The swanky Fairmont Pacific Rim is the place to go on the west coast if you want to spoil your loved one this Valentine’s Day. (Julia Pelish/Vacay.ca)
Vacay.ca has teamed with Hotels.com to create a series of articles highlighting the best romantic hotel experiences in Canada. In the third installment of the three-city series, columnist Adrian Brijbassi spotlights Vancouver’s hotel scene. Click to read Part 1 on Toronto and Part 2 on Montreal.
Story by Adrian Brijbassi
Vacay.ca Columnist
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Beauty and romance go hand in hand, which is why Vancouver is an ideal destination to put you in the mood. Set amid a jaw-dropping backdrop of British Columbia’s Coastal Mountain range and the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver blends natural scenery with metropolitan experiences better than most cities in the world. For travellers looking for a place to escape for Valentine’s Day but still want an urban experience, Vancouver is a good choice.
Vacay.ca has compiled a list of the 5 Best Vancouver Hotels for Valentine’s Day, based on different categories. From great culinary choices to nostalgic properties sure to create memories, these hotels offer a range of enticing options for travellers.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia is home to Hawksworth, one of the best restaurants in Canada. (Julia Pelish/Vacay.ca)
ROSEWOOD HOTEL GEORGIA — Best Hotel for Food Lovers
Chef David Hawksworth and his kitchen brigade turn out dishes so brilliant that the restaurant on the ground-floor of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia has become a destination in itself. Hawksworth, ranked No. 6 in the 2014 Vacay.ca Top 50 Restaurants in Canada Guide, features French cuisine that sometimes includes Asian flavours, a nod to Vancouver’s ethnic communities. Hawksworth also runs Bel Cafe, the small eatery at the hotel that is a hot spot for coffee, sandwiches and pastries. Even if you don’t spend the night, you’ll want to visit Hotel Georgia for its pleasing culinary choices — and to enjoy the property’s famous namesake cocktail on the premises where it was invented.
Oysters at Hawksworth are one way to charm your loved one this week. (Adrian Brijbassi/Vacay.ca)
Vacay.ca Tip: Another reason to visit the Hotel Georgia is its art collection. Many of the more than two-dozen items in the collection are on display to the public and feature the work of contemporary Canadian artists. Visitors are known to drop in to see “Internity” by Patrick Hughes, an acrylic-on-wood painting that appears like an optical illusion thanks to its three-dimensional look.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.9/5
Location: 801 West Georgia
Hotels.com Valentine’s Weekend Room Rates: As low as $320 per night. Click here, or call 866-539-0036.
WEDGEWOOD HOTEL & SPA — Best Hotel for Bonheur
The Wedgewood is one of only two Relais & Chateaux properties in Canada within a city. (The Kensington Riverside Inn in Calgary is the other.) Known for their spa and culinary experiences, and their ability to offer a true sense of place, Relais & Chateaux properties are typically found in remote locales and small towns. Having one of these gems in the city makes a visit to Vancouver alluring. The Wedgewood spa is one of the finest in Canada and worth the visit alone. Its treatments include a Thai Fusion offering that “combines yoga-like stretches with deep-tissue massage.”
Vacay.ca Tip: Relais & Chateaux was created in France to give drivers a reason to leave the city and explore what the organization calls La Route du Bonheur (or “The Road to Happiness”). If you’re visiting the west coast, consider extending your stay to include some of the other R&C properties, such as the splendid Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino and Hastings House on Salt Spring Island.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.8/5
Location: 845 Hornby Street
Hotels.com Valentine’s Weekend Room Rates: As low as $279 per night. Click here, or call 866-539-0036.
FAIRMONT PACIFIC RIM — Best Hotel with a View
If you want to stare out onto the mountains and the waters separating them from downtown Vancouver, then this lavish hotel overlooking Coal Harbour and Burrard Inlet is for you. Built in 2010, in time to welcome visitors arriving for the Winter Olympics, this Fairmont property has accumulated plenty of awards and praise since its debut. Few properties in Canada are as indulgent as this one — which is one reason why it’s a top choice for a Valentine’s Day getaway.
Vacay.ca Tip: Floors 20-22 are designated as the Fairmont Gold level. Guests who stay on those floors receive daily continental breakfast, cocktail-hour canapés, and nightly dessert choices at no extra charge. They also have use of a dedicated concierge and other exclusive amenities.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.9/5
Location: 1038 Canada Place
Hotels.com Valentine’s Weekend Room Rates: As low as $319 per night. Click here, or call 866-539-0036.
OPUS — Best Hotel for Stylish Guests
The Opus is one of my favourite Canadian hotels for several reasons. It always has impeccable style, never fails to deliver outstanding cuisine, and is easy to reach — thanks to its location that is across the street from the Yaletown train station. Airline passengers can board the Canada Line at the Vancouver International Airport and reach the Opus in 20 minutes. The train is cheaper and often faster than a taxi. Once you arrive, the Opus treats you to a stylish stay in one of Vancouver’s trendiest neighbourhoods.
Vacay.ca Tip: Take advantage of the innovative features at the Opus. These include a Samsung S3 mobile phone in several rooms. You can save your personal phone from incurring data-roaming charges by using the hotel’s mobile device. All rooms have iPads that are pre-loaded with music, GPS features, and magazine and newspaper selections.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.6/5
Location: 322 Davie Street
Hotels.com Valentine’s Weekend Room Rates: As low as $267 per night. Click here, or call 866-539-0036.
INN AT THE QUAY — Best Hotel for “50 Shades of Grey” Fans
Not shy about catering to its guests’ passions, the Inn at the Quay in suburban New Westminster features steamy packages. Among them is Bound by Love, which features a Bondage 101 game and “kinky cash.” The Tryst at the Love Shack package comes with a Kama Sutra kit and a box of chocolates. The hotel is a 30-minute drive from downtown. While there is a nice pier and a couple of good places to eat in New Westminster, it’s a good guess that any couple coming here on Valentine’s Day has only one thing in mind.
Vacay.ca Tip: Bring your earplugs — not because you may want to spare your ears from what may be happening in the room next door, but because the hotel isn’t too far from a train line. Depending on what direction your room faces, you may be woken up by the chugging locomotive.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.3/5
Location: 900 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Hotels.com Valentine’s Weekend Room Rates: As low as $189 per night. Click here, or call 866-539-0036.
[box_info]You can also give the gift of travel this year with a Hotels.Com gift card.[/box_info]
