The Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver BC is has been around for a couple of decades and I have had the good fortune to visit it at least a dozen times over the last 20 years. Not only is it one of my personal favorites, but travelers I chat with throughout the world seem to love this hotel too. It’s even ranked #14 of 97 Vancouver hotels on TripAdvisor.
Location: Perhaps the best feature of this hotel is not the hotel itself but the location. Located on the corner of Howe and W. Georgia, it’s tough to beat this central location in downtown Vancouver. It is within walking distance to nearly everything in the downtown core, and is only half a block away from the Skytrain station, so it provides easy access from YVR Airport. For those who like to shop, it’s connected to the Pacific Centre Mall. You don’t even have to put on a jacket and go outside. Just take the elevator down from your room and hundreds of shops await your credit card.
Pool and Fitness Centre: The pool is an indoor / outdoor pool which is slightly heated. It is really quite remarkable swimming outdoors and looking up at all the high rises because the hotel is in fact in the heart of Vancouver. Guests can enjoy lawn chairs on deck, complimentary newspaper, ice water and even Starbucks coffee. This is probably one of my favorite fitness rooms. One small complaint, I wish the machines faced the pool instead of the wall. The weights, pool and Jacuzzi are all in the same area and there is an attendant working on site.
Valet Parking: Like most other high end hotels, the Four Seasons offers valet parking. Also like most other hotels, they charge ‘market rates’ which in Vancouver, will cost you $48 per night. The valet parking service was great however they need better signage to indicate where to turn into the hotel. The entrance is off a one way street so if you miss the entrance, like I did, you need to circle around the block and then some to find until the one way streets align and you circle back.
Guest Rooms: The room was lovely, clean and elegant with a big spacious bathroom. I was surprised to find that they only supply you with a coffee machine if you request one. I discovered this first thing in the morning which was disappointing because coffee is the first thing I go for. The fitness centre and lobby do offer complimentary coffee so I didn’t have too far to go to find a cup.
Vancouver has a lot of great hotels to choose from, and the Four Seasons is among them. Stay here for easy access to the Skytrain and Pacific Centre. The indoor/outdoor pool is also a huge benefit because Vancouver can often be cold, cloudy and windy, even in the middle of winter. The indoor / outdoor feature allows guests to enjoy the pool whatever the weather decides to do.
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