Canadian Hospitality at the Pinnacle Hotel

October 11, 2016 Margalit Sturm Francus

If you ever want to visit Vancouver, Canada, there’s a lot of possible hotel options. If you’re looking for a hotel that offers a great location and beautiful views, then the Pinnacle Hotel (formerly the Renaissance Vancouver) is one place you should consider. The Pinnacle Hotel is a well-fitted hotel with many family friendly options.

The Pinnacle Hotel, a four-star property, is located at 1133 West Hastings Street in Vancouver. A member of the Marriott brand it features approximately 442 rooms. The hotel boasts beautiful views of the harbor along with conveniently located close to Vancouver’s landmarks.

What Makes it Family Worthy?

The building is situated about ten minutes away from the harbor area where there are some shops and restaurants. The hotel is in the same neighborhood as the Convention Center, but the Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park are also within driving distance.
At night, Vancouver’s business district grows quiet but remains well-lit and beautiful so walking back to the hotel is a pleasant experience and travelers are assured a peaceful night’s rest. The hotel offers free wifi and one child per family can stay in the hotel rooms free of charge. The hotel is also “pet-friendly,” meaning travelers are allowed to bring their pet for an extra fee.

Arrival

At all the hotels we stay at, we ask for a quiet room and feather free pillows because of our son’ autism and allergies to feathers. We love the Marriott chain since it has always proven to be an autism-friendly company. The hotel staff respected our requests in this regard and put us in a room at the end of the corridor to ensure a tranquil environment.
Upon our arrival, management sent up a little welcome gift which included pretzels, chips, and drinks.

Décor

The upstairs hallways outside our room were painted in bright hues, with equally eye-catching geometric patterns on the carpets. Most of the rooms, including ours, were decorated in warm, neutral tones with brightly colored accents.
The bathroom featured neutral colors, but it also had a strip of iridescent multicolored tile on the wall for embellishment. The black topped, wooden dresser and gleaming silver bathtub spigots helped round out the bathroom décor.

Rooms

We stayed in the impeccably clean room on the fourteenth floor, number 1435. The incredibly comfortable beds had plentiful pillows and silky sheets. We found the beds to be much bigger than the average double beds we are accustomed to.
The room additionally had a small sofa and a rollaway bed. Although the closets were standard size, there were nonetheless plenty of dressers and additional places to store our luggage. There was a nicely sized safe in the closet that could easily hold a 13″ laptop, which was a pleasant surprise for us as we travel with multiple devices. The room further contained a mini fridge, a work desk, and a large, flatscreen television.

As was the case with the closets, the bathroom was fairly standard but completely functional.The bathroom was small with the tub, toilet and sink all next to each other but included a grab bar and a bath mat! The decor was basic in beige tones accompanied by a few fun touches like the rainbow tiling on the bathtub wall.The amenity kit included shampoo, soap, and conditioner.

We did, in fact, see the magnificent views from the balcony windows overlooking the harbor area. We could see the nearby water and ships without obstruction, other than another hotel at some distance away, which didn’t affect the beautiful scenery.

Amenities

The hotel had an indoor pool, a gym, and an executive lounge area for guests. The breakfast served in the lounge was plentiful however guests could also order breakfast in the hotel restaurant if they wish.

The reception desk stayed open at all hours to better address the needs of those staying here.
.The friendly professional concierge staff at this location was well-versed in answering any questions about dining options and spots to entertain kids.

Dining

The hotel lobby featured the P2B, a fancy bistro, Hour menu and bar with dining options on the Vancouver waterfront. Here visitors can choose a breakfast of smoked salmon on a bagel, eggs benedict, or blueberry pancakes. Other food items include crab cakes, prime rib dip, Atlantic lobster and BBQ baby back ribs. P2B haHour menu on weekdays from three to six pm which includes $5 food items like fish tacos. While their dishes were delicious, we discovered that P2B was on the pricier side.

Cost

Romm prices start at $250 a night. As mentioned before, patrons bringing their pets will have to pay an additional fee, usually around $25 for staying.

Autism Travel Tips:

The bathroom tubs have safety grab bars, making it easier for disabled persons to get in and out of the tub without slipping. There is also a mat in the bottom of the bathtub to increase traction and keep people from falling when leaving the bath.
Be aware that, as a pet-friendly hotel, there is the possibility of having a neighbor with a pet. If this would be a problem for you due to allergies, let the staff know.
There are allergy-free accommodations available at this hotel so, if you need this service, don’t hesitate to ask!
The elevator areas are typically loud. Try to get a hotel room away from the elevators if someone in your party is sound sensitive.
Since there is a glass sliding door opening to the balcony, be advised they are easy to open. This fact can be a risk for children stepping outside and even leaning over the banister.
Bring your own nightlight since there is none provided.
There is a fixed shower head in the bathtub, so you can’t move it around to shower yourself or young family members.