For the primary lodge keep of my fast journey to Japan & Korea, I spent an evening on the 386-room Fairmont Vancouver Airport. Whereas I don’t often keep at Accor properties, I had heard nice issues about this lodge, and figured I ought to test it out.
Effectively, I’m very joyful I did. That is an unimaginable airport lodge, with a great location, gorgeous views (if you happen to like planes), and strong meals and beverage shops. Airport motels don’t get a lot better than this, and as an aviation geek, I might gladly trip right here. Unsurprisingly, the one catch is that this comfort and luxurious comes at a value, so it’s not a really funds pleasant lodge. Nonetheless, if you happen to can swing it, I’d extremely suggest a keep right here.
Reserving the Fairmont Vancouver Airport
For my one night time keep, a base room on the Fairmont Vancouver Airport was working 350 CAD (~247 USD) per night time. Nonetheless, I made a decision to ebook a Fairmont Gold room, which is the identify of Fairmont’s rooms that provide membership lounge entry, on the price of 485 CAD (~342 USD).
I booked this by means of the Accor STEP program, which provides quite a lot of additional perks, together with a $100 credit score as soon as per keep, every day restaurant breakfast, a room improve (topic to availability), and early check-in and late check-out (topic to availability).
Now, let me after all acknowledge that that is expensive for an airport lodge. Moreover, the improve to the membership room in all probability wasn’t price it for this fast keep, since I had restaurant breakfast and a $100 credit score included on account of reserving by means of Accor STEP. Nonetheless, I primarily booked a membership room as a result of I wished to overview the expertise, as I don’t bear in mind the final time I stayed at a Fairmont.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport location
You possibly can’t beat the situation of the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, because it’s linked on to the terminal. For those who’re arriving from contained in the airport, simply go to the departures stage, and behind the transborder check-in space (for flights to the USA), you’ll see the escalators main as much as the lodge.
As soon as on the higher stage, you continue to should stroll a little bit of a distance until you end up within the foyer.
In the meantime if you happen to’re not coming from contained in the airport, the lodge has its personal entrance separate from the terminal, on the roadway resulting in departures. It’s fairly charming for an airport lodge, if you happen to ask me!
In the case of airport motels, I merely can’t overstate how handy it’s to have the ability to keep at a lodge that’s both immediately within the airport, or inside strolling distance. Airport shuttles usually function so inconsistently, so it’s an enormous time saver.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport foyer & check-in
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport has an enthralling foyer. As you enter the lodge, reception is situated to the left, whereas there’s a lot of foyer seating to the correct. I liked the flowers, vegetation, and artwork, particularly.
My check-in course of was environment friendly, and the worker checking me in was pleasant. She knowledgeable me that I had been upgraded from the Fairmont Gold Room that I had booked to a Fairmont Gold Runway View Room. As an aviation geek, that’s clearly the dream improve! With a key in hand, I headed to the elevators, and as much as the highest (14th) ground, the place my room was situated.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport runway view room
I used to be assigned room 1409, a Fairmont Gold Runway View Room. As soon as off the elevator, I turned left, after which my room was about midway down the hallway, on the correct.
These rooms are marketed as being 411 sq. toes (38 sq. meters), they usually’re functionally designed. The room featured an entryway with the toilet to the correct, closet area to the left, and the remainder of the room straight forward.
The room boasted a snug king measurement mattress with 4 plush pillows, and an all-around elegant design.
Throughout from the mattress was a big console with the minibar, a baggage storage rack, a wall-mounted TV, and even a desk with a chair.
The minibar setup featured a Nespresso machine, some tea, and quite a lot of drinks and snacks for buy.
I really like how this lodge leans into its location on the airport, as there’s a telescope proper by the window, together with a aircraft recognizing information… how enjoyable!
The view from this room was a dream, as I noticed the gate space, the runways, and the mountains within the distance. Actually, a membership room is partly price it only for the views, on condition that membership rooms are on the highest ground. You virtually really feel such as you’re in an air visitors management tower.
The lavatory was again close to the doorway, and was fairly spectacular, particularly for a non-suite. You would enter the toilet by means of one in all two doorways, and it had a sink, a bath, a walk-in bathe, and a bathroom in a separate room.
Toiletries have been the Rose 31 scent from Le Labo, and have been in wall-mounted, reusable containers. Very good!
There was additionally an arrogance space close to the doorway.
All-in-all, I used to be impressed by the room. Wi-Fi was quick and free, and there was even turndown service within the night. For what it’s price, the lodge first opened in 1999, and underwent a renovation in 2019. The room was fantastically up to date, and maybe the one actual signal of the room’s age was the toilet, which clearly belonged to an older property.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport health club, pool, and spa
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport has a 24/7 health club, situated on the fourth ground, which can be the place the foyer is (the signal within the elevator says it’s on the fifth ground, however then you need to take a staircase down).
The health club is strong, with quite a lot of cardio and power coaching tools. It’s not essentially probably the most leading edge tools, however I appreciated the variability.
Adjoining to the health club is the pool (properly, two swimming pools, really) and sizzling tub space, which might be accessed by friends between the hours of 7AM and 10PM.
