The Bengal Lounge furnished in the colonial style of British-ruled India will be closed in April 2016.

The Bengal Lounge furnished in the colonial style of British-ruled India will be closed in April 2016.
Photo Credit: Fairmont Empress

Historic lounge in western Canada to close

A century-old Canadian hotel is going to close a popular lounge whose theme was inspired by British Queen Victoria’s title of Empress of India. The Bengal Lounge is lined with dark hardwood, and is graced with an antique bar and a tiger skin on one wall. Waiters wore Nehru jackets and served curries and drinks like the Bombay Stinger.

Canada used to be a British colony and the Empress Fairmont Hotel is in the western city of Victoria. The city was named after the queen and began as a British settlement in 1843.

Hotel promises to keep historic features

The Empress has many significant, historic architectural features, but management has decided renovations are necessary. It will spend $30 million or more to redo restaurants and bars at the centre of the hotel, part of which overlook the sea.

It’s not known what will become of the Bengal Lounge, but a hotel spokesman assures that historical features and objects will be kept.

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