When I was deciding on where to stay for our staycation in September, I had a hard time choosing between The Douglas Hotel and the JW Marriott Parq. I was leaning towards The Douglas Hotel as it was part of the Autograph Collection but since I have never stayed at a JW hotel before, I went with the JW Marriott Parq at the end.
Read all of my hotel reviews here
Check-In
As usual, I checked in using the Marriott Bonvoy app two days before my stay. I had submitted my request for a suite upgrade through the app at the same time but when I went to the front desk that morning, I was told a suite would only be available later in the afternoon so I opted to check-in early instead. I ended up with a high floor room with a water view instead.
Room – 1 King, Water View, High Floor
Our room was located close to the elevator at an angle so it was a little bigger than the floor model on their website. It had a nice view of False Creek on the left and residential high rise on the right.
I really liked the room’s gold/white velvety theme and was especially in love with the gorgeous marble shower. One complaint I had was that it only had one sink. The noise was not an issue in the room and the temperature was comfortable throughout our stay.
Marriott International, the parent company of Marriott, has recently announced the expansion of their single-use toiletries ban for their hotels so I was happy to see full-size bathroom products with pumps.
Read all of my hotel reviews here
Location
JW Marriott Parq is located above the Parq Casino in downtown Vancouver. This makes it perfect for visitors as it is close to a number of tourist sights: Stanley Park, Granville Island, Science World, Vancouver Art Gallery and more.
Since Rogers Arena and BC Place are just a short walk away, the hotel is also the perfect spot for when you are in town for a game or a concert.
JW Marriott Parq is also connected to The Douglas Hotel I mentioned earlier by a bridge on the second floor. I recommend paying The Douglas Hotel a quick visit to check out their unique front desk made out of a cross-section of a Douglas Fir tree.
Dining Options
There are a number of dining options at the Parq Complex itself. In fact, we stayed inside the hotel the entire duration of our stay and dined at a number of their restaurants.
Honey Salt Vancouver
MRKT East (Parq Casino)
If you are planning a night out, the Parq complex is located in the area called Yaletown where some of the city’s best restaurants and bars are.
Below is a list of my personal favourites:
Ramen Gojiro
Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba
Sura Korean
The Keg Steakhouse (multiple locations in Vancouver)
Amenities
My Marriot Bonvoy Titanium status granted me access to the Executive Lounge on the 4th floor. This is one of the best Marriott lounges in Vancouver with a nice seating area and attentive service.
Both valet and self-parking are available for a fee but the hotel also offers a complimentary shuttle with stops at two different Skytrain stations and Chinatown.
Fitness Center, hot tub & Spa by JW
One of the requests I placed on the Marriott Bonvoy app was not fulfilled this trip but it did not impact my trip very much. Overall, I enjoyed making my requests using the app as I was able to do it anywhere on the property.
Conclusion
JW Marriott Parq Vancouver left a great impression of the JW brand for me. Its service, room, location make it perfect for both travellers and locals.
For travellers, JW Marriott Parq is located in a prime location in downtown Vancouver. If you don’t plan on driving, you can easily take advantage of the resort’s complimentary shuttle that connects you to the Canada Line and the Expo Line.
For locals, its luxury accommodation and impeccable service make it perfect for a staycation.
