Vancouver Travel Guide — Bawan Sisters

Growing up in Victoria I was always excited for our family trips to Vancouver. The selection of shopping and food surpassed that of Victoria. My mom loved shopping and I still remember the hours perusing stores with her. Back in the day there used to be a Four Seasons hotel in Pacific Center. We would do all our downtown shopping and then stop in there for lunch.

Now having Penelope (my dog) I love taking her to Vancouver since there are so many more dog friendly patios than in Victoria.

I thought it was time for me to share some of my favourite places in Vancouver. There are always new cafes and restaurants opening in the city. The places I am sharing here may not be the new “in spot” but are places I revisit on my trips because I truly love them.

This is going to be a long post so I will not go into detail on each spot but will share what draws me to them.

** Thank you to everyone who collaborated on this post. As always all opinions are my own. **

Where to stay

Sutton place hotel

Address: 845 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K6

The Sutton Place hotel has been an iconic hotel in Vancouver for as long as I can remember ( which is true since it opened the year I was born). The hotel is located on Burrard Street and the intersection with Robson Street. Growing up Robson street was THE place to shop so we spent a lot of time in the area.

In my opinion the hotel is well located for walking. It is a short walk from the waterfront and Coal Harbour in one direction, Yaletown in another and English Bay on the other side. During our recent stay at the Hotel the fireworks were happening in English Bay and we were easily able to walk down and see them.

The hotel has undergone a few renovations most recently in 2022. I attended a wedding at Sutton Place back in medical school and the decor then was more old world glamour. Dark woods with beige and golden tones. The appearance was more similar to the look of the lobby. The room we stayed at this time was updated and modern. Bright white with hints of blue. I will do a more detailed review of the hotel in a separate post.

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar is the signature restaurant of the hotel’s. We had dinner here during out stay and I can say it is one of the best meals I have had recently in Vancouver. Each dish was stunningly presented and full of delicious flavours. If you like dessert you need to try their bon bon service.

Overall opinion: Central location is perfect for exploring Vancouver. If you are in town to eat and shop you can easily access some of the best spots in Vancouver . The amazing in hotel restaurant and bar is a definite plus.

Fairmont waterfront

Address: 900 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 3L5

As a long time Fairmont fan Vancouver has 3 hotel options. Each hotel has a different feel. The Fairmont Waterfront is located across from Canada Place convention center along the Seawall. The hotel has easy access to the seaplanes if you are in town for a visit from Vancouver Island. If you are landing at YVR the hotel is close to the skytrain station. The hotels location along the seawall makes it the perfect place to stay if you want to take a nice walk to Stanley Park. For restaurants and shopping you can easily walk to Gastown.

If you would like to learn more about my stay at Fairmont waterfront please read the dedicated blog post here.

Overall Opinion: Great location for commuters from Vancouver Island. Love the rooftop pool and spacious rooms.

How to get here

Harbour Air

The seaplanes are a great way to hop between Vancouver Island from Vancouver. Within only 20 minutes you will be in Nanaimo and 30 minutes to downtown Victoria. Right now Harbour Air is having great prices on their Nanaimo and Victoria to downtown Vancouver routes. Harbour Air also flies to Vancouver Airport, Tofino, Whistler and Tofino! You can also book scenic tours of Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo or the Gulf Islands.

Coffee shop

Laduree

This is the perfect spot to stop for a coffee when shopping on Robson Street.

Beaucoup bakery

Beaucoup bakery has expanded from their original Fir Street location with a second downtownloction within the St. Regis hotel. Their kouign amann is a must try and my favourite in the city. Their tropical scone is also unique and delicious using pineapple and macadamia nuts.

Thierry

Located on Alberni Street Thierry is another cafe perfect for a shopping break. Compared to the pastries the cakes at Thierry are what you need to try. Their seasonal eclairs never dissapoint.

Where to drink

H Tasting Lounge

When the sun is out all I want to do is relax on a patio. H Tasting lounge is located in coal harbour. H tasting lounge is always updating their cocktail menu and offering aesthetically pleasing cocktails which are also tasty. Overlooking the marina this is the perfect spot to grab a drink and enjoy the views.

H Tasting Lounge currently has ice cream themed cocktails for summer and you can read more about it on my dedicated blog post here.

Gerard lounge

Within the Sutton Place Hotel, Gerard lounge exudes old world glamour. With dark wood paneling and luxurious green accents this is the perfect spot for a night cap.

Where to eat

Arc dining

Located within Fairmont Waterfront, Arc dining featured delicious fresh west coast inspired dishes. Personally I love their great happy hour deals. If you love brunch their bottomless brunch is a must try.

If you would like to learn more about Arc dining please read the dedicated blog post linked here.

Boulevard restaurant

Boulevard is the restaurant within the Sutton Place Hotel. Although the restaurant has a focus on seafood they have many stand out dishes. When I went their housemade radiatore pasta with yellow tomato sauce was a crowd pleaser. If you have a sweet tooth include in their petit fours service.

Afternoon tea

Hotel Vancouver

Seasonally Hotel Vancouver changes the theme of their afternoon tea. Currently the hotel has a garden party theme. The afternoon tea space is filled with beautiful floral decor. My favourite savory bites were the coronation chicken sandwich, short rib tartlet and devilled egg. The jalapeno cornbread perfectly merges sweet with savory. The creme brulee puff pastry topped off with a little bumble bee was the cutest sweet treat.

If you would like to read more about a Christmas stay at Hotel Vancouver and the Christmas Afternoon tea please read my blog post linked here.

H Tasting lounge

Afternoon tea at H tasting lounge is always a fun affair. The hotel currently has an “Around the world in 80 days” themed afternoon tea. You can read more about it on my dedicated blog post. The cotton candy air balloon along with the ferris wheel of treat is truly a gorgeous display.

If you would like to read more about this afternoon tea please read my blog post linked here.

Where to shop

Robson street

Filled with high street shops and restaurants, Robson street is the perfect spot for some shopping without breaking your bank account. Check out not one but three Aritzia stores.