The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is on a busy street, just a block from a Microsoft campus and an Apple store.
Several restaurants, shops, and public transportation stations are within walking distance of the hotel.
The Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway opened the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (then called Hotel Vancouver) in 1939 as part of a greater project to build luxurious lodgings on train routes across the country.
Hotel Vancouver became a Fairmont hotel in 2001.
It has a rich history, from hosting King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on opening night to transforming into a hospital during World War II.
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has gone through several renovations and restorations.
In 2017, the design firm B+H restored historic elements and added new luxury details to the hotel.
In the lobby, I noticed Victorian furniture and gates acting as wall panels. According to B+H, these gates protected the Queen’s and King’s suites in 1939.
I also spotted signs of modern luxury, like new marble flooring and bold chandeliers with funky shapes.
The lobby restaurant blended modern glam with inspiration from the building’s history as a railway hotel. The restaurant’s name, Notch8, refers to the maximum speed setting on a train.
The design was eclectic. Some chairs rocked a zebra print, while vintage leather cushions were strapped to booths like belts. Gates similar to those in the lobby divided the dining room into rectangular sections that reminded me of train cars.
Notch8 serves North American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I corrected my posture as I climbed up to the second floor. It was a natural reaction to the tall pillars with intricate gold moldings around me. Above me, I marveled at a chandelier that screamed old-world luxury with dangling beads.
Up here — and on the 15th floor — there were boardrooms and ballrooms that made me feel like royalty as I stepped into empty ones.
When I visited, the gym was spacious and empty.
Cardio machines, treadmills, ellipticals, and spin bikes lined the walls. Around the room, I also spotted strength training machines and various free weights.
Stepping into the pool area instantly calmed me. The long, rectangular pool was empty when I visited. Sunlight flooded into the space through floor-to-ceiling windows and a skylight above.
While I didn’t get a chance to swim, just being in the room felt serene.
A peek out the window reminded me of the hotel’s unique and historic architecture amid a 21st-century metropolis.
The room may have been typical — but the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was anything but. I’m glad I booked it.