Sylvia Main was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. She moved to Canada with her family when she was a teenager and went on to complete her BA in languages and literature at the University of Victoria.Sylvia worked for the elegant Fairmont Empress Hotel in Guest Services for a number of years. In 1999, Sylvia and her husband, Roscoe, opened Fairholme Manor Inn in Victoria. Over the years, the two have transformed the mansion into a beautiful European inn.