6 of the Best Hotel Bars in Vancouver

Cozy up to one of these swanky hotel bars this season

Sometimes, you want Friday night to be an adventure in a dive bar, where the floors are sticky and the beer is cheap. Other times, you just want a fancy drink in a beautiful setting. Hotel lobby bars have a reputation for being boring, but in downtown Vancouver, there are a host of hot spots that are quite the opposite.

Explore six of the best in downtown Vancouver…

1. Botanist at The Fairmont Pacific Rim

Bursting with greenery, this floral-themed bar and restaurant defies any expectation of a dull hotel lobby bar. Botanist opened in April 2017 to great acclaim, and takes the idea of “bringing the outside in” to a new level. With plants and vines creeping out of planters, around columns and onto the enclosed patio, the botany theme extends to the menu. Choose from a wide array of playful and inventive cocktails based on ingredients from trees, orchards and flowers.

2. Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar at Sutton Place Hotel

With its sleek interior, curved leather booths and crisp white tablecloths, Boulevard is every inch the glamorous setting for an after-work celebration or private dinner date. A stone’s throw from Robson Street, it’s also a great spot for a fancy weekend brunch to recover from said celebrations.

3. Prohibition at Hotel Georgia

Reflections—Hotel Georgia’s open-air seasonal rooftop bar—tends to get all the attention in the summer, but as the days get shorter and hibernation starts to look appealing, the hotel’s moody, dimly lit basement bar is worth a visit. Prohibition is a 1920s-themed bar that feels like a cross between a smoky jazz club (minus the smoke) and the billiards room from the Clue board game brought to life. Order a highball and soak in the atmosphere.

4. The Sylvia Hotel

Locals often overlook the historic Sylvia Hotel in the West End, preferring to imbibe or brunch at hipster watering holes or sunny patios instead. But the bar is something of a neighbourhood gem, with one of the best views over English Bay, a patio and a decent brunch menu.

5. Opus Hotel Bar

Located on Davie Street, Opus is Yaletown’s sleekest option for an up-market drink, and reportedly one of the best spots in the city to sight off-duty celebrities. Explore the wine list and enjoy Italian specialties from the attached restaurant, La Pentola.

6. Tableau Bar Bistro at The Loden Hotel

Another bar/restaurant attached to a boutique hotel, Tableau offers a sophisticated and cozy setting for an aperitif. Popular with locals and out-of-towners alike, it’s a great place to unwind and pretend that you’ve been transported to a Parisian café for a few hours.