WHY IT RATES: The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is an icon in the city and its newly renovated suites bring back the luxury of a bygone era. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer.

The historic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is often referred to as the 'Castle in the City'. Its iconic downtown address situates this hospitality offering in a central location, close to some of Vancouver's biggest cultural and entertainment gems. To update the luxurious Fourteenth Floor Heritage Suites, the CHIL Interior Design team drew inspiration from a former era defined by luxurious travel, visiting monarchs, elaborate garments, brocade fabrics, and royal tapestries. The design commemorates the city's monumental Royal Visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who stayed at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver during its grand opening in 1939.

A Luxurious Hospitality Experience in the Heart of Vancouver

Restoring this heritage property required a meticulous and thoughtful approach. Traces of its prominent past as a premiere railway hotel can be found in simple details and elegant flourishes. It was imperative the design celebrate the property's historical significance while selectively updating elements to their original grandeur to appeal to the sensibilities of today's modern traveler.

The design vernacular is intricate, opulent, and sumptuous. Guests are immediately enchanted upon arrival at the refurbished elevator lobby, which features the gates originally used to secure the King's and Queen's quarters. Updates to the corridors include new carpeting and marble flooring, fresh wall coverings, restored millwork, and updated lighting fixtures.

"We wanted to capture the romanticism surrounding the luxury of travel and royal visits," said Adèle Rankin, Principal and Design Lead at CHIL Interior Design. "The design language is rich, ornate, layered and highly detailed - a one-of-a-kind experience that honors the hotel's history and reputation."

The floor's two main master suites-the Lieutenant Governor's Suite and the Royal Suite - are each uniquely distinct in their design aesthetics. Adorned in gilded and lacquered finishes, bespoke furniture, rich fabrics, layered carpets and wallcoverings, warm woods, and custom millwork, the Lieutenant Governor's Suite borrows many of its design influences from Art Deco stylings. The art of entertaining is unmistakable in this suite, which was historically used for official meetings and social gatherings.

By contrast, the Royal Suite presents a lighter, regal, and classically contemporary atmosphere. A royal, saturated color palette paired with opulent and sophisticated finishes provides the ultimate luxury hospitality experience for guests. Its spacious master bathroom is outfitted in marble, providing a tranquil spa-like experience and area of respite from Vancouver's kinetic energy.

Preserving a Cultural Treasure

Careful attention was given to preserving the hotel's extensive list of heirlooms which included its guest room doors made in 1939 of English harewood with bronze inset doorplates, the elaborate bronze hallway doors, the African Sapele wood-paneled walls of the elevator lobby accented with solid bronze inlay strips, and the English black walnut veneer-paneled walls of the Lt. Governor Suite originating from a single walnut tree and so skillfully matched that the same markings may be traced symmetrically around the entire room.

Expert craftsmen were brought in from Quebec to reside on the property while they meticulously restored the rooms, creating seamless transitions between old and new. Their craftsmanship extending so far as to recreate heritage architectural elements such as the elegant crown moldings that were found in the Royal Suite bedroom but not its master ensuite bathroom.

"The Fourteenth Floor is the foundation of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver's identity, and holds great historical significance both for the hotel and the city of Vancouver," comments Brent Iverson, Sales & Marketing Director, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. "CHIL Interior Design was able to retain the character of the suites while infusing modern amenities, giving the feeling of traveling between past and present. Hotels aren't built like this anymore and we are proud to have invested in our ongoing legacy."

The CHIL team's second phase of renovations for this iconic property will include updating the Fairmont Gold Lounge and the balance of the Fairmont Gold guest rooms, corridors and elevator lobbies. This phase will complete the hotel's four-year-long update, just in time for its 80th anniversary.

SOURCE: Fairmont Hotels press release.