As one of, if not the tallest building in downtown Vancouver, it’s safe to say that
the Shangri-La Hotel, on West Georgia St., shares some of the most breathtaking
waterfront and mountain views you’ll find in this fair city.
Indeed, from the floor to ceiling windows of our fabulous 130-square metre Orchid Suite, we’ve got bird’s-eye views of the majestic firs of Stanley Park, the 
yachts on Burrard Inlet, Mount Baker, and of course, the fascinating comings and goings of the float planes in the harbour. We’ve even got rays of warm sunshine to greet us. Pleasantly enough, there’s no sign of the legendary west coast rain.
The 119 room/suite Shangri-La Hotel is located just a hop, skip and a jump from the swanky Robson Street shops and the waterfront’s wonderfully walkable sea wall. A home base for a plethora of outdoor sports lovers and luxury fishing lodge guests as well as brand-familiar travellers from overseas, the hotel is a respected staple in the Vancouver hospitality scene.
But the real sweet spots that make time here even better are both Market Restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and the wonderfully secluded Chi Spa. At Chi, we’re pampered Asian-style with a variety of personal touches, all said and done well. It was also extremely nice to have our own private suite for a blissfully rejuvenating 90-minute Wushu Stress Relief massage and relaxing post-treatment soak.
For dinner, of course, Jean-Georges’s reputation precedes him and we’re, once again, delighted to savour several beautifully presented courses. The rice cracker crusted tuna with Sriracha citrus emulsion is highly recommended. Finish off with a decadent, warm chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with cocoa nib tuile.
Staying here’s a nice reminder that life on the West Coast is much more cool, calm and laid back. Note to self: head back again soon.
