One of Vancouver Island’s most famous hotels has closed for now.
The Fairmont Empress hotel said it has decided to close its doors temporarily starting today, March 24, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In an e-mailed statement to CHEK News, the hotel said the suspension of its operations includes all guest services, overnight stays and amenities such as the health club, pool, spa and restaurant and as well as all retail space.
“We have made the difficult decision to suspend hotel operations at Fairmont Empress and temporarily close effective Wednesday, March 25, 2020. We are currently planning to reevaluate in the coming weeks and will provide updates on a reopening date as information becomes available,” said Tracey Drake, the hotel’s director of marketing and public relations, in an e-mailed statement.
Details about the number of employees who will be laid off as a result of the closure weren’t provided to CHEK News but the hotel said a “very small” amount of employees will remain on the property in order to “maintain” emergency services.
“This is a challenging time for Victoria and beyond, and our hearts go out to all who have been impacted. We will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation and stay in close communication with our loyal guests and dedicated employees to ensure that our community is informed, connected and supported through these trying times. We thank our valued employees and guests for their patience as we navigate through this time together. We look forward to resuming operations and welcoming our friends, family and community back to the hotel soon,” Drake added.
CHEK News
