15 Best Hotels in Vancouver
Surrounded by ocean, and set against a dramatic backdrop of nearby mountains, Vancouver is a singularly beautiful setting. For visitors, there is much to do and, of course, many fine hotels from which to choose, with and without a pedigree. (The entire city burned down in the late 1800s, so with a very few exceptions, even the oldest buildings only go back to 1886.) From landmark hotels like the copper-roofed Hotel Vancouver, which anchors the city’s downtown and celebrates its 80th birthday in 2019, to the waterfront Bayshore (ideally situated at the entrance to the city’s famed Stanley Park), most are located within Vancouver’s West End or downtown core—it’s not a large area, and very walkable, so much of what the city offers is a leisurely stroll away. For where to base yourself, check out our recommendations for the city’s best hotels.
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Courtesy FairmonthotelFairmont Pacific Rim
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023The Fairmont Pacific Rim has the buzziest hotel lobby in Vancouver, with a lounge that's one of the most popular after-work spots in town. Straight ahead, just past the museum-like glass display case featuring beaded vintage couture, is a massive staircase leading to The Botanist, the second-floor restaurant. The entire lobby level, from its white stone flooring and pillars, to the planter boxes that (barely) separate the lounge from the entrance, drips in understated opulence.
Craig Minielly/Courtesy Skwachàys LodgehotelSkwachàys Lodge Hotel & Gallery
$The massive totem pole jutting out from the peaked roof gives you a hint why Skwachàys Lodge, Canada’s first aboriginal boutique arts hotel, occupies its own niche. Part visitor accommodation and part social housing, the property isn't just a place to stay, but rather a cultural experience unlike any other you’ll find in Vancouver. Skwachàys was once a rundown single-room occupancy hotel, but a CDN$10.5 million renovation gave it a brand-new life. When the project was finished, 24 rooms were set aside for homeless Native artists, and the remaining 18 are reserved for tourists.
Courtesy Rosewood HotelshotelRosewood Hotel Georgia
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Gold List 2018, 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023I am almost positive that during a recent stay, I stepped outside of the hotel to walk my dog, turned the corner, and practically ran into Jennifer Lopez. She was in town, after all, to film The Mother, and this is the spot someone like her would be—and not just for the oversized spa-style bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling views of the gorgeous Vancouver Art Gallery. The venerated establishment has been housing celebrities since its opening in 1927, when it quickly set the standard for opulence in the young city. It remains the beating heart of the downtown, in a metropolis now known as Hollywood North for the number of films shot here. (Eighty-five were in progress during my visit.) On any given night, smartly dressed Vancouverites fill the award-winning Hawksworth Restaurant, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries beneath an enormous ceiling-length chandelier. Even the most well-heeled travelers pause in the grand lobby to take in the three-dimensional paintings by British artist Patrick Hughes, a delightful contrast with the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s perfectly preserved historic architecture and original marble floors. In the 1927 Lobby Lounge, framed photos covering the dark wood walls remind you of who, exactly, has been here before—Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley. And yet, dimly lit and comfy and with perfectly executed cocktails, it all feels relaxed and welcoming without the slightest hint of pretension. Doubles from $335. —Jayme Moye
hotelThe Sylvia Hotel
$Covered with Virginia creeper vines, The Sylvia has a neon sign that glows proudly among a sea of towering condos. The hotel, built in 1912, was originally intended as an apartment. Named after Sylvia Goldstein, daughter of the original owner, the property served as an "apartment hotel" during the Depression, offering short-term says mixed with longer term rentals. Three decades later, it transitioned into a full-service hotel, endearing itself to Vancouverites along the way.
Courtesy Opus HotelhotelOpus Vancouver
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2023Enter through the striking, marble-framed doors and step past the futuristic bell-shaped light shaft, and you'll find a small, yet appropriately modern, reception desk that's suitably sized for a 96-room boutique hotel. The Opus was a gust of fresh air when it opened in 2002. As one of Yaletown’s first boutique hotels, it quickly became a part of the area’s vibrant dinner and nightlife scene, and its street-facing lobby-level bar, an eclectic den o’ sin, draws fashionable 20- and 30-something professionals.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Brad KasselmanhotelThe Westin Bayshore, Vancouver
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017The Westin Bayshore has been a local landmark since it opened in 1961. A true child of the 1960s—in a mid-century architectural way—the Bayshore sits proudly on a plot of waterside real estate, surrounded by Stanley Park on one side and rusty, seafaring businesses on the other. A conference center addition in 2000 did little to enhance its exterior, although the lobby, common areas, and grounds remain spectacular; the circular pool, a fixture since it was built, overlooks Burrard Inlet.
