Our October Quest brought us to beautiful British Columbia, Canada! We started our trip aboard the Victoria Clipper ferry and spent a little over 36 hours in Victoria exploring the Butchart Gardens and the Victoria Butterfly Gardens before riding the BC ferry over to Vancouver!
From the research I had done, Vancouver is a booming metropolis with tons of activities to keep us busy during our 3 days, so I wanted to be sure that our hotel was going to allow for us to unwind and recharge our batteries for the day’s activities. I found all of this and more at The Westin Grand Vancouver Hotel! The Westin Grand Vancouver is right in the heart of downtown Vancouver, which means you are mere steps away from the action.
Table of Contents
Check-In
After our relaxing ferry ride, we were ready to start exploring Vancouver, but I wanted to get the “hassle” of checking into our room out of the way. When we pulled up to The Westin Grand Vancouver and were greeted by smiling staff members eager to assist us out of the car I knew that this was going to be anything but a “hassle”!
Checking into our room was a breeze, the front desk member that assisted me genuinely wanted to know how our trip was going so far and he made casual conversation while quickly checking us in. The check-in process took a span of fewer than 10 minutes from the time I stepped out of the car to the moment I swiped the room card for our suite, talk about efficient service!
The Suite
We stayed in the Premium Deluxe Suite which is a one bedroom suite fitted with a King Westin Heavenly Bed®, and a Queen sofa bed in the living room area. The Premium Deluxe Suites are located between the 6th and 22nd floors and feature panoramic windows so that you can take in the sights of Vancouver. The best part was that even though we could see Vancouver bustling below we never heard any of the loud sounds that come from the city, or from the rooms next to us as a matter of fact. For some people, this brings them comfort knowing they won’t hear other people, but for a traveling family, it allows for the entire family to truly unwind and be comforted in knowing that our girls can be themselves without disturbing rooms around us.
The suite is large and fully equipped with really comfortable furniture, a spacious work desk (with lots of plugs for all of our gear), a mini bar, and super plush robes to lounge in. The Westin also provided a crib for Lightning Bug!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I wonder how many words a video is worth? Check out our suite tour of The Westin Grand Vancouver and you be the judge!
Hendricks Restaurant
As you probably noticed in that video I mentioned the phrase “well thought out” a lot, and I wasn’t just saying it. Every single detail, amenity, and feature of The Westin Grand Vancouver seems so well thought out. The Hendricks Resto-Lounge is just one of those well thought out details. We had the pleasure of enjoying breakfast at Hendricks the morning of our first full day in Vancouver. The lounge initially felt too posh to bring an infant and a five-year-old into, but as soon as our server Nicola came over to the table that anxiety melted away. He provided personal attention to Roo and made sure that our coffee cups were never empty (as parents we know how rare it is to enjoy hot coffee).
Now you may be thinking, what is the big deal about a server providing personal attention, that is supposed to be the standard, but here’s the thing. We came to Hendricks to enjoy their breakfast buffet. Our experience at other buffets has been that you are seated, your drinks are brought over and then you are on your own for the rest of your meal, but that was not the case here.
Nicola was sure to check on us throughout our meal, and even asked Roo about her day and provided us with suggestions for things to do in the city. Hendricks looks like it would be the perfect spot for a delicious dinner or nightcap with live musical performers and a DJ! We were so busy that we only got to enjoy breakfast, but the Hendricks Resto-Lounge is a full-service restaurant that offers meals both in their restaurant but also through their in-room dining options around the clock.
Pool & Fitness Studio
When it comes to hotels Roo doesn’t care about its walkability, the comfort level of the room, or the water pressure of the shower; the only thing she cares about is whether there is a pool or not! I was hesitant at first to tell her that there was a pool at The Westin Grand Vancouver because it was a rooftop pool, and with our trip being in the Fall I didn’t want to get her hopes up.
The Westin Grand Vancouver also considered this by having a heated pool. I am not talking about one of those pools that says that it is heated, but then you find yourself trying to swim through the shivers and purple lips. This pool was heated to a toasty 83 degrees, and the best part for me is that they use a salt-water extraction system for bacteria-free water so they don’t have to use harsh chemicals so you don’t walk around smelling like a walking pool afterward.
The Fitness Studio at The Westin Grand Vancouver was pretty impressive. It was like a full-gym complete with treadmills, elliptical machines, medicine balls, and free weights. Used to working with a trainer? They offer personal training! Like running and wondering what are the best routes? Try out the RunWESTIN program for running maps! Forgot your gym clothes? Try out the New Balance Gear Lending program which offers clothing and shoes for a small fee, and The Westin will deliver the gear to your room!
All in all our stay at The Westin Grand Vancouver was the perfect home base for exploring Vancouver!
If you are visiting Vancouver, give The Westin Grand Vancouver a chance and you will not be disappointed!
Disclosure: We were guests of The Westin Grand Vancouver for our stay, in exchange for an honest review of our family’s experience. All opinions are my own.
