REGAL, Renovated and Ready for Tea
BY DARCY NYBO
Any visit to Victoria, BC must involve a stay at, or a least a visit to, The Fairmont Empress Hotel. Turn-of-the-century charm coupled with a recent multi-million dollar Fairmont Gold renovation make this hotel the crown jewel of Victoria.
It’s no wonder this icon has remained a favourite for locals, visitors, royalty and celebrities since it first opened its doors in 1908. The Fairmont Empress resort reflects the splendor and grace of a bygone era. It has played host to Kings, Queens and movie stars, and even has the ghosts of a little girl and an early 20th century maid roaming its corridors. World- renowned for its Afternoon Tea, it is estimated the Empress serves more guests than most hotels in London, England.
Afternoon Tea is carefully orchestrated for each guest; with treats ranging from the magical creations of award-winning Pastry Chef D’Oyen Christie to the secret blend of Empress Tea, every guest is treated like royalty. The Empress has tailored this time- honoured tradition to suit young and old alike, making memories that are cherished for a lifetime.
Angela Rafuse-Tahir, the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing, has some exciting news for April. “With the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton approaching, we have designated April as Royal Wedding Month” she explains. “We will have a series of Royal Wedding Celebrations including the Royal Pastry apprentice where children get to go into the pastry shop and create with the pastry chef. We also have the Royal Easter Brunch on the 24th of April.”
The wedding takes place at 3:00 am BC time, when most of us are still sleeping and in our PJs. In the wee hours of April 29th The Empress will broadcast the wedding. “Guests can wear anything from robes and PJ’s to their own royal attire. Reservations are required and we are close to being sold out. Later that day we have a royal subjects picnic and tea. We will have a Queen look-alike make a special announcement and serve afternoon tea to go. We will also have a contest for the best dressed dog, with the reward being royal doggy treats. We ask that people wear their finest hats, as this will be a well documented event that will go down in Empress history.”
The Empress has special rates all of April for the spa as well as royal wedding rates for the rooms. Heir to The Throne for $299 offers two adults and two children accommodation, afternoon tea, a scavenger hunt, children’s activity book and local children’s friendly attractions, plus milk and cookies at turndown. It doesn’t get more royal than that.
Reservations and Information 250 384 8111
www.fairmont.com/empress
SPRING 2011 | 19
Fairmont Empress Hotel
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