Stay & Play
Section
S w e e t D r e a m s A r o u n d t h e Wo r l d
58
Luxury Hotels...Grand Resorts...Charming B&B...Opulent Villas...Quaint C
Fairmont Empress Victoria Timeless Royal Treatment by Susan Campbell
Seattle Sheraton Goes Grand! bySusan Campbell
With plenty of hoopla and fanfare last October, the Sheraton Seattle Hotel became a Sheraton Grand and celebrated its multi-million-dollar renovation to bring the legendary downtown stay up to the iconic Grand standards. The galas included VIP parties with bountiful buffets of artisan tapas, pop-up bars with signature drinks, and even an entire ice wall of champagne! Guests were also encouraged to participate in the unique immersive experiences called “The Heart of The City” where you can take photos and videos with recreated local landmarks and interactive props like the Space Needle and the storefront of the original Starbucks -founded in Seattle. This initiative is going global to showcase Sheraton’s commitment to highlighting the best of local attractions, culture and vibe in its hotels around the world. Guests also enjoyed the launch of the new Sheraton Club on the 33rd floor for high-end complimentary food and drink when you book the upscale Club floor rooms. Other dining on the property includes the stand-alone talk-of-town trendy Loulay Kitchen and Bar helmed by charismatic culinary force Chef Thierry Rautureau- better known locally as the “Chef in the Hat”.
Some things do get better with age. Like the classic charm and iconic hospitality of Victoria’s premiere hotel the Fairmont Empress. You can’t help but be impressed at the outset when you roll up to this stately Grand Dame of Vancouver Island stays, especially if you do so by water- as we did aboard the new luxury transfer from Vancouver called the V2V Ferry. This hotel is seriously Instagram-worthy with a class and style you just don’t see in hotels anymore. But even though she was first built in 1908, this castle-like structure has managed to retain that iconic old-world elegance while still keeping up with the times. Their world-famous afternoon tea options offer 32 versions for restricted diets, and their dining room has also recently won a Wine Spectator Award. We also enjoyed the local seaweed treatment pampering in their spa, too. www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria
The hotel is in a prime location, close to all kinds of other great food and drink emporiums like Steelhead Diner, and world class shopping is also in easy walking distance. It’s also a mere five blocks away from the famous seafront Pike Place Public Market- nine acres of farm to-fork offerings, incredible fresh fish and seafood, and all kinds of craft shops and unique entertainment. While in town, do take a tour with Seattle Seaplanes nearby for unparalleled views of the city and the surrounding region, it’s seriously one of the best ways to see “The Heart of the City.” www.sheratongrandseattle.com
New York London Paris Tokyo Hong Kong Bali Rome Thailand Monaco Amsterdam Berlin Ibiza Montreal Tanzania Hawaii Rio Toronto Buenas Aries Manila Singapore Mumbai Chicago Jerusalem Moscow Egypt Bora Bora China Japan Santorini Osaka Los Uganda Banff Guangzhou Casablanca Cairo Iceland Orlando Beverly Hills Melbourne Mallorca San Diego Crete New York Londo