Vancouver, British Columbia

 

 

As a hub for celebrities and jet-setters, Vancouver has no shortage of pampering properties. On a recent visit, we consulted with some of the city’s very best downtown enclaves.

Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
At the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver butler service can be provided for One- Bedroom Suites.

Fairmont Pacific Rim isn’t exactly what your clients may expect in a grande dame Fairmont, and therein lies the charm of this hotel in the heart of downtown. Opened just before the 2010 Winter Olympics, it is chic, ultra high-tech and imbued with influences from the Pacific Rim. One of the most requested rooms, suite No. 1410, features a Japanese ofuro-style deep-soaking tub with panoramic views of Coal Harbour and Canada Place. “Bringing the outdoors in,” as the management describes it, is a true mantra here, especially at the exquisite 15,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa, complete with its own infrared sauna—a welcome respite from the perennially gray skies. Good to know: Contact Spa Manager Becky Campbell ([email protected]) to book treatments at least one week in advance. Sales Managers Nadine Wagner ([email protected]) and Haruko Motoyama ([email protected]) are well-suited to welcoming guests of all ages, breeds (pets are welcome) and tastes, including A-list celebrities like Lady Gaga. The 2,250-square-foot Owner’s Suite is also known as the “Rock Star Suite.” Fairmont Gold guests enjoy private concierge and butler services; Fairmont President’s Club members have access to complimentary BMW car rides throughout downtown. What to wear while on the town? Consider the Jacqueline Conoir package, which includes a personal wardrobe consultation with the designer herself.

Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s Rosewood Suite
Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s Rosewood Suite has a private rooftop garden terrace.

The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver is one of founder Isadore Sharp’s favorites; his wife, we’re told, had a huge influence on its décor, a blend of classical European, Asian and Pacific Northwest influences. Deluxe Executive Suites-Preferred View (10 or 20 types) or One-Bedroom Suites are an excellent value and the Royal (No. 2708, No. 2808) and Prime Minister (No. 2701, No. 2801) Suites are tops, according to Sales Manager Dan McGillen ([email protected]). Butler service can be arranged upon request. Where to dine? YEW restaurant + bar (www.yewrestaurant.com specializes in Pacific Northwest seafood with a deft, savory touch from Executive Chef Ned Bell. While there is no onsite spa, in-room treatments can be arranged through Chief Concierge Bertine Hage; be sure to ask for Kendall Dixon for a Swedish or deep-tissue massage. Access to luxury shopping couldn’t be easier; a Roberto Coin boutique just opened inside the hotel and the bustling Pacific Centre mall is only an elevator ride away.

 

Th e St. Regis Vancouver
The St. Regis Vancouver’s Executive Suite offers the most space.

Arguably, one of the best ways to see Vancouver might be from the backseat of Jim Dudley’s Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It’s just one of many complimentary services available to guests of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Louis Armstrong, the Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra have all checked in at this hotel, which originally opened in 1927. It reemerged last summer from an extensive $120 million makeover, winning critics over with its exquisite levels of service, its atmospheric surroundings and its impeccable onsite amenities. For the best views, book the premium 1,492-square-foot Rosewood Suite (No. 1205); the Junior Suite (No. 1215), the Deluxe Room (No. 1106) and the 1,280-square-foot Lord Stanley Suite (No. 1208) also come highly recommended. Our Premier Executive Room (No. 1004) wowed us with its expansive five-fixture bathroom—a standard in all Deluxe room and suite accommodations—with heated floors, a rain shower, a large soaking tub and dual vanities. What else to love? The 2,000-square-foot spa, run by Spa Manager Lindsay Koropchuck ([email protected]), has a 52-foot-long indoor saltwater lap pool—the perfect place to unwind after an indulgent Vancouver Signature Sensation exfoliation and massage. Even better? The spa accommodates spa-goers as young as age five, as well as bridal parties. The best seats in the house that aren’t poolside: by the fire pit at the outdoor Reflections Lounge (open seasonally), or at Hawksworth Restaurant, one of the city’s most highly lauded dining spots. Luxury travel advisors are welcome to contact Chief Concierge Heather Crosby ([email protected]) to arrange one-of-a-kind experiences, including private floatplane picnics and wine tours of the Fraser Valley.

 

Advisor Insight:

“There are so many beautiful hotels in Vancouver, and they all have a different feeling when you first walk in,” said Mary Pyle Peters ([email protected]; 530-836-0684) of Distinctive Journeys, based in Blairsden, CA. “I like to recommend the ones that have the extra amenities, like butler service, spacious suites and welcome amenities—anything that makes the clients feel special. Clients especially love being whisked away by limousine to their hotel, or taking a private floatplane trip in and around the Vancouver harbor. It’s romantic and adventuresome and altogether cool to take off and land on the water like that.” Peters recommends gourmet-centric itineraries that focus on the city’s multicultural and eclectic tastes, from private meals on Granville Island to private wine tours of the nearby Okanagan Valley. No matter what your clients’ interests are, she says, “Vancouver is an easy place to be seduced by the charms of the people, the friendliness and the sheer amount of things to do.”

 

Does your client prefer a stay that offers a maximum return on investment? If so, The St. Regis Hotel is your best bet. With complimentary high-speed Internet access, full daily breakfast, bottled water and worldwide long distance, this compact 65-room hotel is both smart and satisfying. Not to be confused with the St. Regis hotel brand from Starwood, this independently owned boutique hotel charms with its simplicity and personable, attentive service; General Manager Jeremy Roncoroni ([email protected]) personally handwrites a note to each and every guest upon welcome. (One former visitor is Lady Gaga, who stayed here during her first tour.) Although The St. Regis is housed within a 1913 Edwardian landmark, its interior bears little resemblance to that era with its sleek furnishings and contemporary artwork. Executive and Junior Suites offer the most space; contact Assistant Manager Casey Kitamura ([email protected]) to make arrangements. Craving some of the city’s best steaks? Look no further than the adjacent Gotham Steakhouse, one of the city’s most awarded steakhouses. Good to know: The hotel’s Holt Renfrew Shopping Experience package includes a $100 gift card and a personal shopping consultation.

The Wedgewood Hotel & Spa Penthouse
The Wedgewood Hotel & Spa Penthouse has a separate living room with gas fireplace.

The family-owned Wedgewood Hotel & Spa is the city’s only Relais & Châteaux hotel and it not only meets the association’s exacting standards but exceeds them even. The 83-room boutique hotel is inviting, exuding an Old World elegance and charm that few properties in the city can lay claim to. No wonder that a number of celebrities, from Pierce Brosnan and Ellen DeGeneres to Robert Redford and Goldie Hawn, have made it their home away from home while in town. With the assistance of Director of Sales and Marketing Joanna Tsaparas-Piché ([email protected]) and Reservations Manager Chris Merrell ([email protected]), your A-list clients will be pampered in their suites. Our 600-square-foot Deluxe Suite (No. 505) was incredibly spacious, with a balcony overlooking Robson Square and the Vancouver Art Gallery. We hear that Hawn once remarked that she loved the Penthouse Suite bathroom more than her own. What do we love about the Wedgewood? Its personable, intimate spa, which will feature newly completed renovations this spring. In the skilled hands of Head Esthetician Asuncion Busilla, guests are truly treated like a star; Busilla’s former clients include Charlize Theron and Jessica Alba. Good to know: Schedule treatments at least one week in advance with Spa Coordinator Michelle Blanchard ([email protected]). Dining here is also top-notch at the award-winning Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge where we highly recommend the savory halibut and duck confit.

Fairmont Pacific Rim
Fairmont Pacific Rim has a great pool setting in the heart of Vancouver.