Advertiser Disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, I may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Your support helps keep PointsWise running. Thank you!
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel Deluxe King Room Introduction
Brad and I are leaving for Maui next week, and as such, this week has been dragging, so we decided very last minute to use one of our 2018 Fairmont President’s Club certificates for a free-night stay at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel! I had to call the Fairmont President’s Club number to apply the free-night certificate, and was told there were no upgrades available because of high occupancy, which was actually not the worst scenario since I’ve yet to review the non-Gold rooms. The Gold floor is currently undergoing a 1.8 million dollar renovation, which will see the 14th floor completely redone, including redesigned guest rooms and a new lounge. While I’m super excited for the changes, I really loved the old rooms, which had a lot of charm and will always be remembered as the first luxury hotel experience I had way back in 2003.
We got in the car and made the 45 minute drive through rush hour and arrived at the hotel shortly after 5pm. As we pulled up, two Fairmont employees approached the car and welcomed us back to the hotel (by name). Actually, they even greeted our dogs by name, which pretty much sums up the service level at this hotel – it’s unrivalled.
They had our keys ready, and asked if we needed any assistance with our luggage. I just want to point out that we’ve stayed at this hotel probably a dozen times, and I don’t think we’ve ever actually been to the check-in desk. Fairmont offers a pre-arrival service for President’s Club members, where you check-in through email and give your estimated arrival time, but this is the only property where they consistently have the keys ready for you. How they know it’s me is still a bit baffling, and I love it.
We made our way through the lobby where more than one staff member welcomed us back by name, and took the elevator up to the 11th floor to room 1145, a north facing view at the end of the hallway.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel Deluxe King Room
It seems like all of the rooms at this hotel are the same, with only minor variations in fit and finish. There are also two styles of bathrooms, one with a sliding panel door that is directly adjacent to the bed, and another (this room) where the door is angled more away from the bed. That said, The Fairmont Vancouver Airport actually has multiple room categories, and I’m not sure if the basic rooms are that much different. As far as I can tell, the Fairmont Rooms and Deluxe Rooms are identical, with Deluxe rooms including the following, as per the Fairmont website:
Deluxe rooms also include complimentary wireless internet access, complimentary bottled water, guaranteed 10am early check-in, complimentary North American calls, and 2 hours access to any of Vancouver International Airport’s post-security Plaza Premium Lounges. Plaza Premium Lounges feature a comfortable environment with complimentary Wi-Fi, food, and beverages.
So, my best guess is this was in fact a Deluxe Room (based on the high floor and preferred views), but it could also be a Fairmont Room for all I know.
The room opens up with a small vanity beside the door, next to one of two entrances to the washroom. The hallway runs the length of the bathroom and features a small but functional closet with in-room safe, robes, iron, and plenty of space for luggage.
The hallway opens up into the main room, which features a king bed opposite a minibar with flat-screen television, a nice office desk with two chairs that could double as an eating area, and a nice sitting area in the corner with views of the Vancouver Airport.
The bed, like all Fairmont properties, was extremely comfortable, though I do admit the headboard and side tables are starting to show their age, both in design and wear/tear.
The views of Vancouver Airport from the bed are incredible, and anyone who likes airplanes (and even those who don’t) will appreciate the north facing rooms over the parking lots views facing south.
The rooms, while not completely soundproofed, do a fantastic job of blocking the airport noise. You can occasionally hear the odd plane starting up (especially the propeller variety), but it’s hardly noticeable and still much quieter than most city hotels.
For avgeeks, there’s a nice sitting area in the corner that provides the perfect vantage point for watching planes land.
For non-avgeeks, there’s a plane spotting brochure on the desk, which I’d imagine keeps a lot of young children (and probably some adults) entertained.
The television was opposite the bed above the in-room minibar, which featured a variety of beverages and snacks for purchase (sensor fridge automatically charges to your room if you take anything out for personal storage). There was also a Keurig coffee maker, which is a step down from the Nespresso machines on the Gold floor.
