complement rather than compete with the restorative pace of a Victoria getaway. The Fairmont Spa offers an extensive and carefully curated menu of massages, facials, and body treatments designed to complement a relaxing stay, each one administered by skilled therapists who understand that the most effective treatments are those tailored to the individual rather than simply selected from a list. The spa's tranquil atmosphere provides a welcome counterpoint to the grandeur of the hotel's public spaces, offering an intimate retreat where the focus shifts from the visual to the sensory.

Guests also enjoy access to Victoria's largest indoor hotel pool, a distinction that ensures ample space for serious swimmers and casual splashers alike, along with whirlpools positioned to overlook the beautifully landscaped Fairmont gardens—a view that transforms a simple soak into a meditative experience surrounded by the careful cultivation that has defined this property for over a century. The combination of comprehensive wellness facilities and the hotel's naturally restorative setting creates an experience that leaves guests feeling genuinely renewed rather than merely pampered.

Fairmont Empress

From its beautifully restored public spaces that honor the craftsmanship of a bygone era to its expanded Fairmont Gold accommodations that set a new standard for luxury in the region, and from its evolving culinary program that celebrates the Pacific Northwest's extraordinary bounty to its comprehensive wellness offerings that nurture body and spirit alike, the Fairmont Empress demonstrates with conviction that historic hotels can continue to evolve and improve while remaining true to the heritage that makes them irreplaceable. Each enhancement has been introduced with the kind of thoughtfulness that distinguishes genuine stewardship from mere renovation.

For travelers planning a visit to British Columbia's capital—a city that consistently ranks among the world's most desirable destinations—the latest enhancements offer even more compelling reasons to experience one of Canada's most iconic luxury properties. The Fairmont Empress is not merely a place to stay; it is a destination in its own right, a living monument to the art of hospitality that continues to write new chapters in a story that has been unfolding for more than a century, each one as inviting and as memorable as the last.