5 reasons to stay at Fairmont Waterfront on your next trip to Vancouver

I would have loved staying at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver even without the perks of the Fairmont Gold Experience, which included private check-in and access to the gorgeous lounge.

Every room in the 489-room hotel has floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the views. From my beautifully appointed room, I could see the Vancouver Harbor, Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains.

The hotel’s prime location, just across from Canada Place, was also near Gastown, and perfect for exploring the city’s first downtown.

Another highlight was dinner in the garden where I got to meet the resident bees and the beekeeper.

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I’ve tried to talk myself into believing that I’m okay to travel without the lounge experience. Then I go to a lounge like the new Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club at LaGuardia and realize it’s all been lies I’ve told myself – I do want to travel like this. Always.

I felt the same way during my recent stay on the Fairmont Gold floor at the Fairmont Waterfront. There are so many things to love about this hotel but the perks of staying as a Fairmont Gold guest was number one.

Fairmont Gold is the brand’s “hotel within a hotel” and the experience includes a private check-on the ninth floor and access to the cozy lounge. On my first visit, I took a quick look at the food and drink options then headed outside to the expansive deck with views of downtown, the Vancouver Harbor and the North Shore mountains. This was a place I could really relax and take in the sights of Vancouver.

I enjoyed breakfast in the lounge every morning, which included fruit, smoked salmon, turkey, eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins and croissants.

The afternoon canapes, set out from 5:00-7:00 p.m., were my favorite. The selection changed every night and included items like sushi, grilled octopus, Nashville hot chicken and goat cheese profiteroles. I had dinner plans so had to go easy on the food, but it could have easily been enough for a meal. Non-alcoholic drinks are included with an honor bar for alcohol.

Even if you aren’t living the lounge life, there are several other things to enjoy at the Fairmont Waterfront and why it’s my choice for a visit to Vancouver.

The Primo Location

Directly across the street from Vancouver Convention Center and Canada Place, Fairmont Waterfront is also just a short walk from Gastown, Vancouver’s first downtown area, where you’ll find plenty of shops and restaurants on Robson Street.

I took a stroll down the street and found a lively street scene and lots of tourists lined up to take photos of the famous Gastown Steam Clock, one of the few clocks in the world that operates with steam. Every quarter hour it whistles and shoots steam.

Fairmont Waterfront is across the street from Canada Place, Vancouver’s iconic landmark that includes the cruise ship terminal, the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel.

It also houses Flyover Canada where I saw two amazing shows: “Awaken Canada” and “Legendary Iceland: Landscapes & Lore.” The shows are like Soarin’ at Epcot – you sit on a swing with a giant screen in front of you and it feels like you’re flying over fields, down rivers and through the crowds.

Another day I walked across the street and hopped on the free bus to Grouse Mountain where I used my Vancouver Attractions Pass for free entrance to ride on the Skyride to the top of the mountain. It was unseasonably cold that summer day so I didn’t spend a lot of time there, but did wander the property to see the giant wood sculptures and the Grizzly Bear Habitat.

The Stellar Views

My room faced the waterfront and had a spectacular view of the Columbia River, Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains. Every one of the 489 rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows and a similar view of the city skyline or rooftop garden.

I sat in my comfortable chair by the window and watched cruise ships in the harbor, floatplanes landing and taking off and tourists exploring the area.

I had seen hundreds of people lined up at the Convention Center and discovered they were waiting for entrance to an Aritzia Warehouse Sale. A few of us chatted with the gatekeepers at the entrance and when they learned we were with the media, allowed us to head inside on one of the preview days.

The giant space was filled with racks, clothing and women dragging large black bags filled to the brim with clothes. One of the staff told us the next few days the space would be filled with thousands of women and that they had 70 cashiers waiting to check people out. Overwhelmed and exhausted by the thought of the ensuing chaos, I made a beeline back to the hotel to have a relaxing drink in the bar.

The next day I saw a huge line wrapped around the Convention Center and decided to take a walk to see how long the line was. The young women at the front of the line had camped out overnight and were sitting, bundled up in blankets, hours still to go before the doors opened.  I walked past them and 20 minutes later, reached the end of the line. I checked Google Maps to see how far I’d walked – it was close to a mile.

I thought about what physical item I would camp out overnight for, in the cold, and wait in a mile-long line to get. Nothing came to mind.

The Gorgeous Rooftop Pool, Gardens and a Bounty of Bees

While the weather was a bit cool for me to spend much time by the pool, I did hang out there a bit  – fully clothed and marveling at the braver souls than me who were happily swimming in the water. The rooftop pool is beautifully landscaped with views of the river and the surrounding high-rise buildings.

There’s also a fitness center and an indoor whirlpool where you can unwind after your workout.

I hadn’t bothered to stroll beyond the pool and was astonished to find a gorgeous garden. Fairmont Waterfront planted the 2,100-square-foot herb garden in 1996 and grows carrots, peppers, strawberries and plenty of other fresh food for the chefs to use in the food and bartenders for their drinks.

And to keep things really buzzing, the garden is home to 250,000 bees every summer, who produce up to 600 pounds of honey from foraging around Vancouver. Their honey is used in recipes that include the Bee’s Knees Sundae and the Flaming Rosemary Gimlet.

The real queen bee is Julia Common, the beekeeper, who let us try on the beekeeper hats and showed us the Pollinator Hotel, called the Bee & Bee. She founded Hives for Humanity with her daughter, a non-profit that uses therapeutic apiaries and gardens to transfer positive values.

“Bees cut through bullsh*t,” she told me, another reason to love them.

I was lucky enough to be at Fairmont Waterfront for one of the summer Rooftop Garden Dinners, which started with a cocktail reception and introduction to the bees from Julia. As the sun set, we sat at a gorgeously set table to enjoy a multi-course meal surrounded by twinkling lights that included a tomato and burrata salad, Wagyu tartar, halibut and a bay leaf crème caramel.

A Fabulous Restaurant

The ARC Restaurant + Bar at Fairmont Waterfront serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch in an elegant setting with windows overlooking the street. This is where I enjoyed my lovely cocktail after fleeing the shopping frenzy. I chose the Apiary, made with gin, rooftop honey, champagne acid and rosemary.

For dinner one evening, I dined on bison carpaccio, ahi tuna and scallops. Other dinner items at ARC include chicken, steak and burgers.

Oyster fans will want to head to ARC for Sip and Shuck, a walk-up-only experience open Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the summer where you can indulge in local wines and a selection of five coastal oyster varietals freshly shucked.

Room service is also available from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief