The entrance to one of the most iconic buildings in Victoria’s Inner Harbour is getting a facelift.
Council recently approved a heritage altercation permit to build a port cochere at the west entrance of the Fairmont Empress Hotel to improve guest and resident accessibility.
According to a staff report, the current entrance presents functional challenges due to its lack of prominence, resulting in a situation where many guests mistakenly enter the hotel through the front veranda patio instead.
The free-standing port cochere will be built on Government Street and will be wide enough to accommodate three vehicles, as well as tour coaches and emergency vehicles. The feature will retain all of the hotel’s existing features.
The port cochere will be the fifth addition to the hotel since it was built between 1904 and 1908.