At the end of the cabinet there’s a panel with all sorts of connections for the television, in addition to some more charging ports (can never be enough of those these days).
The office desk is really comfortable and features a supportive work chair and a second armchair, which is nice for couples wanting to dine together. There was also a welcome amenity of fruit and bottled water waiting for us on arrival.
Speaking of technology, it seems this room category doesn’t feature the extremely dated electronic control panel for lights, curtains, and heating found in some other rooms, and instead offers simple to use and conveniently located light switches near the bed and entrance, which I much prefer.
One of the highlights of The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel has to be the bathrooms. Even the most standard rooms feature full washrooms with a long and deep soaking tub (jetted in Signature Room category), separate walk-in shower, water closet, and vanity. Some feature double sinks, and all come equipped with Le Labo Rose 31 amenities and bath salts.
I’m a lover of small details, and always get excited when Fairmont properties personalize the Le Labo amenities (similar to what Le Labo does when you buy their perfume). While I sometimes see this in suites with the larger bottles, the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel always does this for us. On this stay it was incredible, considering there was a 75 minute window between me booking this room and arriving at the hotel…
Even more impressive, they personalized the dog dishes with Rocco and Margo’s name on each bowl, which is why this is one of our favourite pet friendly hotels in Vancouver!
Fairmont Vancouver Airpot Hotel Amenities And Dining
We were both fairly hungry by the time we got to the hotel, so after a bit of plane spotting we decided to head downstairs to Globe@YVR, but there was a bit of a wait for a table, and instead decided to just grab a seat at the more casual Jetside Bar.
Service was…. not good, unfortunately. Almost every table was taken, and it seemed they were really understaffed. Most of the servers and bartenders seemed stressed out, and while they did their best, it took a long time before we were even noticed – maybe 15 minutes from sitting down to being greeted, which is unacceptable.
Once settled in, service was fairly poor (though well-intentioned), and it took about an hour between sitting down and getting our food. The food was great, with Brad ordering fish and chips, and me choosing a clubhouse sandwich.
After dinner we decided to check out the pool area, which is one of my favourites, despite it being quite small. There’s just something about being above an international airport terminal that get’s me really excited!
The area features a jacuzzi tub, a large splash pool (interestingly the largest of the three – not sure why so much real estate is taken up by a splash pool), and a slightly deeper pool fitted with jets designed for swimming against a current. There are also some lounge chairs and table seating along the windows with views overlooking the terminal check-in counters.
The fitness centre is open 24 hours a day, which is probably appreciated by jet lagged passengers or guests living in different time zones. The space is large and features plenty of equipment, with the treadmills overlooking the check-in counters below.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel Deluxe King Room Botton Line
Another great stay at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel! What can I say – I LOVE this property! Out of all the Fairmont hotels I’ve stayed at, this is the most consistent, which is something I really value. While not the most modern of the Vancouver properties (and arguably a strange location unless you have a layover or early flight to catch), this is our go-to property for a quick staycation due to the attention to detail and personalized service from all staff.
The fact that I booked this hotel about 75 minutes prior to arrival and was still greeted by name at the curb and given keys is exceptional. Even more impressive was that they had time to personalize our bathroom amenities and dog dishes, which is a testament to how they treat their guests, and why I keep coming back! All this from a transient airport hotel is quite simply astonishing!
Unfortunately, the Gold floor was closed during our stay, but apart from not having lounge access, it was a very similar experience – great views, comfortable guest rooms and phenomenal service! I can’t wait to return for another stay, hopefully once the 14th floor renovations are done in June.
Have you stayed at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!
My favourite hotel in metro Vancouver. Do you know when the gold floor renovations are finished? Are they doing the other rooms too?
Hi Chris,
The Gold floor is bookable as of June 1, 2018.
While I don’t know the schedule, I did hear they plan to renovate the rest of the guest rooms, presumably one floor at a time once the Gold floor is finished.
-Tyler
We love Fairmont and our stay w our pup at the Waterfront location is amazing. One question: when you ate at the bar, did you leave the pups in the room by themselves? I thought Fairmont doesn’t allow that?