Inside Vancouver

Vancouver Hotel is First in Canada with in-room iPads

by Remy Scalza in Town on June 5, 2012

Photo credit: OPUS Hotels | Flickr

Opus, the boutique hotel in Vancouver’s Yaletown warehouse district, has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Instead of having a single design scheme for its rooms, the high-end hotel has five different ones to match different personalities, from stylish sophisticates to modern minimalists and Hollywood A-Listers.

Now, Opus has taken its personalized approach one step further, with in-room iPads programmed to match each of those different personality profiles. Continue reading:
Vancouver Hotel is First in Canada with in-room iPads

Best Hotel Bar in Vancouver? You make the call!

by Remy Scalza in Food & Drink on February 16, 2012

Hotel bars are funny things. Some people absolutely hate them. Some people love them.

At root, there’s a pretty complex dynamic at work. Hotel bars are just about the opposite of your local watering hole. They’re not chummy. They’re rarely gritty or authentic. But, done right, that works in their favour.

A good hotel bar, you see, is partly a fantasy. It’s a little bit classier, a little bit more mysterious, a little bit more exotic than what you might be used to. You certainly wouldn’t go there all the time – But once in a while, it’s a nice change of pace.

Now, there are plenty of great hotel bars in Vancouver. Too many, in fact – which is why I’d like your help.

Do have a favourite hotel bar in the city? A classy, cosmopolitan spot with a nice mix of travelers and locals and great drinks? Please let us know below.

I’ll start things off with a hotel bar I visited recently: Xi Shi Lounge in the Shangri-La Hotel.

Continue reading:
Best Hotel Bar in Vancouver? You make the call!

Finding a Hotel for the Whole Family in Vancouver

by Remy Scalza in Family Friendly on May 15, 2011

Finding a hotel that satisfies everyone in the family can sometimes be a challenge.

Not in Vancouver. A range of family-friendly hotels in the city offer services ranging from babysitting to special activities for kids. Among the best options is the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, an elegant, historic hotel in the heart of the city with an innovative lineup of programs and packages for families.

For starters, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is offering a special Family Affair package. When one room is booked at regular price (starting at $209), a second room is available at half-price. That means plenty of space for mom and dad and for the kids. The package also ensures that the family stays well fed. Complimentary breakfast for four people is included, and there’s a 25 percent discount on food and beverages.

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Finding a Hotel for the Whole Family in Vancouver

Hotel Deals during Vancouver’s Dine Out 2011

by Remy Scalza in Town on January 13, 2011

Photo: Tourism Vancouver

Now in its ninth year, Vancouver’s Dine Out – the annual event that lets diners “taste drive” discounted menus at the city’s top restaurants – gets a lot of attention. Many locals wait all year for it and visitors stream into the city to take advantage of the bargain eats. What many people don’t realize, however, is that there are some significant hotel promotions that go along with the Dine Out specials.

The Dine Out website lists dozens of hotels offering deeply discounted stays during the Jan. 24 – Feb. 6 event. Similar to the Dine Out meal promotion, nightly rates come in three distinct price points: $68, $98 and $138. For downtown accommodation, that’s a serious bargain. In fact, it’s tempting to come for the Dine Out dinner specials and stay the night.

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Hotel Deals during Vancouver’s Dine Out 2011