Resting and relaxing on a Vancouver staycation

Sometimes, the best vacation is a go-go-go trip jam-packed with constant activities that push you out of your comfort zone.

Other times, the best vacation is actually a staycation, where you rest, relax, and do very little — except perhaps learn to appreciate your city in a new way.

Check in and chill out

The Fairmont Waterfront is ideally situated for a Vancouver staycation. Easily reached via SkyTrain or SeaBus (or Harbour Air or Helijet, for those coming from farther away), the hotel is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from both the Vancouver Christmas Market and the Vancouver Convention Centre.

It’s a short walk to the seawall, BC Place, Rogers Arena, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and all the shopping enticements of Robson Street, Alberni Street, Gastown, and Pacific Centre. The wonders of Stanley Park are nearby — to experience them from an Indigenous perspective, book one of the fascinating excursions offered by Talaysay Tours.

But the ultimate R&R staycation means never leaving the hotel.

Reserve a room with a view of the ocean and North Shore mountains, order room service, and spend the weekend in a bathrobe and slippers, watching movies or curled up with a book. You can even bring your pampered pooch along, since the hotel is pet-friendly.

For the max and relax, visit the fitness centre on the hotel’s third floor. Yes, it has gym equipment and weights, but more importantly, it has a hot tub, steam room, and heated outdoor pool that’s open daily year-round, ideal for swimming laps or just enjoying the quintessential West Coast views.

Other wellness offerings include twice-weekly guided morning runs and a weekly yoga class, plus the hotel has bicycles you can borrow to go cycling along the seawall. If you forget to pack your own workout clothes, you can borrow a Reebok outfit and runners.

While you’re on the third floor, take a few minutes to wander through the rooftop garden and learn about urban bees. The hotel hosts various pollinators throughout the year, along with thousands of honeybees each summer, and their honey features prominently in many of the hotel’s restaurant dishes and cocktails.

Really, really chill out

Cold plunging has been growing in popularity in recent years, and with good reason: It improves mood and sleep quality, strengthens the immune system, boosts circulation, and reduces inflammation. Jodi Francks, the Fairmont Waterfront’s chill experience officer, leads guided plunges on Jan. 11 and 18 as part of the Polar Plunge and Brunch series.

The morning starts with a leisurely drive to Third Beach in Stanley Park, where intrepid guests are invited to plunge into the icy Pacific Ocean with Francks. “I can help you breathe through it. It’s all about breathing, and it’s all about regulating your nervous system,” says Francks, who has been doing her own plunges about four times a week for half a decade. “My biggest piece of advice to you is just really listen to your body.”

The general rule is to stay in no longer than the water temperature in Celsius multiplied by two, which in a typical Vancouver winter means a maximum of about 15 minutes. Hotel staff wait on the beach with warm towels and bathrobes, hot tea, and warm water to rinse off chilly feet, then it’s back to the hotel’s third floor for some quality time in the heated pool, steam room, and hot tub before indulging in Bottomless Brunch at ARC Restaurant.

Because each brunch dish is small, you can sample a little bit of everything: chicken and waffles, croque madame, pulled pork benedict, lobster mac and cheese, chilli maple brussels sprouts, smoked salmon rosti, berry smoothies, and more. The Ooey Gooey Skillet appeals to anyone with a sweet tooth, with its croissant, apple compote, marshmallows, and caramel sauce, all baked in a skillet. Another popular dish is the bone marrow with scrambled eggs and gruyere. Bottomless brunch is available every weekend — even if you didn’t work up an appetite beforehand by plunging into the frigid Pacific Ocean.

Eat well

ARC Restaurant serves much more than just brunch. The offerings change with the seasons but always showcase local ingredients, many plucked straight from the hotel’s rooftop garden. Menu standouts include freshly shucked oysters, an array of local seafood, and choice cuts of Canadian beef.

Within a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, countless other stellar restaurants await. Hawksworth, Botanist, Miku, Nightingale, Hydra Estiatorio, Five Sails, Hy’s Steakhouse, Mott 32, Riley’s Fish & Steak, and plenty more guarantee there’s something to please every palate.

If you’re feeling like venturing further afield, hop in a cab and head over to West Broadway to Salmon n’ Bannock. Vancouver’s only Indigenous restaurant serves mouthwatering dishes that are steeped in tradition, such as bannock tacos and bison pot roast.

Need to stock up on small bites to nibble on in your hotel room? A sojourn to Granville Island Public Market may be required. Pair Siegel’s Bagels with some cream cheese or Montreal-style smoked meat. Make your own charcuterie board with selections from Oyama Sausage Co., Benton Brothers Fine Cheese, and Hobbs Pickles.

Don’t leave the market without picking up sweet treats from Bon Macaron Patisserie, The Lemon Square, La Bise Bakery, Lee’s Donuts, Bon Mano Bon, and Northern Bars.

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Get in a festive mood

This is a magical time of year to explore Vancouver. The Vancouver Christmas Market (to Dec. 24) in nearby Jack Poole Plaza has the feel of a German town square, with a carousel, artisan gifts, food stalls, and performances by choirs.

Free shuttles whisk guests from Canada Place to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park to explore Canyon Lights, which transforms the park into a holiday wonderland filled with twinkling lights and is on until Jan. 18.

A Vancouver Christmas Lights and Karaoke Trolley Tour (on until Jan. 1) with the Great Canadian Trolley Company lets you channel your inner Mariah Carey. Tours depart from Canada Place and stop at some of the city’s most festive light displays.

Buckle up and Soar With Santa at Flyover, which lets you fly high above the Canadian countryside with Old Saint Nick, from now until Jan. 4.

Hop on the SeaBus and head to North Vancouver for the Shipyards Christmas Market, featuring ice skating, festive music, and more than 100 wooden stalls selling artisanal holiday gifts. The market concludes on Dec. 24.

You can also indulge in seasonal sips at the Fairmont Waterfront thanks to a timely partnership with Hype Chocolate. On Friday afternoons until Dec. 19 in the hotel lobby, Hype’s artisanal hot chocolate — topped with mini marshmallows, whipped cream, and more — is available to purchase, along with assorted chocolate bars.

But if all you do on this Vancouver staycation is remain in your hotel room, nap, and occasionally order room service? Your secret is safe with us.