Be a tourist in Vancouver at these hotel bars
There’s something decadent and mysterious about patronizing the hotel bar. To feel at once glamorous and anonymous, you don’t have to be traveling to enjoy the experience. Head into any one of these classy joints for a drink and a snack. And psst: the bathrooms are always gorgeous!
Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge
845 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1V1Plush armchairs, elaborate floral arrangements and a crackling fire scream old-world class at the Bacchus Lounge in this premier boutique hotel near the VAG. Demi carafes, one filled with roasted almonds, the other peanuts, are instantly at your table thanks to conservatively clad but very friendly waitresses. Peruse their extensive drinks menu if you’re in the mood for a tipple, or consider their gorgeous afternoon tea on weekends. Come late and let their house pianist serenade you with classic tunes.
THE LOBBY LOUNGE & RAWBAR
1038 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 0B9As advertised, this modern space just east of Coal Harbour stretches out in calming white marble amid the bustle of check-ins and concierges. Low couches surround a sleekly designed gas fireplace, glam 50s-era seats are illuminated by lux gold light fixtures and the notes from a white baby grand tinkle over the entire movie-set scene. Munch on complimentary nuts and olives while you decide on your drink. A flute of champagne seems the appropriate choice here.
Tableau Bar Bistro
1181 Melville St, Vancouver, BC V6E 0A3Both a bar and a full-service restaurant, get the hotel lounge experience by snagging a spot in the beautiful front room at Tableau at the Loden Hotel. Save the impressive wine list for dinner and start with one of their house cocktails or inquire about The Drawing Board, their monthly experimental recipe playing with alcohols, herbs, bitters and juices. Nice non-alcoholic drinks on offer here, too.
1927 Lobby Lounge
801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1P7Step back in time to when the Charleston was all the rage and the booze was underground. No secret password needed here, though. The welcoming staff at five-star Hotel Georgia will show you to the dark and cozy corner where velvet-covered couches and chairs beckon. Scotch or classic cocktails are your best bet, or their signature Hotel Georgia, invented in the 50s and standing the test of time. Order a few expertly prepared nibbles to keep that alcohol in check.
Bayside Lounge
1755 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1W5Taking it down a notch on the classy scale, but no less deserving to be on this list, is the Bayside Lounge overlooking English Bay on the corner of Denman and Davie. Its sunken bar is its standout feature, untouched since its beginnings in the 1970s, but the wrap-around windows with an unrestricted view of Vancouver’s famous sunsets are really what should keep you coming back. Sticking with the 70s vibe, we’re thinking Singapore Slings and Long Island Iced Teas.
Sylvia's Restaurant & Lounge
1154 Gilford St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2P6No hotel bar list would be complete without mention of beloved Sylvia’s Lounge at her eponymous heritage hotel in the West End. The menu has been updated to reflect the times, but classics like cobb salad and fish chowder remain. Decent wine and beer lists and cocktails as well as specialty and Irish coffees make for excellent afternoon refreshment after walking the Stanley Park seawall. Take in the history inside and the beauty out at this favourite English Bay haunt.
My Twitter
