This was our very special winter vacation celebrating our 9 year wedding anniversary. We stayed 8 nights and 9 days. When checking in the hotel the front desk receptionist (Christina?) went above and beyond to accommodate all of our requests and made sure we understood all of the Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits to our stay as well as the Gold Club amenities. We appreciate that the hotel welcomes families and it’s so festively decorated for the holidays. We enjoyed lounging in the Gold Club area and having access to snacks, beverages and beautiful views of the mountains, water, boardwalk, Stanley Park, float planes landing, and the Christmas market across the street. The Gold Club also offers an outside deck if you prefer taking in the fresh air while enjoying the stunning views. Our room on floor 20 was spectacular - same views as the Gold Club but we could also see the pool and hot tub. We want to recognize additional staff members that went above and beyond to make an exceptional experience for us while visiting the Gold Club level: Mikaela, Bernie, Cohen, Melanie, Mitchell, Eric, William, Pares, and Fiona. In addition we experienced exceptional service at the Botanist every morning. Lucy and JC Barcelona always greeted us with a warm and friendly welcome and efficiency. Some of the servers were outstanding as well: Jay, Mihael, Namiko, and Lauren. The Lobby Lounge sushi counter was the show stopper during our entire visit. We visited the sushi counter 5 times during our stay and Chef Youssef, Moon, and Peter created unforgettable tasting experiences and treated us like royalty. It was hard to even consider dining anywhere else after experiencing their exquisite hospitality, warmth, fun and exciting delectable surprises. In particularly, Chef Youssef flawlessly conceptualized, faultlessly crafted, harmoniously executed and indelibly singular. The dexterity, imaginativeness and artistry put into every course were striking and made the five tasting experiences remarkably arresting. We were in awe of painterly fierceness brought to the visual aesthetics when plating each course and the vivid zestfulness that suffused the bright composition and layering of textures and flavors. Chef Youssef is the Monet of ceviche and the Mondrian of kaiseki. We have never encountered a chef with more omotenashi than Chef Youssef. If a chef can have such a thing as diner clairvoyance, he has it in spades. This was hands down the most exquisite luxurious and memorable stay at the Pacific Rim Fairmont in Vancouver BC.
