Gay-friendly The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver, BC | Review

Review of The Douglas Vancouver Hotel – An Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott in Canada. Looking for a brand-new design hotel in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia with style, we can recommend the 5-star Hotel by Marriott that opened its doors in October 2017. Luxurious and stylish from the inside and outside, the boutique hotel The Douglas offers its guests spacious rooms on 16 floors inside the Parq Vancouver complex right next to the BC Place Stadium. Enjoy our hotel review of the stylish Gay-friendly 5-star The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver of the Marriott family through a couple of men‘s eyes.

Gay Travelers will find a proper home between the hip Vancouver neighborhoods Yaletown and Gastown just a short walk away from the waterside of False Creek. Where the up to 120 meters high Douglas Firs lined the banks of the False Creek before settlers found Vancouver, we spent 4 nights in a King Room with False Creek view on the 15th floor with In-Dine breakfast. During our stay, we explored the hotel having drinks by the fire of the D6 Bar & Lounge, Dinner at the Chinese Fine Dining Restaurant 1886, and had a look at the gym, spa area, and the rooftop terrace with a view.

Review: Gay-friendly stay in Vancouver

The Douglas is located Downtown, just a 30 to 45-minute cab ride from the International Airport, YVR. The impressive building of the Parq Vancouver complex in front of the BC Stadium is already visible from the Cambie Street Bridge. A friendly guy pre-checked us in already on the first floor before we took a stunning elevator ride up to the Lobby floor. The heartwarming welcome at the impressive wooden arty reception and a rapid check-in with all necessary information about our stay in Vancouver made us feel instantly at home. The room was spacious, clean, modern equipped, and styled, matching the needs of elegant gay travelers who like furniture made of wood, leather, and voile.

Throughout the whole building, plenty of interesting art pieces and multiple sitting areas invite the hotel guest to relax and enjoy their holidays. The In-Dine breakfast was always on time, prepared with an eye for details and good taste. Considering the weather in Vancouver during winter is most of the time windy and rainy, multiple cab companies offer affordable rides, reaching almost every destination within 10-15 minutes. In a word, the brand new 5-star hotel “Gay-friendly The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver” by Marriott, one of the few Autograph Collection Hotels worldwide, offers the full luxury package. Especially suited for a city trip to Vancouver for the sophisticated travelers of the LGBTQ+ community. A special thanks to the extraordinary (gay) friendly staff that read every little wish from our eyes. We will come back, undoubtedly.

King Room with Downtown Vancouver View

We stayed in a Standard King Room on the 15th floor. The entire room is styled in dark colors, strongly connected to the wood of the Douglas Fir. The huge window side faces the southwest of the False Creek area. The king-size bed was super comfortable, offering enough space for a good sleep and breakfast in bed. A small window connected the bathroom with the bedroom, giving the whole room a more spacious feeling. The bathroom itself was very well illuminated with stylish lamp constructions.

The complimentary Aesop Toiletries (soap, shower gel, and shampoo) round up the Autograph experience with a refreshing natural fragrance. Thanks to our jet lag, we woke up very early in the morning, giving us time to sit on the leather bench overlooking Downtown Vancouver by sunrise. And if it is considered to be a rainy day, just take one of the stylish umbrellas to dance and sing through the rain in Vancouver.

In-Room Dining: Private Breakfast in Bed

To be honest with you, the In-Dine breakfast is costly. Considering that food and groceries are generally much more expensive than for example in Europe and the fact, that it was private served whenever we ordered it, made it worth the extra money, especially on a rainy morning. Fresh Joghurt, fruits, delicious coffee, waffles, omelets, Avocado sandwiches, and Eggs Benedict, we had a great and varied choice to order from every morning. Alternatively, Gastown and Yaletown Vancouver with multiple great coffee, breakfast, and brunch places are just a stone’s throw away.

Parq Vancouver, Casino & Rooftop Garden

The Parq Vancouver with The Douglas and the JW Marriott Hotel is considered to be a world-class-casino resort with an elevated, outdoor urban park “The Parq” respectively rooftop garden with a lounge area on the sixth floor. Additionally, a 10,000 square foot (ca. 929 m²) resort spa is designed to incorporate the beautiful view of Vancouver’s waterways and the Coast Mountain Range for the perfect relaxation. Eight restaurants and lounges throughout the whole complex offer a diverse menu of local specialties to Asian cuisine.

A casino with 600 slots and 75 tables is part of the Parq Vancouver. The lounges inside The Douglas Hotel are equipped with cozy sitting areas, a steam chimney, a pool table, and a book corner. Behind a massive bookshelf, we discovered a private lounge area with a private bar. Take your time to explore the facility and discover plenty of excellent photo and selfie spots.

To-Do Activities in Vancouver

We spend 3 days in Vancouver before we left the Canadian city for Whistler Pride 2018. Although it was January, the temperatures are mild, the parks are green and the Coast Mountain range is snow-topped. As experienced bikers, we took two bicycles and started our exploration of Stanley Park with its huge old rainforest trees, otters, and uncountable birds. Who wants to get an overview of the diverse nature of Canada, should book a “flight” with the flight simulator FlyCanada.

In January and February, travelers can learn about the diverse cuisine in Vancouver through the food festival Dine Out Vancouver. We recommend visiting the Museum of Vancouver (MoV) and the Museum of Anthropology (MoA). And don’t forget to take a short ride with the False Creek Ferries for a different perspective on Downtown Vancouver. More about Vancouver soon on our blog!

Interesting Posts for your Gay Travel Canada:

• All you need to know about gay traveling Canada >
• Our Tips for the best restaurants to Dine Out in Vancouver >
• Best of Gay Ski Week Whistler Pride & Ski Festival 2018 >
• Outdoor action! Zip-Lining & Snowmobiling with TAG Whistler >
• Our Winter Road Trip Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta >
• Reviews of Hotels around the world: Gay-friendly tested Hotels >

Gay-friendly The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver by Marriott

Address:
The Douglas Vancouver
An Autograph Collection Hotel
45 Smithe Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3
Canada

Book Here: Click here for the best Offers >
Official Website: thedouglasvancouver.com/

Contact: Tel.: +1 604-676-0889

Good to know:
If you cannot recall the address of the Douglas Hotel, just name Parq Vancouver or the Casino next to the BC Stadium. Free Internet is available if you are a member of the Marriott Awards Club. The Hotel does not have a breakfast room but offers an in-room breakfast service called In-Dine breakfast service.

Do you want to know more about our gay travels around the world? Stay tuned on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. See you again in Spain, Portugal, Europe, and somewhere around the world!

Karl & Daan.