Seems fitting for my last Drifters of 2014, I feature one of my very favorite BC hotels. (Attention ast minute gift certificate or holiday getaway planners!)
The property absolutely nails it, every time. Full on, Four Seasons luxury plus attention to fine detail, intuitive design features and a knowledgeable, unobtrusive and, most important, unpretentious staff. When I checked in for the first time, the front desk welcomed me by name as I stepped off the escalator (unexpected bonus points). The location can’t be topped—tucked in the heart of downtown Vancouver and connected, quietly, to shopping destination Pacific Centre and high-end Holt Renfrew.
Accommodations are sleek within the 372 guest rooms (including 66 luxury suites), coated in soothing colors from tea green and amber to warm saffron and cream—a palette that matches the dynamic scenery of water-locked Vancouver. Amenities include all of the works, from a down duvet blanket and pillows on the bed to thick terry cloth bathrobes and an iPod docking station all within the luxurious confines of the room.
The restaurant’s signature hotel, YEW seafood + bar, blows away any preconceived notions of stuffy hotel dining, and has become a beacon for downtown locals and the business set from sunrise until way beyond sunset. Hotel guests and breakfast meetings take in house-made baking, fresh-squeezed juices and well-pulled espressos. Downtown office staff and the nearby law courts share the room with shoppers over lunch and the post-work, cocktailing crowd fills the lounge and bar for well crafted drinks and a dazzling lineup of fresh oysters.
Dinner can range from shared small plates to private, wine-paired dinners in the restaurant’s glassed in Wine Room. While the bar program is strong, I can’t bypass sommelier Emily Walker’s expansive and smartly curated list (Riesling fans rejoice here). Executive chef Ned Bell is a popular Canadian culinary celebrity, reinforced by his solo cycle across Canada in the summer of 2014 to raise awareness of sustainable seafood coast to coast.
And to top it all of,—location, location, location. You’re in the center of downtown Vancouver, within walking distance to some of the best dining and drinking in North America, a mere five minutes drive from the ocean and breathtaking Stanley Park, and less than 30 minutes to the ski hill. The concierge team, among the top in town, can easily direct you on your way, or arrange your outdoors adventure via bike, car, floatplane or boat.
A stay at Four Seasons Vancouver would be a fantastic way to end 2014, kick off 2015, or make any other stay, any night of the year memorable.
Four Seasons Vancouver || 791 West Georgia Street, Vancouver || (604) 689-9333|| fourseasons.com/vancouver
