1) G checks out the menu at Oru

You could probably make the case that the best hotel in Vancouver is either the Fairmont Pacific Rim; the Shangri-La; or the newly refurbished iconic 1927 Rosewood Hotel Gerogia which hosted the likes of Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Katherine Hepburn and British royalty in its heyday, and now also contains, arguably, Vancouver’s best restaurant and one of the top 10 in Canada – Chef David Hawksworth’s self-styled ‘Hawksworth Restaurant’.

I say this noting the absence of The Keefer, which is Vancouver’s – and probably one of the world’s – most exclusive boutique residences. Located in the midst of Chinatown but a moment from our condo, the Keefer has but 4 rooms, period, and all the buzz that goes from being noted in both Wallpaper and Conde Nast Traveller.

That’s all a rather long winded intro to saying we spent last weekend in residence at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in a corner suite that looked out onto Olympic Plaza and Stanley Park. The Pacific Rim is an anomaly in the Fairmont chain because it is unabashedly modern with an art installation the weaves itself around the building’s facade. Most Fairmonts of course are staid in a good way with that classic Chateau-like buttressing which is the chain’s signature.

2) the living room; 3) amenities

4 & 5) the bathroom with deep soaker jetted tub

6) the living room; 7) the view over to Stanley Park, the Vancouver Harbour Floatplanes and Olympic square in foreground

8) welcome treats from the manager; 9) the bedroom

10) I’m mum on what happened up there; 11) looking down to the pool

We hung out, dined at the fine restaurant Oru, enjoyed the excellent spa services and recouped after a busy week.

Sunday morning found me dashing from the hotel far too early to catch a plane to Winnipeg and I’ve been holed up here amid snow and cold since. The weather fortunately has not been brutal as Winnipeg in January often is and I’ve been able to get out and walk the city. I ventured over the Provencher Bridge and the Red River into St. Boniface today which is home to the considerable French-speaking population of Winnipegers and birthplace – as all Canadians ought to know – of politician, founder of Manitoba and Metis leader/rebel (take your pick depending on your view) Louis Riel who lost his battle and his life in 1885 after being found guilty of treason as leader of the Metis rebel movement during the North-West Rebellion.

12) the Canadian Museum of Human Rights continues to rise on the banks of the Red River

13 & 14) had to try some local microbrews but of course

15) the museum from another angle; 16) when in Manitoba, one must have a bison burger!

17) lunching in the lobby bar of Hotel Fort Garry; 18) looking over the Red River from the Provencher pedestrian bridge

19) the Provencher Bridge that links the Forks area with St. Boniface