Journey to TBEX 2011: 24 hours at the Pan Pacific Vancouver – By Cailin O’neil
Today’s posting comes fromCailin O’neil – super cool filmaker turned travel blogger. Cailin arrived in Vancouver last week on her cross country journey from Newfoundland to Vancouver (by car!) to attend the 2011 TBEX Conference. Cailin has a really tough and stressful job – touring the world as she discovers new cities and blogs about the adventures on her very own vlog-blog. All sarcasm aside, Cailin is a professional traveller and is taking over the world one city at a time!
This was Cailin’s experience:
My 24 Hours at the Pan Pacific
This past weekend while in Vancouver for the 2011 Travel Bloggers Exchange conference ( aka TBEX) I spent two nights at the Pan Pacific Vancouver and really enjoyed my beautiful room with a view. I didn’t get to do everything on my list of things to do (due to my own personal time constraints) however the following is a list of things to do and how you too can spend 24 hours at the Pan Pacific Vancouver (in no particular order).
1. Check in as soon as you’re allowed – to maximize time spent at this hotel.
I actually arrived too early for check in in the morning, however the extremely friendly doorman took my bags for me and gave me a ticket to hand to the front desk when I checked in. By the time I finally got to my room my bags were magically there ahead of me.
2. Take a swim in the pool.
Located outside on the 8th floor – this heated pool is a great way to relax and / or exercise if you are into that kind of thing. The pool (even though outdoors) has a private feel to it and from the deck you can over look the Vancouver Convention Center and the harbor with seaplanes taking off constantly. There is also a jacuzzi, sauna and a fitness center.
3. Visit the Spa
Located on the ground floor of the hotel is Spa Utopia, one of the biggest and prettiest Spas that I have ever seen. A bit on the pricey side of things, but I really enjoyed my trip to the Spa for a manicure. There is nothing like a little pampering after being on the road for awhile. They also offer massages, facials, and even hair cutting services – pretty much anything that you want done they can do.
4. Go shopping
In the main lobby near the front desk there are numerous shops where you can buy everything from jewelry to souvenirs and perfume.
5. Eat, eat and eat some more
The Pan Pacific Vancouver has some amazing food, 24/7 room service and killer restaurants. If you happen to be there on a Friday then I definitely recommend you check out the Pasta Bar where you can tell the chef the exact ingredients you want and how you like it, a tradition on Fridays for the past 24 years. If it’s a nice enough day you may also be able to eat outside on the patio terrace with stunning views of Coal Harbor and Stanley Park.
6. Be entertained!
Whether it’s watching a movie from the large selection available on the TV in your own room or listening to live Opera singers in the restaurant on Saturday nights – there will always be something going on to entertain you.
7. Sleep Well!
The room that I stayed in at the Pan Pacific had a king sized bed. When I arrived, I jumped right in and laid out like a star fish and it was amazing! Also I learned a unique insider tip while staying there – if you don’t like the pillows provided for you while staying at the hotel you can request another kind. They have 8 different kinds of pillows available for their guests! Now that is what I like to call customer service! I was tempted to set my alarm for every hour so I could wake up and request new pillows to test them all out, but I resisted. However if you do this please let me know which were your favorite.
The two nights I spent at the Pan Pacific Vancouver were definitely not long enough… I wish I could of stayed a week! If you are looking for a nice, comfortable, fancy, centrally located hotel to stay at when visiting Vancouver then the Pan Pacific is the place to be! – Happy traveling!
– Cailin O’neil
Rishad Daroowala 
OMG I wish I had more time to spend there! I loved it so much! 🙂