Fairmont Waterfront

Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver BC July 2026 Now that I’m retired and travel alone, I wanted to push the Amtrak limits in a coast-to-coast trip from Washington, D.C.’s Union Station to the Canadian northwest, ending in Jasper, then Banff, and then Calgary. So, I started sniffing around the internet for opportunities on Amtrak, favoring segments in a private sleeping car. For a cross-country trip on Amtrak, I looked at all of the moving parts and decided to respond to the invitation I received after I submitted an inquiry into cross-country Amtrak trips. Those moving parts included figuring out which trains would travel to my intended destinations, identifying hotels that could accommodate me on my way, and booking excursions available to rail passengers along my route. Within an hour of sending my inquiry I got a response from Amtrak Vacations and its representative, Kevin Guadagnoli. Amtrak Vacations is not the same as Amtrak: working with Railbookers, a travel agency that specializes in creating customizable train vacation packages, Amtrak Vacations makes its mark by offering experienced advisors who have direct booking access to rail travel throughout North America (so it includes both U.S. and Canadian rail services). So, I have Kevin and Railbookers (and Amtrak Vacations) to thank for suggesting the Fairmont Waterfront, 900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver, for a two-day stay in July 2026. Kevin had included a 48-hour pass for the hop-on hop-off tour buses that run throughout the day and early evening. My train, Amtrak’s Empire Builder from Seattle, arrived at the Pacific Central Station on time at around 10 p.m. I could have walked to the Fairmont (it’s about a 30-minute walk) or used the Expo Line from Main Street-Science World (about a 6-minute bus trip). But it was late and I wanted to check in, so I took a taxi ($20 including tip). Both Seattle and Vancouver were hosting FIFA World Cup games, draining the number of hotel rooms to choose from – but Kevin’s selection was perfect. The building was clean, quiet, and well-lit, with attentive service and helpful front-desk staff. It’s located close to a central-city mall that includes a fast-food food court and pharmacy, and right near where the hop-on hop-off bus has its starting point. For the high rollers the hotel has a Gold room on the 9th floor – didn’t check it out; but because I registered with ALL Accor (the chain’s loyalty program) my room included premium wi-fi, but breakfast was on me, so I headed to McDonald’s for my breakfast egg McMuffin. The room was comfortable, spacious, and had a great view of the city. I spent the two days walking and enjoying waterfront views and scenes from the hop-on hop-off bus. When it came time to check out, I headed to the Pacific Central Station where my train to Jasper would depart in the afternoon. (Note that for travelers departing the station en route to Jasper while you are permitted to check your bag, once you check it with VIA Rail Canada you won’t have access to the bag until you reach your destination.) After a light lunch at Fionn MacCool’s (a five-minute walk), VIA Rail was ready to get me to my next Canadian destination. The Fairmont Waterfront did a great job for this part of my transcontinental train trip.

Was just spending one night in Vancouver so wanted somewhere central and had a couple of friends recommend the Waterfront to me so I chose this. Location is great and there is paid parking which was really useful. We booked a gold room so we could use the lounge facilities. As always these places can be a little busy but we felt it was worthwhile and you also had a nice outdoor area you could sit out at with a great view. Basic food offerings and breakfast was really useful. The room was absolutely fine, we had one with two double beds, and well appointed bathroom. We had reserved complimentary bikes with concierge which you get for 2 hours so did the Stanley Park ride which was amazing and a definite highlight. Unfortunately we had no time to use the pool but that’s another bonus of this hotel. In summary, a really good place for a short visit to Vancouver. Hotel is close to shuttle buses to Capilano Suspension Bridge, sea to sky gondola and near the Fly Canada experience so I think it’s quite hard to beat.

The location of the hotel can't be beat!  The waterfront room views are lovely and the area is walkable with many first rate restaurants nearby.   Our room, a suite, was spacious and clean. Our favourite part of the hotel was the rooftop garden & bee hives!  If you are visiting in the summer months, be sure to book a complimentary tour with the hotel.  Some of the honey is used in the house Gin.  Delicious!  Special shout out to Phil, Concierge, & Danielle B, for arranging & hosting our tour.  Thank you!

The Fairmont Waterfront enjoys an outstanding location directly opposite Canada Place and just a short walk from the cruise ship terminal, making it an excellent choice for cruise passengers. The hotel itself has a lovely atmosphere and is modern, clean, and beautifully maintained. We booked a suite, and before leaving Australia my husband, who is an Accor Diamond Elite member, contacted the concierge to explain that our cruise ship would be arriving early in the morning and asked whether an early check-in might be possible. Based on the email correspondence, we were left with the impression that this wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, our arrival experience was disappointing. Our suite wasn't ready, and we were directed to wait in the upstairs lounge. After spending some time there, we decided not to waste the day sitting around and instead went shopping. At around 3.00 pm we returned and had to ask ourselves whether the room was available. We were then told the bedroom was still being cleaned, although we were permitted to place our luggage in the lounge area of the suite while we waited. Our biggest disappointment, however, was the lounge experience. As Accor Diamond Elite members, we expected the usual recognition and benefits, but these simply weren't honoured during our stay. We had to purchase our own drinks, which came as quite a surprise. To make matters worse, the wine available was of such poor quality that we couldn't drink it and poured it down the sink. The food selection was also very limited, with only a few light snacks on offer. Overall, the Fairmont Waterfront has many positives, particularly its unbeatable location, attractive facilities, and comfortable accommodation. However, the inconsistent recognition of elite membership benefits and the underwhelming lounge experience detracted from what could otherwise have been an excellent stay.

We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront the night before our cruise. We are taking this cruise to celebrate my birthday and the team at the Fairmont Waterfront could not have been any better! They celebrated with me! Everything was perfect from the time we arrived until we left! The porters, guest services, room attendants were all top class! This was our first experience with any Fairmont property and the bar has been set high! So glad we chose this property!