Hotel Review: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (Deluxe Room), Vancouver, BC

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Hotel Review: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (Deluxe Room), Vancouver, BC

Introduction:

Staying at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has been on my travel bucket list for quite some time. Located in the heart of the city, this historic building is currently undergoing a renovation (complete July, 2017) that will see the magnificent castle brought up to modern standards while retaining all of it’s unique charm and rich history.

It took me a few years to finally stay at this property for a few reasons:

  1. Up until recently, most of the guest rooms were really dated, and in my opinion, not worth the price.
  2. The Fairmont Pacific Rim in Coal Harbour is one of my favourite hotels in the world, and my preferred property when staying in Vancouver.
  3. The Hotel Vancouver doesn’t participate in the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program, which is usually my preferred booking method, especially for short stays.

Due to it being the shoulder season in Vancouver, and likely because of the ongoing construction at the hotel, I was able to book a basic room for roughly $200/night with parking included, which was too good of a deal to pass on.

Arrival:

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has one of the best locations in the city on Georgia street, with easy access to shopping, entertainment, dining and nightlife. The driveway is located off Hornby street where we were greeted by a friendly valet staff on arrival.

Valet Driveway
Valet Driveway

The exterior of the hotel is iconic, and really stands out amongst the modern glass towers.

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Surrounding the hotel are some other unique Vancouver landmarks, including the Christ Church Cathedral across the street.

Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral

We were greeted by a friendly valet staff and directed inside towards the reception area. The lobby is not how I remembered it from a few years ago, with the check-in area now around the corner from the main lobby and concierge desk. There was a bit of a wait for check-in, as the dedicated line for Fairmont President’s Club members was unstaffed.

Check-In Was A Bit Disorganized
Check-In Was A Bit Disorganized

Thankfully there was a nice seating area just off the lobby to relax while waiting for the crowds to clear.

Lobby Seating Area
Lobby Seating Area

I was informed during check-in that we had been upgraded to a recently renovated deluxe room. I suggest requesting a new room if staying before July, 2017, as the unfinished floors are very outdated. Being Platinum in the Fairmont President’s club allowed for early check-in, late check-out, an upgraded room, and personalized welcome amenity, which added a lot of value to the overall experience. For those planning to stay at Fairmont properties more than 5 times per year, I highly recommend the American Express Platinum Card for accelerated elite status, which can easily justify the annual fee alone.

The elevators were down the hallway towards the main lobby and around the corner. I found the elevators to be painfully slow, especially after just staying at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport where there never seems to be a wait.

Hallway To Main Lobby
Hallway To Main Lobby

The main lobby features the concierge desk, and some high-end shopping, including Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci.

Louis Vuitton Store
Louis Vuitton Store
Dior Shop
Dior Shop
Elevator Lobby, With Really Slow Elevators
Elevator Lobby, With Really Slow Elevators

Our room was on the 7th floor, which was one of the only floors completely renovated. The new finishes in the lobby and hallways are really fresh, and a huge improvement over the other floors.

Recently Renovated 7th Floor Elevator Lobby
Recently Renovated 7th Floor Elevator Lobby
7th Floor Hallway
7th Floor Hallway

The Room:

My first impression of the room was good, though there was definitely a lack of natural light with only one medium window on the far wall. The room had been nicely renovated with warm earthy tones and high-quality furniture. There was a large closet on the left side of the entrance, and double doors to the small bathroom on the right.

Deluxe Room Entrance
Deluxe Room Entrance

The closet was large and featured plenty of hangers, a luggage rack, bathrobes, ironing board, and in-room safe. Just beside the closet was a small bench for additional storage if needed.

Large Hallway Closet
Large Hallway Closet
Additional Storage Or Seating Area
Addition Storage Or Seating Area

The main room featured two large (and very comfortable) queen beds with high-quality linens and pillows. Fairmont always has a consistent bed, which I appreciate.

