Travel Diary: Shangri-LA Vancouver

Do you guys have a travel bucket list? I definitely do, and while mine is full of exotic locations to visit, it also has hotels and properties that I've always dreamed to be able to stay at. The Shangri-La has been on my travel bucket list for years; ever since I saw a photo of their floor-to-ceiling white marble bathrooms. I've visited their Toronto property for high tea and to enjoy their spa, but have never had the opportunity to stay in one of the Shangri-La's opulent hotels.

With this in mind, you can imagine how elated I was to find out that I would be making a night's stopover in Vancouver before flying home to Toronto, and staying at the Shangri-La Vancouver.

Located in one of my favourite areas in Vancouver (where all of the high-end designer stores are located,) the Shangri-La Vancouver wow-ed me from the moment I stepped foot into the property. The lobby is impressive with high ceilings,  cascading lighting pieces and grandiose floral arrangements. An upscale lobby can sometimes be intimidating, but the warm smiles that greeted us when we first walked into the doors had us completely at ease and set the tone for our stay. The attention to detail and hospitality of the staff is what set the Shangri-La apart for me, and is what transforms this property from a beautiful hotel to an experience that I will never forget.

The Room

I had a room to myself for the stay, and it did not disappoint. The room itself is large; with a seating area, a desk for working, generous closet and the Shangri-La's famous white marble bathroom. The flow of the room put my energy immediately at ease, and what I enjoyed most about my stay was how the features of the room seemed to be intuitive. If I wanted to raise or lower the blinds, I didn't even have to look twice to find the switch that would allow me to do so. It was the same for the lights as well as the curtains; even the 'do not disturb' button could be easy found inside.

Once I got settled into my room, I immediately changed into one of their lush white robes (a ritual I tend to stick with in all hotels) and brewed myself an espresso with the in-suite machine. I still have vivid memories of being completely at peace in this moment, enjoying the cityscape view from my room with the ocean and mountains in the distance.

The Spa

The fact that we were able to enjoy another spa treatment on our West-Coast trip was absolutely incredible - and for that spa treatment to be done at Chi, The Spa at the Shangri-La was icing on the cake.

You guys know that I love a spa treatment, and the treatment that we had done during our stay at the Shangri-La will forever be remembered as one of my favourite spa treatments that I've ever experienced. Lauren and I both chose the spa's signature Aroma Vitality and it was 80 minutes of pure bliss. I love a multi-step spa treatment and this one did not disappoint. A foot bath, a eucalyptus steam treatment and a massage are all included in the Aroma Vitality treatment and the most luxurious part is that you experience all three steps without having to leave the treatment room. After our treatment, we were invited to relax in the relaxation room where we indulged in chocolates and deliciously addictive ginger tea - seriously, I must have had 10 glasses.

I can't stress this enough; if you find yourself in Vancouver and want to treat yourself to some self-care, please head to Chi, The Spa at the Shangri-La. I'm already looking forward to my next trip to Vancouver so I can experience the same treatment.

Dining: MARKET by Jean-Georges

As if our relaxing stay at the Shangri-La in Vancouver couldn't get any better, we were treated to an incredible meal at MARKET by Jean-Georges, an up-scale restaurant that's housed on the hotel property.

I would definitely recommend MARKET by Jean-Georges as another treat-yo-self experience should you find yourself in Vancouver. Some standouts of the meal for me were the scallops as an appetizer, a delicious short rib for my main course, and an absolutely decadent peanut butter chocolate bar as dessert.

Before I knew it my short trip to Vancouver had come to an end, and I reluctantly checked out of the Shangri-La to head to the airport. I'm so grateful to have been able to experience the luxury of a Shangri-La property, and look forward to doing so again for my next trip to the west coast.

If you guys are looking for things to do while in Vancouver, check out my city guide from my last visit to the city. 

xo Joëlle

Thank you so much for the Shangri-La Vancouver for my stay. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.