Room With a View Blog: A Look Back on Year 1
Doesn’t it seem like only yesterday that we were gearing up as a city for the 2010 Winter Olympics to make its way to Vancouver?
I still vividly remember the anticipation and excitement (as well as the nervousness) as we awaited the 8 year plan to make its final countdown.
Meanwhile, as the days were leading up, I was sitting in a meeting at the Pan Pacific Vancouver where an idea was proposed to try something totally new. An idea was presented to embark on the magical world of Social Media; the unchartered waters of the Hotel. Buzzwords like Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs we’re being thrown around with reckless abandon! OK, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, however a few of us thought it would be a good idea to start a blog as the Hotel had lots to talk about and plenty of stories worth sharing.
In the end, what turned out as a trial project during the Olympics, eventually blossomed into a blog which has reached thousands of people across the world and has given our Hotel an ability to engage with our fans and guests in a way we never thought possible.
As of today, the blog has been live for exactly 1 year.
In the past 365 days, I’ve had the chance to post everything from meeting Akshay Kumar to the President of Argentina as well as my awkward photo with rapper Drake.
I’ve covered the Olympics, noteworthy events and attractions in Vancouver and interesting facts about the Hotel you definitely wouldn’t have known about. And there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of giveaways…
Other than the occasional writers block, the past year has been a pleasure to cover the stories, events and promotions that take place in and around the Pan Pacific Vancouver.
Here are a few blog posts that meant something special to me in the last year.
If you’re new to the site, be sure to check back as I cover everything that goes on at the Hotel and notable events that occur in our backyard, beautiful Downtown Vancouver.
The 2010 Olympics and Alex Bilodeau
The 2010 Olympics was undoubtedly a special time for Vancouver. The Pan Pacific was in the center of the action as it was right next door to the Olympic Couldron and home to the entire staff of NBC.
On Monday, February 14, Alex Bilodeau won the first gold medal ever on Canadian soil for Freestyle Men’s Moguls. 2 days later, he came to the Pan Pacific to spend some time with his family. The scene at the Hotel was a media frenzy and a proud moment for those who got a chance to meet and greet with him.
Alex Bilodeau visits the Pan Pacific Vancouver
The Canada Day Photo Contest
Before July 1st came around, we invited everyone with a camera to show their Canada Day Spirit for a chance to win a 2 night stay at the Pan Pacific Vancouver.
The winning entry was Lisa Choi from Parliament Hill, Ottawa
This is my 5 year old daughter, Amelia. We are celebrating at Parliament Hill in Ottawa where we live.
In the end, we received a ton of responses and some inspiring photos from around the country.
The Canada Day Photo Contest Winner
Kyle Bailey Visits the Pan Pacific Vancouver
Throughout the past year, I’ve made numerous friends through some our various social media channels, including our Flickr page. One photo-stream I particularly enjoyed was Kyle Bailey’s, as he’s one of the better HDR photographers in the biz. One day I called him to the Pan Pacific to hang out and take a few photos.
Photo: 
Kyle and I chatted up on our perspective on social media and he gave me a few pointers on how to take better photos. This was just one many new friends I made through engaging with our readers.
Kyle Bailey visits the Pan Pacific Vancouver
Christmas Wish Breakfast
For the last 22 years, the Pan pacific hosts an annual Christmas Wish Breakfast where thousands of toys and cash are donated to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. All of those who donate as well are invited to a complimentary buffet breakfast in the Cafe Pacifica Restaurant.
This past November the Hotel received over 30,000 toys and raised $30,000 in cash. That morning 20,000 eggs and 25,000 sausages were served to over 4,000 Vancouverites for breakfast. It made for a humbling experience and a pleasure to witness a toy mountain grow to the ceiling.
These experiences were only a handful of great memories from the year that was. Since the blog’s inception, we’ve received loads of suggestions, comments, feedback (both positive and negative) as well as some notable attention.
Ultimately, the whole concept is a team effort that comes together each week with assistance from the entire Pan Pacific Staff.
A big thank you to everyone who continues to read the blog each week and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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