Two Queen Beds
Two Queen Beds
Very Comfortable, High Quality Linens And Pillows
Very Comfortable, High-Quality Linens And Pillows

Between the beds was a nightstand with complimentary bottled water, a lamp, notepad and pen, telephone, and alarm clock.

Shared Bedside Table
Shared Bedside Table
Fairmont Has My Favourite Hotel Pen!
Fairmont Has My Favourite Hotel Pen!

On the other side of the beds, beside the window, was a small seating area.

Comfortable Corner Armchair
Comfortable Corner Armchair

Opposite the seating area was a nice office desk with two chairs. Upon check-in, there was a lovely welcome amenity consisting of sparkling water, delicious chocolates, and a welcome letter from the General Manager (we brought the champagne).

Comfortable Desk And Chairs Next To Window
Comfortable Desk And Chairs Next To Window
Lovely Welcome Amenity
Lovely Welcome Amenity

In front of the window was a dog bed, complete with dishes, treats, bottled water, and poop bags. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is very pet-friendly, and charges $25 per night to bring along your canine companion.

Pet Amenities - Nice Touch!
Pet Amenities – Nice Touch!

In the middle of the room, opposite the beds, was a large television and minibar. The television had a wide range of free cable options and a good selection of pay-per-view titles. There was also a small cupboard with common connections to hook-up your own device.

Television With Good Selection Of Content
Television With Good Selection Of Content
Plug In Your Own Device
Plug-in Your Own Device

The minibar was located just below the TV and featured a good selection of overpriced drinks and snacks. This hotel uses a sensor fridge, meaning you can’t remove items for personal storage without being charged. Luckily they were able to provide a secondary fridge free of charge for that purpose.

Minibar Sensor Fridge
Minibar Sensor Fridge
Selection Of Coffee And Tea
Selection Of Coffee And Tea
Coffee Maker - Surprised It Wasn't A Nespresso
Coffee Maker – Surprised It Wasn’t A Nespresso

The bathroom had been completely redone, and looked really good, though still very small (hard to change that in old buildings). Something that surprised me was they opted to keep a small bathtub/shower combination rather than installing a large walk-in shower…

Small Bathroom Vanity And Toilet
Small Bathroom Vanity And Toilet
Nice Wallpaper And Pictures
Nice Wallpaper And Pictures
Large Lit Mirror
Large Lit Mirror
Limited Under-Sink Storage
Limited Under-Sink Storage
Fairmont Standard - Le Labo Rose 31 Amenities
Fairmont Standard – Le Labo Rose 31 Amenities
Additional Bathroom Amenities
Additional Bathroom Amenities
Small And Dated Bathtub
Small And Dated Bathtub
Nice Shower With Beautiful Finishes
Nice Shower With Beautiful Finishes

Hotel Amenities:

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing construction, the pool area was closed during our stay, with complimentary rides to offsite pools if requested. We chose instead to have a couple of drinks at the recently opened Notch8, and were very impressed with the style and service!

Notch8 Lobby Entrance
Notch8 Lobby Entrance
Happy Hour!
Happy Hour!
Beautiful New Design
Beautiful New Design
Comfortable And Stylish Seating
Comfortable And Stylish Seating
Simple But Delicious Caesar (Bloody Mary)
Simple But Delicious Caesar (Bloody Mary)

Bottom Line:

I’m happy I finally took the plunge and booked a room at the iconic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver! While not as luxurious as The Rosewood Hotel Georgia, and certainly not as contemporary and upbeat as The Fairmont Pacific Rim, the hotel has a lot to offer and will appeal to a large group of travellers looking for affordable luxury in one of the best locations in Vancouver!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tyler

Weatherup

Photo of author
Champagne taste on a beer budget has always been reminiscent of Tyler’s travel style. Raised in British Columbia, Tyler has an unquenchable thirst for more adventure, which is fueled by leveraging airline and hotel loyalty programs to travel the world in luxury and style.

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