Shangri-la Hotel, Vancouver

The days of the purpose-built luxury hotel just might be behind us. The Shangri-La Vancouver is built, as is increasingly common, on the Asian model — as a part of a mixed-use skyscraper, incorporating offices, retail, dining and residential space in addition to the fifteen hotel floors. The big difference is that unlike, say, Tokyo, where the hotel floors tend to be the topmost, here they’re the bottom ones; in low-slung Vancouver, though, there are still views to be had from the bottom quarter of the building.

And they certainly do make it comfortable for you. Rooms start at 450 square feet and just go up from there, and many of the suites have balconies looking down over the street. Blinds and curtains are remote-controlled from the bedside panel, so you can let in that fleeting Northwestern sunlight without lifting more than a finger. And the bathrooms are state-of-the-art, many with mirror-mounted LCD screens and all with multi-head walk-in showers. And the décor takes several steps away from tired old minimalism, with natural materials and Asian flourishes alongside modern B&B Italia furniture.

Two restaurants, two bars, and a full-service spa and health club round out the facilities. And in this forward-thinking city, it’s good to know a development on this scale can be handled sensitively — the Shangri-La complex is LEED Silver certified, which, for a luxury hotel, is no small feat.

How to get there:
From Vancouver International Airport take the rapid transit system (Canada Line) to Vancouver City Center (approximately 30 minute ride). The Shangri-La is four blocks from the station on West Georgia Street between Thurlow & Bute. Alternatively, taxis are readily available from the airport, and private transfers can be arranged in advance.