We were a bit confused by the "hotel within a hotel" aspect of Fairmont Gold which seemed to result in an extended checkin time, but that aside, we loved our stay and the Afternoon Tea was reminiscent of The Ritz in London, alas including the eye-watering price tag. Still worth it though ... and the Earl Grey tea in particular was so nice we bought some to bring back home! Going by the Clipper Ferry was fun too ... although looking at prices, I'd be tempted to take a seaplane up the next time to shave 2 hours off the travel-time for a price that is in a similar ball-park to comfort class. Customs clearance is a bit of a disaster though - there really has to be a more efficient way of doing this in 2024. There's no real excuse for the lack of WiFi on the ferry in this day and age ... the FAQ on the website is factually incorrect :-(

My wife and I had a grand time at the Empress. It has been beautifully and tastefully updated since my last visit. High Tea, a walk around town, and a day at Bouchard Gardens were fantastic. While at the Empress, the service was excellent, every need was met, the tea and the food were great.

We spent 3 night at the Empress, my first time back at the hotel since I was with my parents man decades ago. The recent renovation was impeccably done, maintaining all of the classic beauty of this grand hotel while introducing some nice modern touches (that chandelier in the new entry area - WOW!). Our room was on the second floor in the back. It looked out on the roof of the adjacent conference center but was otherwise a comfortable, decent-sized room. There were a few minor inconveniences - the hotel was apparently out of slippers, which made using the sauna a bit less enjoyable than we'd expected; the remote for the TV didn't work though thankfully we weren't there to watch TV anyway; and the Nespresso machine vibrated so much that your cup would vibrate right off the base and spill onto the table if not held while the Nespresso machine filled it. Someone came to look at the machine while we were out and just left a message for us saying that it worked fine. Fine, I suppose if they don't mind coffee stains on their newly renovated furniture and carpeting.

This is a magnificent property. We stayed on the Gold Floor, which is spectacular and worth every additional dollar. The room was spacious and well appointed, the service phenomenal and the staff outstanding. The hotel offers a variety of venues for food and drink and all are excellent.

The hotel and grounds are gorgeous and so conveniently located along the water. The staff is amazing, I’ve never had such good service. The gym is great. The pool is nice, the hot tub jets could be a little more powerful but it’s still relaxing. The hotel is dog friendly and they made us feel so welcome. It was a little disappointed that the patio at the restaurant wasn’t dog friendly, as we would have loved to been able to redeem our welcome drinks. The rooms were a little underwhelming considering the grandeur of the rest of the property but overall I would most definitely recommend and stay again. The Empress is iconic for a reason.