Courtesy Fairmont Hotel VancouverhotelFairmont Hotel Vancouver
$$ | Gold List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2022, 2023Nicknamed the Castle in the City, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver feels grand at every step, and in fact boasts royal roots: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later dubbed the Queen Mother) were among the first visitors, and their stay marked the property’s ceremonious opening back in 1939. Some 80 years later, an extensive five-year renovation to the tune of $75 million was completed on the downtown Vancouver property, and with it came Fairmont Gold, a hotel within a hotel. For guests who book a Gold room or suite, check-in takes place on your own floor (9 or 14), and a full breakfast is available just inside the private lounge, which in my case was roughly six steps away from my room. Ceramic pots of delicious fresh salmon were among the offerings I scooped up each morning before padding back to my room, coffee and meal in hand (I had to WFH—work from hotel; otherwise I’d have sat down in one of the lounge’s many banquettes or tables). While there is plenty of great food to be had around the city—and in the lobby at the always-bustling Notch8 Restaurant and Bar—there was a much-appreciated ease to having afternoon tea, evening hors d’oeuvres, or the aforementioned morning meal so accessible, and I imagine even more so for families traveling together. The grandiose hotel’s Art Deco–influenced aesthetic leans into deep blues and bronzes, with marble and velvet accents—a look that carries into the rooms too. Left in place after the renovation was much of the building’s original woodwork, crown moldings, and built-in decorative fireplaces that keep the hotel’s historic feel alive and well. More modern (and welcomed) touches I made use of during my restful stay: Le Labo bath products, an in-room Nespresso maker, the 24-hour gym and sauna, and an indoor pool open year-round. From $240. —Madison Flager
Martin Tessler/Courtesy The BurrardhotelThe Burrard
$Know all Case Study homes by heart? Prefer "Googie" to "Google?" Then The Burrard, a no-frills boutique hotel that proudly riffs off its mid-century-modern roots, is the way to go. Built in 1956 and redone in 2010, the 72-room former motor hotel comes by its current branding honestly, from the neon signage to a palm treed courtyard. Like a Tim Burton film, the colors here are unsubtle and vibrant: the lobby has teal walls with matching Eames rocking chairs, and the outside corridors have a palette of greens, blues, and sunshine yellows.
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Granville Island Hotel
$Granville Island Hotel, the only hotel on busy, family-friendly Granville Island, offers 82 rooms, all of them unique. A relatively recent renovation scrapped the former nautical theme in favor of a more refined, contemporary design, leaving behind comfortable spaces, many with rain-shower baths and all with complimentary morning newspapers. The penthouse, though, offers much more space, of course, plus a dining room, fireplace, and bedroom with an ensuite spa bath.
VRX Studios/Courtesy EXchange Hotel VancouverhotelEXchange Hotel Vancouver
$Opened in 2018, the EXchange is one of the newest additions to the city’s hospitality scene. Owned by the British Columbia–based Sayani family, the 201-room hotel occupies eleven floors of a 30-story building. Even the smallest rooms (the Boutique Studio is 240 square feet) are so well-designed that they don't feel cramped. Triple-paned windows let in lots of light, and heated bathroom floors are a welcome touch. Use the in-room tablet to control the TV or order room service from the onsite restaurants (when they open).
Jeremy Segal/Courtesy The Douglas, an Autograph Collection Hotelhotelthe DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection
$$the DOUGLAS is hard to miss. Part of Parq Vancouver, a massive casino and hotel complex on the edges of Yaletown, this is a purpose built entertainment resort; as such, the gleaming copper structure is unique in the city. Enter the lobby, then take the mind-bending mirrored elevator to the sixth floor check-in. The reception area features a massive, hollowed-out Douglas fir tree, its bark shell set horizontally within a glassed-in desk; light shoots out from inside the log. It’s a stunning, modern, and slick piece of public art.
hotelSt. Regis Hotel
$The St. Regis Hotel (not affiliated with the St. Regis brand) won’t shock and awe you with glitz and glam, but it will seduce you with its historic charm, central downtown location, and attention to service. Pass through the carved stone entrance and enter a tastefully decorated lobby defined by light marble flooring and dark wood paneling. The footprint isn't massive; there are just 65 rooms spread over six floors. Rooms are comfortable and well appointed, with updated bathrooms and bath products from L’Occitane.
hotelShangri-La Vancouver
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2023Rising 660 feet, this is the tallest building in Vancouver; the Shangri-La's 119 rooms occupy the first 15 floors, and non-hotel suites occupy the remaining 47. Rooms are large; even the smallest, the Superior Room, has more than 400 square feet of space. We love the floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive bathrooms with granite vanities and soaking tubs. Plus, in some, the millwork is simply amazing; hanging art on such a beautiful backdrop feels almost like sacrilege. Although we may have liked a glitzier lobby, the beige-and-brown color palette creates a subtle, luxurious vibe upstairs.
Courtesy Pan Pacific VancouverhotelPan Pacific Vancouver
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2021Located on Burrard Inlet, the Pan Pacific is most recognizable for its so-called “Five Sails,” massive white sheets that have flown outside Canada Place, the surrounding complex, since Expo ’86. You've got lots of great views to choose from: north and west, past the stunning Vancouver Convention Centre toward Stanley Park, or east, a more urban view that takes in historic Gastown and Vancouver's busy port beyond. As for the rooms themselves: Pillow menus and complimentary shoe-shines are included in the entry-level category, but if you want more—the 1,475-square-foot Opal Suite, for example—you’ll also get free private check-in.
hotelWedgewood Hotel & Spa
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023The moment you step through the double doors and enter the stately, yet intimate, wood-and-wainscoting lobby, it’s clear that the Wedgewood was conceived of as a European-style small hotel. Lit by an elaborate chandelier, the reception area is understated and elegant. From the formally dressed doorman outside, to the always-incredible flower arrangements that provide a focal point in the Bacchus Lounge, the Wedgewood evokes an air of civility and attention to detail that we’ve come to expect from Relais & Chateaux-affiliated hotels.
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