Fairmont Empress Hotel

This hotel on Victoria Island boasts an excellent location, right next to the Parliament. You can grab some fish and chips directly in front, and there are shops to explore just to the right. The street view from the room is also beautiful, and the room's interior layout feels very comfortable. The toiletries were relaxing to use, and the bed was incredibly comfortable, allowing for a truly restful night's sleep. Unfortunately, during our stay, someone accidentally triggered the fire alarm due to smoking. The hotel's emergency procedures were quite good, but once the cause was identified, no staff member came to explain what happened. We were evacuated to a back area (which looked like a garbage disposal area) that was essentially blocked off, meaning even if we had gotten out, we couldn't have gone further. So, we ended up going back inside the hotel. Perhaps we're unaware of how they typically handle such incidents, as they didn't mention anything during check-out the next day. Is this type of situation considered normal? I'm not sure. Overall, we liked this hotel, but it would have been even better if the follow-up after the incident had been handled more thoroughly.

Great location, with a charming, old-world British vibe! However, the stay didn't live up to the price.

The hotel's location is excellent, no complaints there! The bus stop for Vancouver is conveniently located right behind the building, on the main road. If you're taking a seaplane to Vancouver, the terminal is just a 5-minute walk from the front door – super convenient! Chinatown is about a 10-minute walk, and a nearby commercial street is just 5 minutes away on foot. Frankie's breakfast, freshly made, was absolutely fantastic! The hotel facilities are a bit dated, and the hallways have a slight old-building smell. The room itself was spacious enough, but the bathroom in my room was tiny. It was difficult to move around, especially if you're on the larger side, and the exhaust fan wasn't working. The bathtub drain also had to be opened manually. The bathroom also lacked separate wet and dry areas. There was no kettle in the room, only a coffee machine. However, there's an ice machine on the same floor if you need ice or water.

This hotel has little going for it other than its excellent location. On my most recent stay with family, I booked a city-view room with a jacuzzi, but we were given a second-floor room with no view at all. Two-thirds of the window was frosted glass, so you couldn't even see outside, and there was no jacuzzi. After I discovered this, I complained through Trip.com, and the explanation given was that the hotel was fully booked. They only offered a partial refund. It was a very bad experience. The hotel's facilities are also quite old and worn, and the hygiene was just mediocre.

Pros: 1. The hotel's location right by the Inner Harbour is convenient for visiting several nearby attractions. 2. The front desk staff were very enthusiastic and gave us detailed information about the hotel's entertainment and dining facilities, as well as local sights. Knowing we were driving, they also informed us about parking (even though there's a charge). 3. The beds were comfortable. Cons: 1. Due to the hotel's age, the bathroom only has a bathtub, no separate shower. They've installed two glass panels to act as a splash guard, but there's a large gap between them, which means shower water still wets the entire bathroom floor. 2. The windows in the rooms facing the street aren't double-glazed, so the noise from passing vehicles at night is very loud. At over 4000 a night, the value for money is extremely low.