Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

It’s not often that a hotel in a large city becomes a tourist attraction, but the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in British Columbia has become one of those hotels. It stands at 17 stories, with 556 rooms of all styles, and overlooks the Christ Church Cathedral, another of the most popular tourist attractions in Vancouver, and stands next to the Vancouver Art Gallery. It’s also only one block away from Robson Street, a large and eclectic outdoor shopping mall, and 8 blocks away from the historic Gastown district.

It’s an impressive structure that looks nothing like the façade of modern hotels today, instead reminding people of a miniature version of the Empire State Building. It has been named one of Canada’s great railway hotels.

The hotel is known for its place in entertainment history in Canada. The offices of the regional broadcast center of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation were located on the mezzanine floor for years, and there was also a stage used for radio theater and music broadcasts on the ground floor. Many of Canada’s top musical artists of the golden age of radio performed and recorded there, including big band leader Dal Richards, who was the band leader there for over 25 years.

The lobby is known for its Italian marble floors, Edwardian frescoes, and antique furnishings. Part of that décor is matched in the rooms, which includes reproduction antique furniture, richly patterned fabrics, gold-framed mirrors, tones of cream and gold, and crown molding. The bathrooms have deep tubs and the closets are oversized, offering extra storage for the traveler who intends to stay for awhile.

Some of the special amenities the hotel offers are:

Health club offering personal trainers as well as a range of exercise equipment
Pool and spa complex includes a children’s wading pool
Absolute Spa, offering facials, mud wraps, massage, nail care, and spa treatments
In-hotel shops, including: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, St. John Boutique, Snowflake Leather Goods, and The Fairmont Store
Pet-friendly hotel
Two restaurants: Griffins Restaurant, brasserie-style restaurant, and 900 West Lounge

This is the hotel to stay in while you’re visiting Vancouver. However, if you can’t get a room here, you still need to stop by to take a look at a major part of Vancouver history.