Vancouverscape, a Vancouver based blog covering travel, tech, and lifestyle

In between travels, I often enjoy a stay in one of our city’s numerous boutique and luxury hotels, recently spending a weekend at the Westin Bayshore.

My husband and I borrowed a couple of their bikes to ride around Stanley Park, took a dip in the pool and jacuzzi, dined at H Tasting Lounge and H2 Rotisserie & Bar, worked out at the gym (love their Netflix-integrated treadmills!) and walked around Coal Harbour.

The lobby is open and welcoming. Once we’ve checked in at the SPG desk, we make our way along the corridor past both restaurants and towards the spa and gym, where to the right is a set of elevators leading to the tower floors, offering super views of the harbour, mountains, Canada Place and all points in between.

ROOMS

Modern with clean lines, the 499 rooms here have floor-to-ceiling glass windows with sliding glass doors to take advantage of harbour, mountain and city views.

SLEEP

We got a couple of very fitful sleeps on our Westin Heavenly Bed, complete with box spring, mattress, sheets, down blankets, duvets pillows and pillowcases.

Another wonderful aspect of the rooms is that when curtains are drawn, the room gets nice and dark, without light spilling from entrances and windows. There’s a tiny green light in the bathroom towards the corner close to the toilet, to lead the way at night.

WELLNESS

The Westin Bayshore has several ways to keep you moving, whether via their YogaWESTIN and BikeWESTIN programs or a visit to their pool (indoor and in season, outdoor) plus fully-serviced gym.

Liquid yoga is offered at the pool on Saturday mornings and if you’re a runner, take advantage of the beautiful surroundings at your doorstep with Westin’s New Balance collab: rented workout gear and shoes can be delivered to your room for $4.95 per day.

DINING

Inside the Bayshore, Art Deco-themed H Tasting Lounge is an ode to billionaire Howard Hughes, evoking Hollywood glamour and featuring a globally-inspired menu that changes every five to six weeks.

The lounge’s eye candy is a stunning chandelier created from $1M worth of Czech glass.

It’s rumoured that Hughes spent six months at this hotel in 1972, likely enjoying the very views that inspired his flights back in the day.

Sleek and comfortable with a fireplace and cozy sofas, booths, tables and a bar up front, this is a great spot to unwind after a day working or touring around town.

The menu is divided into shareable plates (Taxi), Starters (Take-Off), Entrees (In-Flight) and Desserts (Landing). Dishes are beautifully presented combining ingredients and flavours that knock it out of the park.

Particularly wonderful is chef Alex Mok’s Heirloom tomato and cold-pressed avocado plate sitting atop a subtly-seasoned, thin Parmesan cake with cilantro-lime dressing and a sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts to either side.

A single diver scallop is served inside a metal rimmed, latched glass square container. A few taro chips, beet purée and sea asparagus add unique layers of taste to the inventive creation.

[Howard’s 28-Day Aged Striploin]

And if you’re a poke lover, there’s something on the H Tasting Lounge menu to satisfy: a layered poke with salmon and Hawaiian kampachi, flown in fresh from Hawaii. It’s served alongside a seaweed duo of roasted nori and seaweed asparagus. The poke sauce contained throughout is dreamy.

Another big hit here is the table-side dessert cart, offering a choice of Crepes Suzette or Baked Alaska. Both selections get the flambé treatment and are served with ice cream.

[New York: Applejack Silver Fizz]

H’s global drink menu includes reds and whites, bubbles by bottle or glass, a wide range of whiskeys, rare cognacs, classic cocktails and a special cocktail menu dedicated Hughes’ 91-day round-the-world flight.

[Fairbanks: Alaska No. 2]

Each of his stops are represented in drink, from Fairbanks to Moscow.

H2 Rotisserie & Bar is a relaxing space serving upscale comfort food with views of the pool, gardens and Burrard Inlet.

[Rotisserie chicken, winter squash ragu]

Here’s where you can enjoy rotisserie chicken, burgers, wraps, pulled chicken paninis, soups and salads alongside craft beer, milkshakes, wine, craft cocktails, fresh-pressed juices and a selection of coffee drinks.

It’s also where on weekends you can indulge in either a breakfast buffet or brunch spread. And what a spread it is!

On the Sunday we were there, brunch was spread out across several tables with a global smorgasbord: French toast station, rotisserie chicken, salads, healthy toppings, egg dishes, meat and cheese tray, smoked and candied salmon, Indian chicken curry, dim sum, veggie spring rolls, BBQ duck, congee, fruits, muffins and breads, desserts, coffee, tea and juices.

[H2 craft beer flight]

There’s a good range of local craft beers on tap (with more available by the can or bottle), wine by the glass or bottle from an extensive list of choices, plus bubbly or whiskey. It’s all available from 11:30 to 3 on weekends and stat holidays.

[A most fabulous breakfast of smashed avocado toast]

If you’re here on the weekend, you may just enjoy the DJ at the other end of the restaurant spinning tunes in the early afternoon as you indulge.

At dinner, a beautifully illuminated tree outside the window, soft lighting and a solo artist performing in the corner of the room adds a lovely ambiance to our dinner. We enjoyed H2’s sablefish, beef carpaccio, mussels and a fresh salad.

A NIGHT OF YOUR OWN AT WESTIN BAYSHORE

Want to enjoy a night here with breakfast and dinner at H2 Rotisserie & Lounge? We’re giving one lucky Vancouverscape reader a chance to do just that.

All you have to do is follow both Vancouverscape and H2 Rotisserie & Lounge on Instagram, find the Westin photo in Vancouverscape’s Instagram feed, and tag a friend you’d like to have join you! This contest is open internationally.

If you’re not on Instagram, please leave a comment below with your favourite weekend escape.

We’ll draw a winner at random on Monday, March 26 at 4 pm PST. Subject to availability and blackout dates.

**Contest now closed.**

Unwatermarked images courtesy of Westin Bayshore.