Winter is upon us, and the chilly season makes it easy to feel an urging sense of wanderlust. But if a tropical destination isn’t in the cards right now, an escape is still possible with these Vancouver hotels, outfitted with excellent restaurants, bars, and spas. Here you’ll find quiet among the chaos, peace among the pavement. So tuck in and turn off your phone—the only number you’ll be calling is room service.
For the philosophical, the Fairmont Pacific Rim boasts breathtaking vistas of the North Shore mountains, Stanley Park, and Coal Harbour, ideal for silent contemplation. The on-site 15,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa, with secluded outdoor terrace, is easily worthy of two visits. Alternatively, consider Chi, the Spa at the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver, which offers specialized Wushu Body Wisdom Massages rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Then there is the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, Vancouver’s only Relais & Châteaux property. One of Vancouver’s most romantic hotels, it is known for its celebrated Bacchus Restaurant and Piano Lounge.
If craving a little city history, cozy up at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, the original iteration of which attracted the likes of Katharine Hepburn, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra. Once settled in, it would be wise to head downstairs for a cocktail at Prohibition, its lush, velvety seating and dark mood lighting invoking a time where liquor poured freely only in secret. Those in search of a more classic experience can turn to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, with its shiny Notch8 lobby bar, designed to embody the bygone days of luxury train travel. And of course, there is Skwachàys Lodge, once simply the old Pender Hotel but now an intersection of the city with aboriginal culture, art, and food. Indeed, your urban retreat awaits.
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