One of the world's top travel publications has included over 10 Vancouver hotels among the world's best in a new report.
Forbes uses incognito inspectors posing as regular guests to get unbiased, objective reviews of properties for its annual Forbes Travel Guide Star Award Winners. Inspectors base seventy per cent of the reviews on service, with the final 30 per cent based on the condition of the facilities.
Twenty-nine hotels in Canada were included in the ranking, including 14 in B.C. and eight in the city of Vancouver.
Two Whistler hotels were included in the ranking, including the Fairmont Chateau Whistler (recommended) and the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler with a four-star review.
Three hotels on Vancouver Island were included in the ranking including the Fairmont Empress (recommended), The Magnolia Hotel & Spa (recommended), and Vancouver Island the four-star-rated Wickaninnish Inn.
Vancouver hotels included on the Forbes list
The Douglas, Autograph Collection in Vancouver was "recommended" by Forbes, with the inspector's notes highlighting the luxury property's "stunning reception desk" featuring a "glass-encased, illuminated 25-foot-long replica Douglas fir." They also note that the accommodation accesses the Parq casino's 30,000-square-foot outdoor terrace and garden. The rooms emulate upscale cabins or an urban ski lodge, with concrete ceilings, dark walnut furnishings, and pillow-top beds dressed in white linens with plaid throws.
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was given a four-star rating, with the inspector praising its "historic style, with glittering chandeliers, marble floors and original woodwork." Visitors can ask the concierge for a tour if they would like to learn more about the property.
Sibling property Fairmont Pacific Rim received a five-star ranking. The inspector lauded the downtown property's art collection and year-round heated pool and hot tub on the sixth-floor terrace. They also noted that rooms have deep ofuro tubs (Japanese soaker baths) with two walls of windows to watch the seaplanes in the Burrard Inlet.
The JW Marriott Parq Vancouver is "recommended" by Forbes, with the inspector noting that guests enjoying the 17th-floor spa have expansive city views. They can sit on individual pod-like chairs and enjoy treatments with natural products from Aromatherapy Associates.
The Paradox Hotel Vancouver received a four-star rating and is described by Forbes as a "twisting skyscraper" presenting as a "more playful and contemporary than a classic luxury hotel."
The Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is a five-star rated property close to many popular spots in the city, including Robson Street, Stanley Park, and the Granville Street entertainment district. The inspector notes that the accommodation has "impeccable" service, starting with a warm greeting upon entry before you are escorted to your room.
Elsewhere in downtown, The St. Regis Hotel is a "recommended" stay in Vancouver, with the inspector highlighting everything from the heated floors in the bathrooms to the complimentary breakfast that includes made-to-order items including fluffy pancakes and eggs.
The Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver is a "recommended" property lauded for its "European elegance" and central location in the downtown core. The accommodation also has an indoor pool with a massive skylight, a spa with numerous treatments and massages, and the popular Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar with its locally sourced seafood-focused menu.
Canadian hotels outside of B.C. included the Forbes ranking
- Hotel Toronto (recommended0
- Auberge Saint-Antoine in Quebec City (recommended)
- Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff and Lake Louise (recommended)
- Fairmont Tremblant on Mount Tremblant in Quebec (recommended)
- Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal (recommended)
- Four Seasons Hotel Montreal (four stars)
- Four Seasons Toronto (five stars)
- The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto (five stars)
- Hôtel Quintessence on Mount Tremblant in Quebec (recommended)
- Muir Hotel, Autograph Collection in Halifax (four stars)
- Park Hyatt Toronto (four stars)
- The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal (four stars)
- The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto (four stars)
- Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto (five stars)
- The St. Regis Toronto (five stars)
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