 Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver Hotel Review
Offering an Eyeful of British Columbia
The gorgeous lobby
The
views are everywhere at The Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver,
BC. In fact, you won't find a room without an amazing
one. From the outside, this building isn't the prettiest
in town—aesthetically it doesn't compare to its
landmark sister, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver—but
its modern glass façade serves an invaluable service,
once you're inside. It's as if every floor-to-ceiling
window in every one of the bedrooms is a work of art devoted
to the local landscape: the inner harbor, coastal mountains
and Stanley Park.
The
Fairmont Waterfront is located on the shores of Burrard
Inlet, across from Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal and
connected by an underground walkway to the Vancouver Convention
and Exhibition Center. Naturally, cruise passengers and
conventioneers fill the halls. The hotel takes care to
cater to this clientele with special services, such as
a bell staff to assist with porterage to the terminal
and conference facilities that complement the convention
center.
But
you don't have to be straight off the boat or wearing
a suit to get a room here. The hotel's proximity
to Stanley Park and Gastown is great for leisure travelers,
too. It's a welcoming, casual place, like the city
it inhabits. Your first hint of its attitude is the greeting
you receive from Holly, a gold lab-retriever mix trained by BC
Guide Dog Services. Simply “reserve”
a date and you're off. Our recommendation: Stanley
Park (plastic bags, doggie snacks and water are provided).
While some may say the hotel's atmosphere is too
homey and low-key, we disagree, as do rock stars, business
tycoons and Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, who
stayed here during her 2002 Jubilee visit. In fact, she
even gave Morgan a “royal pat” on the head.
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| Herons
Restaurant |
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| Vancouver
Vista |
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| Heated Pool |
Herons
Restaurant, with two-story windows overlooking the water
and mountains, is located just off the lobby. It serves
regional cuisine and showcases Canadian wines. Of note
is the use of over 50 varieties of herbs, all grown in
the hotel's own 2,100-square-foot terrace herb harden.
The garden, which can be seen from some of the rooms,
is a haven for small birds; keep an eye out for the visiting
peregrine. Herons
Lounge features tapas and martinis, with live piano music
on Thursday and Friday nights.
All of the 489 accommodations come with floor-to-ceiling
windows; more than 300 overlook the harbor, while the
rest reveal views across the city to the mountains. The
style is simple and provincial, incorporating warm, rustic
colors, as well as a few marine tones that reflect the
landscape outside. Standard rooms come in four categories,
essentially rated by their views. The best of these are
the 470-square-foot, corner Signature Rooms with 180-degree
views. Suites have private bedrooms and upgraded amenities
such as CD players; select Executive Suites come with
dining areas and private terraces. The split-level Royal
Suite is aptly named: Her Royal Highness slept here. Lodging
is also offered on the Fairmont Gold level, which is positioned
as a hotel within a hotel. Staying here gets you private
check-in and -out at a ninth-floor reception area, access
to a private lounge with terrace, complimentary breakfast,
cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, as well as complimentary
use of a boardroom. Overall, when rating the bedroom views,
we prefer vistas that include the seaplane terminal, staging
ground for the ballet of seaplanes in flight over mountain
and sea.
Several
amenities accompany the scenery, such as a rooftop pool
(with—of course—views), a cigar shop (so you
can savor a smoke while taking in the views) and a concierge
(to give you the lowdown on the views). In short: the
views have it. Need we say more?
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