Fairmont Hotel, Vancouver

Called the “Castle in the City,” Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is appropriately crowned with a chateau-style peaked copper roof, now elaborately aged a burnished patina. Built in the 1930s as one of the country’s premier hospitality residences (a collection of iconic hotels that even today still dot the original Canadian Pacific Railway line’s route), the property’s purpose was to entice yesteryear’s jet-setting train crowd – albeit years before jets. Despite its maturity, it continues to attract travelers seeking the romance of the past coupled with today’s modern amenities.

Royalty and Rails

A registered heritage property, the hotel’s royal roots are deep. Its official opening on May 29, 1939, was conducted by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) during their Vancouver stay via a cross-Canada royal train tour. Evidence of the visit can be found in the lobby with photos of the royal visit, along with the menu from which they lunched, featuring their choices – stuffed eggs and chicken supreme.

Eight decades later and in homage to this regal history are its new-to-the-scene Fourteenth Floor Heritage Suites, showcasing a décor its creators describe as “inspired from a former era defined by luxurious travel, visiting monarchs, elaborate garments, brocade fabrics and royal tapestries.” Magic begins at arrival in the refurbished upper-floor lobby. Highlighting the gates originally used to secure the King and Queen’s quarters, among the additional luxurious updates are marble flooring and restored millwork. Attention was specifically paid to preserve the hotel’s interiors, including the original guest room doors made of English harewood with bronze doorplates and the English black walnut veneer-paneled walls of the Lt. Governor Suite. Those originated from a single walnut tree, which was then so skillfully matched, the same markings appear symmetrically around the room’s circumference.

Notch8 Restaurant & Bar pays tribute to the hotel’s storied railway links. Its name is the top speed at which a train can travel, a pace accomplished by only the most skilled conductors, which (symbolically) might equate to the restaurant’s goal of perfection. It’s here, in the cozy, library-like backroom where tea can be enjoyed, an offering that is seasonal in themes and ranges from Alice in Wonderland and Enchanted Forest to Christmas.

Very Special Guests

The smallest of guests are treated like VIPs here with such amenities as toddler-sized white terry bathrobes, cookies and milk delivered in the evening and their own bath sets. And should they be dog lovers, they may receive a personal welcome from one of the hotel’s two Canine Ambassadors, typically found behind the concierge desk. Ella, a four-year-old Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, and Elly, a four-year-old Black Labrador, were both trainees with BC & Alberta Guide Dogs, but were deemed too social for the program, so ideally suited for the hospitality industry.

Beyond its popular ambassadors, the hotel’s four-legged guests can be indulged with the Designer Doggie Stay Package, an option that includes the pooch and his pal in a Fairmont Gold room, private check-in, a welcome doggie bag, luxe collar with leash and a photoshoot. An add-on can include a Yappy Hour treat and transportation to the dog park as well as a $50 donation made to the BC & Alberta Guide Dogs.

Shopaholics take note! The hotel is located steps from Robson, the city’s famed shopping street, with Tiffany’s and Hermes directly across the street. Should a trek outside trek not be desirable, one need go no further than the lobby for top-shelf stores like Gucci, Omega, Louis Vuitton, St. John and Canada’s flagship Dior boutique.

A Notable Birthday

An architectural icon since its inception, today’s Fairmont Hotel Vancouver – complete with the original gargoyles carved by 10 craftsmen from 10 different countries in the span of a single year – proudly honors the property’s history and reputation over the years. Having received a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rating for three consecutive years, the hotel is celebrating its 80th birthday this year with a recently completed $75 million-dollar renovation.

Committed to luxury and known for its warm, welcoming ways, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver plays the perfect host to travelers who share Oscar Wilde’s sentiment: “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”