Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Opened by the Queen in 1939 and still grand and glittering through incarnations and generations, the Hotel Vancouver is nothing short of a talisman in the skyline. Steeped in tradition, from the elegant port-cochère entrance to formal high tea served in the richly paneled 900 West lobby lounge amid the tinkling of grand piano, swish Fairmont service fits the near-hallowed halls of this green-roofed goddess. Be it the gilt-dipped ballrooms or the basement shopping gallery and spa, there are memories in the creamy marble that make this luxury destination a landmark whose watchful gargoyles fiercely guard its place in the city's architectural and cultural history.