The Shangri-LA is an uber luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Vancouver. 

Lover’s Score 4.5 hearts

We stumbled across a last minute cruise getaway that took us on a one-way coastal journey from Los Angeles to Vancouver for an incredible price and couldn’t pass it up.  Plus, bonus points for only having to pay for a one-way flight and being able to end our sailing in Vancouver, a destination that I have never visited before.  With my husband spending many years in the Seattle area, a trip to Vancouver was a familiar and routine day trip.   But he will always take advantage of an opportunity to explore new hotels and to be my personal tour guide.  

When researching Vancouver hotels, we wanted something close to the city center, near food and shopping, allowing us to walk to our destinations.  We were carrying about an extra five pounds each from being on a cruise for the past four days, so every step counted!  Needless to say, it also needed to be a high-caliber experience to end our mini-vacation on a positive note.  Because who would want to be pampered on a cruise for days only to have your final vacation hours ruined by a bad hotel experience??

“There are times when you just need to getaway from it all. The Excellence Punta Cana is certainly a worthy escape to paradise.” PDH

As you enter the lobby we were greeted by the sophisticated and modern luxury of the hotel, the décor a mix of Asian and Western influences. The attentive concierge staff was ready to offer us a cold drink and relieve us of our luggage. We were escorted to the elevators that descended us to the check in desk, which is just below street level and removed from the busy city “no parking” streets, allowing taxis and valet service the ability to navigate their clientele with ease. Knowing check-in wasn’t until the standard 3:00pm, and we were arriving at about 10:00am, we had figured we would be leaving our luggage and venturing out into the city until a room became available later in the day.

As we had assumed, our Deluxe Room wasn’t ready and wouldn’t be until closer to check-in time. However, (surprise, surprise) they had a One-Bedroom Suite we could upgrade to for a nominal fee, which was available right then and there!  Had I not known better, I would have thought this was the most brilliant way for my husband to have gotten his much sought after suite….hmmm.   However, after the walk, an empty stomach and no caffeine running through my veins yet, it didn’t take much convincing to pay the cost for the upgrade in order to relax in a room almost 5 hours prior to our official check-in time.  There we were, checking into the coveted 695 square foot One-Bedroom Suite.  

We headed straight to our room and as we entered our domicile for the next day and a half, I instantly knew I never wanted to leave and that an “I told you so” was soon coming.  I have to tell you, I really did deserve it too.  The room was indescribable and amazing and had I held firm on my typical “no upgrade” stance, would surely have missed out on this top-of-the-world experience. From the automated curtains and sheers, to the floor to ceiling windows and expansive balcony, the room touted every high-end gadget you wish you had at home.   The dark woods, neutral furnishings and cool granite was an elegant backdrop as we gazed out our balcony onto the Vancouver city skyline.

The One-Bedroom Suite had a separate living room, equipped with a large desk with multiple built in charging ports, couch and armchair and 46” television with Google Chromecast.   This was great and allowed us to tap into our Netflix account without the hassle of connecting our Roku Stick.  The mini-bar was stocked with snacks and beverages (for a fee) and a mini fridge to store our local bakery finds.  The bedroom also had a 46” television, plush bedding and floor to ceiling windows.  The bathroom had granite and marble tile throughout, frosted glass interior partition, a large soaking tub and separate shower, complete with luxury bath amenities and beautiful, live sunflowers that added a splash of color to the room.  The television integrated into the bathroom mirror made my late night tub time even more relaxing as I watched a show with my glass of wine.  The various preset lighting options for both the living room and the bedroom, let you choose between daytime, nighttime and other settings, customizing the feel of the room.  While somewhat challenging to figure out, it was fun to play with!

While sadly we were not there long enough to enjoy all of the amenities this 5-star hotel had to offer, it also had a spacious and modern gym, theater, library, outdoor rooftop pool and jacuzzi with plenty of poolside seating, and a full spa.  

Be sure to check out the video review to fully experience how exquisite the atmosphere was, from the hotel lobby to the extraordinary One-Bedroom Suite.

The Sum Up

The interactions with every individual, from the front desk concierge to the check-in team, were the epitome of an exceptional customer experience.  We truly felt like we were the only, and most important, guests in the entire hotel. We gave this beautiful hotel a  lover’s score of 4.5 hearts. You simply can’t do much better in the city than this.