Review: Chi at the Shangri-La Vancouver
I’ve been to the Shangri-La hotel many times now, but this was my first time experiencing their spa treatments. I’m always a little skeptical about hotel spas massages because they can be hit or miss. Usually the massage is mediocre, the Chi spa was an exception!
I booked the Queen of Hearts treatment. Which was in a private suite with my own steam shower, bathroom, closet/vanity area, and bathtub. You can view the pictures below.
I entered the spa and was able to sit in the lounge area. I had the choice between tea or water while I waited for my appointment time. I was also given a warm eucalyptus hand towel as soon as I sat down. It was a nice way to calm down and to begin to relax.
I was taken to my suite by my therapist for the treatment. She explained how time would be broken up and discussed products that will be used throughout the treatment. It started with a 30 minute Lola Apothecary Rose Milk bath. It was so nice and warm! (Surprisingly the water didn’t cool down I actually had to cool it down a bit lol.). There are jets in the bathtub as well. I unfortunately had a struggle turning them on and later found out how to do it. So if you book a treatment that includes a bath I’d just have them turn them on for you. Beside the bath there was snacks, water, shower cap, and a hair tie waiting for me. The chocolate covered ginger was my favourite! Followed by a 60 minute massage. Now this is the part I was hesitant about. However, my therapist was wonderful and gave me a deep tissue massage. She was very accommodating and listened to what I needed. The massage incorporated rose quartz crystals as well. After the massage the steam shower was ready! There was shampoo, conditioner, and body wash by a local British Columbia company, Sangre De Fruta. After the 15 minute steam shower, my tea of my choosing was ready along side some more snacks! The tea was placed near the front of the suite by the fireplace.
When you book a treatment at Chi you have all day access to the pool, gym, and sauna. I didn’t use any of these amenities this time. Honestly, the Vancouver location’s pool is not my favourite. It’s quite a small area. The pool is used by hotel guests and residents. I typically would hang out at the juice bar and that’s it. However, I would recommend arriving 15-20 mins before your appointment to enjoy the lounge area at the spa.
Overall I recommend Chi spa! It’s a nice little escape in the city. You don’t even need to think what to bring when you are coming to Chi, they have everything from slides to hair ties for you. They’ll even carry your hand bag for you after your treatment if you would like.
Cost during the week: $415
Cost during weekends & holidays: $425
Costs are before tax and tip.
Review: The Fairmont Empress
I have stayed at the Fairmont Empress a couple of times now. Each time has been a pleasant stay.
Gold Lounge
Let’s start off with the gold lounge (offered through the Fairmont Gold) . Out of the 3 Fairmont's I have stayed at in British Columbia (Chateau Whistler, Hotel Vancouver and the Empress), I would have to say the Empress’s gold lounge has been my favourite. It’s a great area to relax for a moment. The view from the balcony is quite beautiful. The staff is amazing; they are very attentive and ready to assist with anything you may need. The selection of food from continental breakfast to snacks throughout the day has always been delicious. Each meal time has a good selection and there is something for everyone. My personal favourite is the fresh baked afternoon scones with my afternoon Imperial Breakfast tea. — The imperial breakfast is famous at the Empress. It was also the Queen’s choice when she visited.
Speaking of tea, let’s talk about the afternoon tea…
Afternoon tea
I would say it’s definitely worth trying. With the grand interior design and beautiful tea sets it was like I time travelled back to London. If you haven’t been to London for tea, I think this might be the closest you’ll get to it in British Columbia (maybe even Canada!).
Each person gets their own 3 tiered cake stand filled with scones, finger sandwiches, and treats like macrons, financier, shortbread and cakes. They also have children's options. Each child gets their own 3 tiered stand with a smaller selection of sandwiches and treats.
It’s $89 (CDN) per person.
Childrens is $45 per child.
There is also an option to add champagne which ranges from $122-129
The Q Bar.
Both times I stayed at the Empress, I have eaten at the Q bar. I found the bar had great dishes that could be shared. We ordered a bunch of different dishes and tried a bit of Everything. My personal favourite was the baked brie. They also serve this charcoal popcorn which has a smokey barbecue type of flavour; it’s interesting and it’s definitely an acquired taste. The service the first time I went was good. However, the second time around they seemed to be short staffed. We waited quite a while to get top ups on our beverages and to get the glasses cleared. But towards the end of our dining experience the waiter was more on top of things and very accommodating.
The empress is a special hotel. The royals have stayed at this hotel and you’ll feel like a royal the moment valet greets you!