The pool overlooks the check-in space, which form of gave me a chuckle, since that’s not your typical pool view.
Subsequent to the pool is a locker room space with a sauna, which friends are free to make use of as properly.
The lodge additionally has a spa, open every day from 11AM till 7PM. I didn’t get any remedies, however yow will discover all the main points right here.
Fairmont Gold Lounge Vancouver Airport
I take into account myself to be a little bit of a lodge membership lounge fanatic, so I used to be joyful to take a look at the Fairmont Gold Lounge, which is how Fairmont markets all of its membership lounges. The lounge was situated on the 14th ground, proper as you exit the elevator.
The Fairmont Gold Lounge is open 24/7 — I admire when that’s the case, on condition that I maintain a really unusual schedule (particularly when touring). Even past that, the hours with service are spectacular:
- The lounge serves continental breakfast from 4AM till 6AM
- The lounge serves customary breakfast from 6AM till 10AM
- The lounge serves night canapés from 5PM till 7PM
- The lounge serves dessert from 8PM till 9:30PM
- The lounge has drinks obtainable for buy between 11AM and 10:30PM
The lounge is a nice-looking area, although not notably massive, so it will get busy throughout the night joyful hour. It has a mix of eating tables, communal tables, couches, and loungers. Very like my room, the lounge had unimaginable views of the airport, in order that’s an actual deal with.
All through the day, the lounge provides entry to espresso, tea, juice, gentle drinks, and water, in addition to some candy and savory snacks.
Alcoholic drinks are additionally obtainable for a lot of the day, although at an extra cost. I had thought that perhaps Fairmont Gold Lounges have been a step above the competitors in that regard, however I suppose North America brings out the worst in motels.
The costs weren’t even notably enticing (then once more, they’re in CAD, and never USD).
I’d describe the night canapés as being fairly good high quality, however in all probability not a meal alternative. There have been quite a lot of chilly choices, together with sushi, crudités, chilly cuts, cheese, salad, and chips. Sizzling choices included issues like spring rolls, shrimp gyoza, candy and bitter cauliflower, and crispy pork stomach bao buns. The recent choices have been giving very robust Dealer Joe’s vibes (which isn’t a dig… they’ve fairly good things!).
I’d notice that throughout the night joyful hour, the buffet felt a bit like a feeding trough, primarily based on the fixed line on the buffet.
The dessert choice was restricted to a few individually plated choices.
As a morning particular person, I adored how there was meals within the lounge beginning at 4AM. The choice included issues like cereal, muffins, croissants, chilly cuts, and yogurt parfaits.
At 6AM that choice was expanded, with every kind of recent fruit, smoked salmon, and sizzling dishes starting from oatmeal, to orange cinnamon infused french toast, to scrambled eggs, to sausage and bacon, to roasted candy potatoes with corn, onions, and peppers.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Jetside Bar dinner
Within the night, I made a decision to have dinner at Jetside Bar, the foyer bar on the Fairmont. Whereas it’s not probably the most fashionable area, it feels cozy due to the fireplaces on either side. I additionally love the floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the apron.
I loved the vibe on the bar within the night, as each desk was taken, and there was even dwell music (nightly from 6:30PM till 10:30PM). What a deal with for an airport lodge! I made a decision to order a grimy martini to drink, which was ready simply the way in which I like.
Jetside Bar has a reasonably strong all-day eating menu, which yow will discover right here. Nonetheless, the bar is adjoining to Globe&YVR, which is the lodge’s signature restaurant, and it’s also possible to order off the menu there (yow will discover the dinner menu right here). I made a decision to order the halibut, which was divine.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Globe@YVR breakfast
Due to the speed that I booked, restaurant breakfast was included, so I made a decision to eat at Globe@YVR. Breakfast is served every day from 6AM till 11AM, and yow will discover the breakfast menu right here. Very like the bar, this has apron views, although the restaurant design is in any other case unremarkable.
As a breakfast choice, you may select a variety from the buffet, after which additionally order a dish off the menu, in order that’s what I did. The buffet choice was positively on the essential aspect, with muffins, danishes, bread, cheese, chilly cuts, cereal, yogurt, fruit, hardboiled eggs, and so forth.
Then from the menu I ordered the smoked salmon omelet, with sockeye, spring onion, boursin cheese, capers, and herbs. It’s not usually I say that an omelet is so tasty as to be memorable, however this one was unimaginable.
Backside line
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is an exceptionally good airport lodge, with a great location, lovely rooms, superb views, a strong membership lounge, an incredible restaurant and bar, and pleasant service. In the end you pay a worth for this high quality and comfort, however I discovered it to be properly price it.
Reflecting on my expertise, the one factor I’d say is that the membership lounge entry in all probability objectively wasn’t price it, on condition that I had the lodge credit score to spend, plus breakfast included. Nonetheless, I wished to take a look at the lounge, so I’ve no regrets. Additionally, as an aviation geek, you may’t beat the views from the highest ground right here.
What’s your tackle the Fairmont Vancouver Airport?
