Vancouver in December is a study in West Coast elegance—mist lifting off the harbour, mountains edged in fresh snow, and city lights shimmering across calm winter waters. And while rain is common this time of year, it often arrives as a light, fleeting coastal mist—more atmospheric than intrusive, softening the landscape without deterring exploration. With mild temperatures and an unhurried seasonal pace, Vancouver is a city made for a restorative winter escape.
Anchoring our city stay was the Fairmont Waterfront, a hotel that exemplifies pure coastal luxury—a sophisticated yet comfortable expression of British Columbia’s relationship to land and sea. From its sustainability-forward culinary programs to its wellness-infused guest experiences, the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel serves as both a retreat and a exquisitely considered gateway into the rhythms of the Pacific Northwest.
ARRIVAL IN QUIET COASTAL LUXURY
The Fairmont Waterfront’s lobby offers a warm holiday welcome: tastefully adorned Christmas trees—stylish, understated, and warmly lit—signal the season without overwhelming the space.
Upstairs on the 9th floor, the Fairmont Gold Floor continues this gentle theme. Simply decorated holiday trees introduce the suggestion of festivity, but the atmosphere is defined by calm—private, serene, and overlooking the tranquil expanse of Coal Harbour. This is coastal luxury in its truest form: not a display, but a feeling. A sense that the pace has shifted and this stunning coastal city is inviting you to exhale – a rare opportunity especially during the bustle of the holiday season.
In our spacious gold room on the 8th floor, inviting floor-to-ceiling windows framed the working waterfront and as the skies changed over our 2-day stay, it was the most spectacular living winter canvas: seaplanes flying through soft light, snow covered mountains rising majestically beyond, and the urban harbour aglow with twilight reflections. It was the perfect prelude to dinner.
Dinner at ARC Restaurant, located just off the lobby, introduced us to the hotel’s culinary identity—one driven by sustainability rooted in action. Under Executive Chef Harris Sakalis, who joined the Fairmont Waterfront in May 2025, ARC embraces a Province to Plate philosophy showcasing premium locally authentic ingredients from ocean to table. Many ingredients – including honey, vegetables and herbs – originate from the hotel’s own rooftop beehives and pollinator garden, symbols of a Five Green Key commitment woven throughout the dining experience.
Two stand-out dishes defined our gastronomic evening:
- Foraged Mushrooms served in a silky vegetable dashi and finished with delicate black truffle—aromatic, elegant, and quietly luxurious.
- BC Chinook Salmon paired with Dungeness crab mashed potatoes—a refined celebration of coastal terroir where freshness and balance meet with beautiful restraint.
A GLIMPSE OF VANCOUVER’S HOLIDAY SPIRIT
After dinner, we walked across to Jack Poole Plaza to check out the Vancouver Christmas Market—the city’s longest-running outdoor holiday market, now celebrating its 15th season. We wandered through charming German wooden stalls—each filled with holiday treats and handmade goods—offered an authentic sampling taste of European festivity. The rain had stopped, but the air was fresh and deliciously alive with the scents of warm bretzels, steaming hot chocolate, melting raclette, and mulled wine.
To end our day, we nestled into the Fairmont Gold Lounge, where petite pastries, rich desserts, and a curated selection of aperitifs served as the perfect nightcap.
DAY TWO: A MORNING IMMERSED IN WELLNESS AND NATURE
The next morning unfolded with the ease of wellness seamlessly integrated, a hallmark of the Fairmont Waterfront experience. After a lovely hot breakfast in the Gold Lounge, we stepped out into the morning and the crystal calm of Coal Harbour.
Morning here feels cinematic: yachts bobbing in tranquil water, seaplanes rising through the mist, and mountains emerging beneath a wintery sky. Even a light drizzle felt intentional—part of the city’s seasonal poetry.
From the harbour, the famous seawall leads into Stanley Park, Vancouver’s thousand-acre rainforest. In the month of December, the park becomes a sanctuary of calm: towering cedars draped in mist and the grounding scent of cedar and ocean air. At Prospect Point, the Lions Gate Bridge appeared through fog—subtle, suspended, and shimmering faintly across the inlet.
AFTERNOON IN THE CITY: URBAN STYLE AND CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
We spent the afternoon at CF Pacific Centre, Vancouver’s downtown luxury shopping destination. Its curated mix of international designers, Canadian boutiques, and modern brands offered the perfect winter retreat – and fantastic shopping. We bought a few perfectly picked Christmas gifts—thoughtful items that felt instantly right. A visit to the bustling Apple Store added a sleek counterpoint to the day (and a few more purchases).
Across two days, Vancouver revealed an elevated, atmospheric winter escape—where forested trails meet glassy waterfronts, and seasonal indulgence blends naturally with wellness and calm.
Throughout it all, the Fairmont Waterfront provided the soft shimmer that defined the experience: understated, polished, and perfectly attuned to the season.
For travellers seeking a refined coastal interpretation of the holidays, Vancouver remains one of the world’s most enchanting destinations for a West Coast Christmas.
Limited Time Offering at Fairmont Waterfront
Every Friday until December 19 2025 | 3:00–6:00 PM | Lobby
The Fairmont Waterfront partners with Vancouver’s celebrated HYPE Chocolate for a holiday lobby pop-up offering indulgent hot chocolate in original and vegan varieties.
Also on offer are co-branded chocolate bars in festive flavours—Candy Cane Crush, Gingerbread, and S’mores—as well as classic options like Dark Chocolate Sea Salt. This collaboration blends local artistry with the hotel’s coastal-luxury ethos, creating a must-try festive indulgence.
