Royal Treatment Victoria’s Empress Boasts Ambience And Great Location

If you crave a little pampering in these dark winter months, think about treating yourself to an off-season weekend at the Empress Hotel in Victoria.

Elegance of an earlier era defines this massive brick building, built in 1908. Stroll down the wide carpeted corridors, lined with detailed woodwork. Lean out the big windows that open all the way, letting the sea breeze slip through your room. Sit back, throw your feet up on an ottoman and sip coffee in china cups and saucers.

But today is not forgotten at this grand hotel, remodeled many times over the years. With a few twists and turns, you can find a fully equipped athletic center and lap pool. Recycling bins are in each room, along with a note giving you the option to reuse your towels - cutting down on the use of water and detergent.

Victoria claims to get 30 percent less rain then Seattle or Vancouver, though don’t go expecting sunshine in December. But there’s enough within the hotel’s labyrinthine corridors to keep you entertained on a weekend visit without stepping into winter weather.

Treat yourself to the famous afternoon tea (about $15 (U.S.) per person, and no jeans or sweatshirts, please). Settle into a love seat or chintz wing chairs, and soak up the first-class pampering offered with your crumpets and soothing pot of tea. The Tea Room is the perfect environment for chatting, reading a good book, reflecting or just people watching.

Peek into the Bengal Lounge, a dining room specializing in Indian curries, served daily. The Empress was named for Queen Victoria, the empress of India, and the lush era of her reign has been captured in this extraordinary room with its marble and brass curry bar. A pair of large teakwood elephants guards the room’s Zubar woodblock mural from 1807 and 30-year-old Bengal tiger skin.

If you have a historical bent, wander downstairs to the archives and trace the hotel’s history.

If you want to get out and about, many of Victoria’s sights and shops are within easy walking distance (the Empress is only a two-minute stroll from the heart of downtown). Be sure to earmark a morning for the Royal British Columbia Museum, one of the best natural history museums in North America, just next door. A little farther away, but well worth the walk, is the Maritime Museum. Antique row is three blocks away, on Fort Street.

If you’d like a more ambitious overview of the city, horse-drawn carriages and double-decker bus tours leave from the front lawn of the hotel.

The hotel’s main restaurant, the Empress Dining Room, has received accolades for its Northwest fare and seasonal menus. The quality of the menu is matched by the elegance, with tapestried walls and firelight dining. As an added plus, it has recently become totally non-smoking (unusual for Canadian restaurants).

For those looking for a little more action, the hotel offers a number of day trips, including guided nature hikes, whale watching boat rides, scuba diving on local wrecks, kayaking and seaplane trips. Reservations are recommended, but don’t let that deter you. An advantage of going off season is that trips are rarely booked to capacity.

You can get to Victoria by plane or car. If you’re staying at the Empress, consider parking at the Seattle ferry dock and taking the Victoria Clipper high-speed passenger ferry directly to Victoria’s inner harbor, a stone’s throw away from the hotel (and ask about packages that include the ferry trip).

The Empress will never be considered a cheap hotel, but at this time of year, and considering the weak Canadian dollar, it’s something of a bargain. The “Empress Secret Package” offered from January to April is geared to the off-season traveler who wants to discover what makes Victoria special. For $120 (approximate U.S. dollars, including all taxes) per night, you can choose from the Empress tea, the Death by Chocolate buffet or admission to Butchart Gardens, as well as receive discounts for local merchants and museums.

The hotel’s Victorian Christmas package is a 70-year-old tradition. It includes entertainment, breakfast and dinner for 4 nights and 5 days for $640 (approximate U.S. dollars, including all taxes). For information or reservations, call (800) 441-1414

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MEMO: Do you have a favorite hideaway around the Northwest, a secluded retreat that you would recommend to others? We’d like to hear about it. Write to: Travel Editor, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or fax (509) 459-5098.