Lobby Lounge

Photography by Lobby Bar

Words by Nikki Bayley

Lobby Lounge image 1

Address: Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
Website: view Lobby Lounge’s website
Door: Open door
Style: Hotel bar
Food: Tapas/plates & dishes

Review

Open for the 2010 Winter Olympics, in a casually dressed city the Pacific Rim oozes blinged-up glamour. Its vast marble lobby smells reassuringly pricey -thanks to its signature Indian jasmine scent- and with three daily sets of live music there's usually a buzzy atmosphere, although things can get a little too lively for serious drinkers after 10pm on weekends when you're likely to find punters dancing between the potted plants. The Lobby's RawBar serves 100% sustainable sushi and SkyBar on the upper level offers fancy takes on comfort food.

The well-curated list runs from apéritifs to boozy bartender favourites, the back bar has a decent gin and vodka collection designed to keep the mostly-martini afternoon crowd content, and spirit-obsessives are likely to discover something new if they pull up a seat at the L-shaped bar. The main attraction is head bartender Grant Sceney, winner of Canada's World Class 2014. Sceney's creative flair scored him 6th place in the world at the London final. Try his Hemmingway-inspired The Sun Also Rises and see why.

Lobby Lounge image 2 Lobby Lounge image 3 Lobby Lounge image 4 Lobby Lounge image 5