When you turn the corner via sea into Victoria’s Inner Harbor, The Empress Hotel comes into sight as a regal welcome to one of the world’s most charming cities.
The Victorian-era hotel, which opened in 1908, spans a full city block wide and stately sits as the most iconic symbol of British Columbia’s capital.
Edward, Prince of Wales, visited the Empress in 1919. Shirley Temple was here in the 1930s. In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stopped by on their royal tour of Canada.
That was 80 years ago, by which time the Empress already had established a proud legacy.