Where To Stay in Vancouver?

After sharing some of my favorite things to do, eat and see in Vancouver, I also wanted to share a full hotel review of the Fairmont Pacific Rim with you. Those that followed along on Insta Stories during our stay have probably already guessed that it was nothing short of amazing. Even 2 weeks after checking-out, I am still dreaming about that bathroom view, the breakfast in bed, incredible dinner at Botanist and all-around friendly staff. The perfect home-away-from-home for our 3-day stay in Vancouver.

Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel Review

What I liked about the hotel:

• Location love: First and foremost, Mike and I booked the hotel because a) Fairmont is an international brand we trust, and b) the location! Of course, it depends on your personal preferences and agenda, but to us, it does not get better than right on the water in downtown Vancouver / Coal Harbour with a stunning view of North Vancouver, across the street from Canada Place and just a short bike ride from Stanley Park.
• Bathroom Goals: Speaking of the view, I don’t think I have ever had a more impressive view from a bathroom than we did at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. We booked a Deluxe City View Queen and were upgraded to one of their spacious 450 square foot Signature Ofuro rooms. We literally had the biggest “holy s**t!!” moment when we opened the sliding bathroom door and saw the view. The fact that the bathroom products were personalized with my name is also worth mentioning. Definitely a first at a hotel!
• Stay & Taste! Even though our stay was fairly short, we were on a foodie mission and managed to test every culinary option the hotel has to offer as we were booked on a “stay & taste” package. Breakfast in bed from their in-room dining menu, dinner at the Botanist inspired by the principals of botany (as the name would suggest), sushi for lunch at the lobby bar (wow!!) and coffee-to-go from Giovane Café. Every single meal was spot on. For breakfast, they were kind enough to make all sorts of amendments to make me happy, sushi for lunch was fresh as could be and included lots of local options, the tasting menu + wine pairing at Botanist was so special (we got to try a lot of Canadian wines) and I loved having Giovane Café as an alternative to the typical Starbucks to grab my morning coffee. Plus, the Café also had the cutest souvenir boutique, healthy food options and snacks.
  PS. the mini bar was the best I have ever had a hotel with the coolest (healthy) snacks like coconut chips or organic veggie clusters.
• Transportation: From our last stay in Vancouver at the Fairmont Waterfront, we still remembered their driver service. A car + driver that is usually ready to go within minutes to take you places around town. For free! We were dropped off at brunch and given a number to call when we were done eating. Within 10 minutes the fancy BMW showed up to take us home. Definitely one of the best services I have ever come across at a hotel. Aside from the car service, the Fairmont Pacific Rim also offered regular bikes to rent for free (which we gladly took advantage of to explore Stanley Park) or electric bikes for an hourly fee.
• Super Friendly & Helpful: Even though I think good service should be a given at a 5-star hotel, I do want to point out how great the staff at the Fairmont was. The valet boys always offered water to go, had our car ready, drove us around town and opened the door. The girls at the concierge called ahead for brunch, made reservations and showed us the best route for biking. And at the check-in we were greeted in German. Without any exceptions, the staff was always friendly and welcoming, helpful, approachable and all around a perfect match to the beautiful property!

What I would change:

• As you guys know, I have a slight obsession with hair dryers. Since my Dyson Supersonic does not work with the 110V in the US and Canada (unfortunately!!), I had to use the hotel dryer. It worked but is definitely not the best.

*thanks to the Fairmont for a wonderful stay.