Family Getaway at the Fairmont Empress

I feel quite fortunate to live in Victoria, BC. Even after two years of local travel, there is always something new to discover in my city.

Our most memorable local experience yet, was our special weekend at The Fairmont Empress and enjoying their Kids Rule the Castle offer.

Disclosure: My family received special perks in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are always my own. 

About the Fairmont Empress

There is something magical about The Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC. As you drive towards this castle situated in front of the inner harbour, you know your experience will be special.

This historic hotel, part of the Fairmont brand, has a bright welcoming lobby, comfortable rooms and an incredible pool area. It’s the perfect place for a family vacation.

Kids Rule the Castle

My family enjoyed the Kids Rule the Castle offer during our weekend getaway. This special package is designed to create the perfect luxury family getaway.

With the Kids Rule the Castle package, families can enjoy spacious luxurious rooms, daily breakfast and take part in many fun activities like scavenger hunts in the castle!

As a sweet extra, each child receives a Winston the dog stuffed animal and a nightly milk and cookies amenity. 

There are also special dining menus for kids when booking this package.

If parents need a bit of time off, they can go enjoy the Q Bar, where there is live music every Thursday to Saturday night.

Our Favourite Fairmont Moments

Trust me when I say, there is nothing else like that Fairmont Feeling.

Our family enjoyed every moment of our stay at the Empress. Our weekend getaway felt like we were miles away from home. Our weekend was special, relaxing and fun.

My children loved our large spacious suite. The beds were dreamy and the view of the harbour was stunning. We all allowed ourselves to sleep in during our stay and enjoyed coffee and tea in our room while looking at the view from our windows.

The pool was a highlight for us. We put on our Fairmont robes twice a day, every day, and headed to the Empress’ health club to swim and soak in the hot tub. I appreciated the comfortable lounge chairs and my husband enjoyed the steam room. 

We also enjoyed walking throughout the Empress and seeing historical photos, framed menus and visiting with Winston the Empress Canine Ambassador.

Eating at the Empress

The Fairmont Empress has several dining options for it’s guests. We were fortunate to try all the dining options during our weekend stay.

We enjoyed breakfast at the Q Restaurant every morning. We started every breakfast with fresh berries, specialty coffees and hot chocolate. We enjoyed classic Eggs Benny, a Farm Fresh Eggs breakfast and Loaded Oatmeal with caramelized banana and dried fruit. The breakfast menu has something for everyone.

At lunch we ate in the Q Bar. Our children loved the sliders and spaghetti from the kids menu. My husband and I enjoyed a meat and cheese board and salads. Afternoon mocktails were a treat for each of us.

We ate two dinners during our stay. One in the Q Bar and one on the Veranda. Both meals were fantastic but our experience on the Veranda was extra special.

On that evening, we sat at a fire table overlooking the harbour and the lights of the Legislature building. We were cozy (as a bonus, blankets are provided) and really liked this open air dining experience. Nothing compares to enjoying special cocktails by the fire and indulging in the best Pacific Northwest cuisine.

Overall

Our stay at the Fairmont Empress was quite the treat. We enjoyed getting away from it all in our city and staying in this historic hotel. I was impressed by how family friendly this hotel was.

I would highly recommend a family getaway at the Fairmont Empress. The attention to detail in all areas of the hotel, friendly staff, beautiful rooms, delicious meals and a fantastic pool area make it a perfect choice for families.

The Fairmont Empress has many special offers to plan a perfect getaway. There is currently a Pacific Northwest + Alberta resident rate as well as the Kids Rule the Castle offer that is a great fit for families and available during the upcoming Family Day weekend.

To learn more about these special offers, check out the Fairmont Empress offers page now. 

I’d like to know, what would you most like to experience at the Fairmont Empress?