Fairmont Pacific Rim

Seaplanes, Mountains and a Michelin Star on Coal Harbour

Stand at the window of almost any room at Fairmont Pacific Rim and Vancouver arranges itself like a postcard: the seaplanes lifting off Coal Harbour, the green mass of Stanley Park to the west, and the North Shore Mountains rising straight out of the water. The hotel sits at 1038 Canada Place, next to the cruise terminal and the convention centre, in a tower that has become one of the landmarks of the downtown waterfront. With 367 rooms, it is a big hotel that has somehow kept the energy of a much smaller one, thanks to a lobby that fills every evening with music and conversation.

Why It Works

We chose Fairmont Pacific Rim because it combines three things that rarely come together: an exceptional location, one of the city's most celebrated restaurants and a genuine social scene. Botanist holds a Michelin star and draws locals as much as guests. The Lobby Lounge and RawBar hosts live music every night. The rooftop pool, with its cabanas and mountain views, is a local favourite on summer afternoons. Add the Willow Stream Spa, twice-daily housekeeping and 24-hour room service, and you have a luxury hotel that never feels sleepy.

Why This Location

Coal Harbour is Vancouver's front porch. The seawall starts right outside, and a walk or bike ride west along the water brings you to Stanley Park in about fifteen minutes; the hotel rents bicycles for exactly that purpose. Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre are next door, the Harbour Air seaplane terminal a short stroll away for day trips to Victoria or Whistler's lakes. Gastown's cobbled streets and restaurants are ten minutes east on foot, and Waterfront Station, with the SkyTrain, the SeaBus to North Vancouver and the Canada Line to the airport, is a few blocks away. Vancouver International Airport is about 11 kilometres south.

Fast Facts

• Price: Luxury (€€€€)

• Vibe: Vibrant, waterfront, sophisticated, social

• Rooms: 367, many with views of the harbour, Stanley Park or the North Shore Mountains, plus a Fairmont Gold floor with its own lounge

• Best For: Couples, food lovers, first-time visitors, cruise passengers before or after sailing

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The rooftop pool and its cabanas, with the North Shore Mountains filling the horizon

• Dining: Botanist, a Michelin-starred restaurant and cocktail bar; the Lobby Lounge and RawBar with nightly live music; 24-hour room service

• Amenities: Willow Stream Spa, rooftop pool with cabanas, hot tub, fitness centre, bicycle rental, pet-friendly, wheelchair accessible

• Attractions: Canada Place (next door), the Coal Harbour seawall, Stanley Park, Gastown, the Harbour Air seaplane terminal

Botanist and the Lobby Lounge

Botanist is the reason many Vancouverites set foot in the hotel. The restaurant, recognised with a Michelin star, builds its menus around the produce, seafood and gardens of British Columbia, and its cocktail bar treats drinks with the same botanical curiosity. Downstairs, the Lobby Lounge and RawBar is the hotel's living room: oysters and sushi at the bar, live music every night, and a crowd that mixes business travellers, locals and couples on a night out. It is one of the rare hotel lobbies where people choose to linger.

A Rooftop Pool and Willow Stream Spa

The rooftop pool deck, with its cabanas and heated water, is where Vancouver's summer light is best enjoyed, and it stays open year-round for those who enjoy a swim with the mountains in view. Willow Stream Spa offers a full menu of treatments for recovery after a day of hiking or skiing, and the fitness centre and hot tub complete the wellness offer. For those who prefer to move outdoors, the bicycles waiting at the door lead straight onto the seawall.

Good to Know Before You Book

The Fairmont Gold floor adds a private lounge, personalised service and evening canapés, and it is worth considering for a special occasion. Pets are welcome and the hotel is wheelchair accessible. Cruise season fills the neighbourhood, so book early if you are sailing to Alaska. Ask for a harbour or mountain view when you reserve: in this hotel, the view is the room.