Holiday Magic at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver: Hotel Review

It is my FAVORITE time of the year. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I love everything from the food, decor, parties to movies. Not to mention it is also my birthday month.

Although travel in the winter can be tough due to weather, I enjoy exploring cities during this festive period. 

This year I was able to spend a few days in Vancouver. We lucked out with cool but sunny weather which was great for walking and exploring. 

About the Hotel

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is centrally located in Downtown Vancouver. Growing up my family always enjoyed staying at Hotel Vancouver. Coming from Victoria we would often come to Vancouver to shop and Hotel Vancuver is close to both Robson Street and Pacific Center Mall.

Address:  900 W Georgia Street, Vancouver
Phone Number: (604) 684-3131
Website: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Check-in Time: 3:00 PM
Check-out Time: 12:00 PM

Disclosure: Thank you Fairmont Hotel Vancouver for collaborating on this post. All thoughts and opinions are always my own.

As expected with a Fairmont Hotel, the Christmas decor is gorgeous. The white, red and gold tones the hotel has chosen for the holiday decor really suits the classic charm of Hotel Vancouver. While there you should check out the Gingerbread House the hotel has made. It is a replica of the Hotel!

Our Room

We stayed in a junior suite. This size room is perfect for an extended stay. The room has plenty of closet space and the bathroom has a vanity table which is great for getting ready. I love the faux fireplace, it gave the room a cozy feel. Our room overlooked the plaza by the Art Gallery. At Christmas time there is a Christmas tree put up in the plaza. I definitely recommend a room with a view of the plaza over the holidays if available!

Gold Floor

The first Fairmont Gold Floor I ever stayed at growing up was at Hotel Vancouver. It was such an amazing experience that ever since then I always love staying on the Gold floor. The benefit of this experience is the personalized service you get. Over the years staying on the gold floor we have gotten to know many of the team members who make our travel experience truly special. 

On the Gold Floor you get food services throughout the day (breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapes). Over the holiday season if you are travelling with family the Gold Floor is a smart way to travel. You do not have to worry about finding breakfast since it is included and the lounge is a great space to gather as a group and spend time.

Hotel Vancouver Holiday Festivities

Holiday Chalet Afternoon Tea

Hotel Vancouver is well known for their afternoon tea. The afternoon tea room is hidden at the back of Notch8 restaurant behind a false wall that looks like a bookshelf. 

The Festive afternoon tea theme is Holiday Chalet and is inspired by an Alpine Chalet. The room was truly transformed down to the chandeliers. I loved the cozy feel with wooden accents and faux fur throws. 

We tried a smoked festive cocktail which gave the experience the perfect Après Ski touch.

We tried the two festive teas: Christmas Blend and Alpine Mulled wine. While both were delicious I prefered the Christmas Blend. The spices in the tea are perfect for the cold season.

From the savory offerings the crab and lobster roll and the winter truffle and wild mushroom tartlets were my favorites.

For sweet treats the caramel profiteroles and the shortbread were delicious. The profiterole was quite sweet from the caramel so the shortbread was a nice balance.

Notch8 was also great about accommodating all my friends dietary restrictions.

For more information and pictures of the tea please refer to my instagram. The Holiday Chalet themed afternoon tea ends January 5, 2025 so you have plenty of time to give it a try!

Kringle's 

Kringle's is a Christmas themed pop up bar located in the lower lobby of Hotel Vancouver. The bar is cozy and inviting, decorated in rich tones of red and green. There are a few different rooms each with slightly different decor. If you are planning a small group get together the smaller rooms make for a great festive gathering space.

What else to do

Vancouver Christmas Market

I have gone to the Christmas market for a few years. I love going because I collect the annual holiday mug. It also helps that I get to enjoy mulled wine from the mug. 

The market is a fun place to spend some time browsing through crafts from small vendors. My one tip is to go to the market hungry. Many of the stalls sell food and if you are not looking for food the time you can spend at the market is limited (especially if you are a repeat visitor).

Gingerbread Lane

Gingerbread lane is a Gingerbread House competition which is held at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver. The Hyatt is a short walk from Hotel Vancouver. Each year the houses get more creative. My favorite entry this year was a cuckoo clock made out of gingerbread. I was stunned! You can vote for your favorite entry and make a donation to the Make-a-Wish-Foundation at the same time.

I hope this post has inspired you to visit Vancouver during the festive season! If you have a favorite holiday activity you like to do in Vancouver please share it with me!

xx Samantha

Photos: Stephanie from Escape Ordinary