STAY: Whether stylish and modern or old-fashioned and fancy is your preferred type of escape, Vancouver is home to two Fairmont properties that, while different in looks and amenities, each is brimming with luxury (there is a third property at the airport, as well). Fairmont Pacific Rim (pictured) is the epitome of luxury in Vancouver, rated as the “World’s Best Business Hotel” by Condé Nast Traveler readers and the “No. 1 City Hotel in Canada” by Travel + Leisure. If the ultra-sleek lobby—decked in glossy marble, cozy seating, stunning gold fixtures hanging from the ceiling and a jaw-dropping fire feature—doesn’t clue you in that this is a special property, check out the unobstructed mountain and harbor views or simply pop into one of the Instagram-ready guest rooms.
Amenities among the 367 rooms may include floor-to-ceiling windows, walk-in closets, old-school games to fill in down time, a record player (complete with a stellar selection of music to choose from) and a glorious soaking tub. Fairmont Gold members even have access to an exclusive lounge where delicious eats and drinks (including the addicting sugar buns on the breakfast menu from the on-site giovane café + eatery + market), views of Stanley Park and concierge service is at guests’ fingertips.
Though luxury spa experiences are abundant in Scottsdale, a trip to Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Pacific Rim is unlike anything that can be experienced locally. The spa is found on the fifth floor of the hotel, and its 2,500-sq.-ft. outdoor patio greets guests with mountain and downtown views, fire pits, water features, expansive daybeds and a hot tub. Watching steam as the hot tub water hits the cool Vancouver air while nestled under a daybed blanket will melt away any stress before you even step inside a treatment room. The 90-minute locally inspired Coastal Mountain Retreat—featuring a hydrating maple sugar scrub and a replenishing body wrap with a Bio-Maple compound of cocoa and shea butter—is sure to do the trick as well.
Known as Vancouver’s “Grand Lady” and the “Castle in the City,” the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is drenched in history and tradition. The castlelike hotel even greets kings, queens and Hollywood royalty year after year. To add to its opulence, the hotel is currently undergoing a guest room renovation project, along with the addition of 8,000 square feet of new meeting and function space, that is set for completion next month.
To complete the regal experience of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Notch8 Restaurant & Bar hosts a daily Afternoon High Tea (as well as breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar bites) in its private dining room with tea sandwiches, from-scratch pastries and delicious tea options. Fit for a queen, indeed.
