From Tradition into Modern Self-Care
Imagine stepping into Canada’s “Castle on the Coast,” overlooking Victoria’s glittering Inner Harbour, where elegance and wellness intertwine. Inside the Fairmont Empress, the Fairmont Spa has unveiled a signature treatment unlike anything else—The Empress Blue Ritual—a sensory journey that feels both luxurious and deeply grounding.
Fairmont Empress has long been celebrated for its iconic afternoon tea—a tradition that has welcomed royalty, celebrities, and travellers from around the world. This fall, that legacy of tea takes on a new form at the Fairmont Spa with the debut of The Empress Blue Ritual: a treatment that transforms one of the hotel’s most beloved teas into a restorative spa experience.
The inspiration for this signature treatment comes from the Blue Suede Shoes Tea, a striking blend that has become a guest favourite at the Empress. True to its name, the tea opens with smooth sweetness and finishes with delicate noisette notes. Its vivid sapphire hue comes from the butterfly pea flower, a botanical revered for its antioxidant properties and visual beauty. Blended with rosehip, hawthorn fruit, and cornflower petals, Blue Suede Shoes is both nourishing and enchanting—low in caffeine yet rich in wellness benefits, making it a perfect choice for any time of day.
It is this tea’s unique character—its beauty, its healthful qualities, and its connection to the Empress’s tea tradition—that inspired the creation of The Empress Blue Ritual. Designed as a sensory journey, the treatment translates the act of sipping tea into a full-body experience of renewal, reflection, and indulgence.
The 90-minute experience begins with a tea and honey body polish that gently smooths and revitalizes the skin. Guests are then invited to slip into a warm bath infused with coconut milk and Blue Suede Shoes Tea. As the butterfly pea flower transforms the water into a brilliant sapphire blue, the effect is both soothing and spectacular. The ritual encourages guests to sip the very same tea while they soak, creating a harmony of inner and outer nourishment. This is followed by a full-body massage with warm, tea-infused oils, melting away tension while grounding the body and mind in calm stillness. To extend the experience beyond the spa, each guest departs with a tea bath sachet and a pot of Empress honey harvested from the hotel’s centennial garden bees.
For those who may not have the luxury of time, the 60-minute Empress Blue Body Polish offers a streamlined version of the treatment. This includes exfoliation, hydration, and a focused back massage—perfect for glowing skin and targeted relaxation when schedules are tighter.
What makes this ritual remarkable is how seamlessly it merges tradition with innovation. The butterfly pea flower lends a dazzling visual element as the bath water turns sapphire blue, while Empress honey and coconut milk deeply nourish the skin. Every step is thoughtfully designed to honour the reflective energy of fall while elevating self-care into something extraordinary.
It is more than a spa service—it is a royal indulgence that captures the essence of the Fairmont Empress itself: heritage, beauty, and a touch of magic. Whether guests choose the full immersion of the 90-minute treatment or the tailored 60-minute option, The Empress Blue Ritual invites them to pause, reflect, and leave renewed in both body and spirit.
And it is no surprise that this storied hotel continues to set the standard for unforgettable experiences. Named the #1 Best Canadian Hotel in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards, and honoured as both Forbes Recommended and MICHELIN Key, Fairmont Empress proves once again that when tradition meets innovation, the result is nothing short of extraordinary.