the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection — Hotel in Vancouver

Hardly a 5 star hotel. Expect to receive the level of service of a budget hotel instead. Checked in and stored my luggage. Once my room was available I was notified that my bags would be waiting in the room for me. Once I got there, my bags weren't there. Waited 20 mins more and still not there. Called to let them know my bags were missing and some time later someone comes to drop off just 1 out of 2 pieces of luggage he says that there was only 1 piece. I show him the ticket that shows I dropped off 2 pieces of luggage and he goes to find it. No problem mistakes happen and I told them no worries but in the end it definitely wasted my time waiting for my bags three times. The next day I order room service I order a caesar salad and the filet mignon. I ordered the filet medium but get it completely well done and over cooked. Not a problem, I call in room dining to get it sorted but the employee has no idea what a filet mignon is. He asks me to repeat it and I say the words "filet mignon" at least 4-5 times for him and he still doesn't understand. I tell him that its a steak and that I ordered it medium but got it well done. He somehow still doesnt understand and tells me to hold on while he looks at the menu. Unbelievable that I have to teach their staff what an item on their menu is. Would you go to a restaurant and expect to teach the waiter their menu items??? I tell him again thats it a steak and i guess he finally finds the item on the menu and he goes, "yes, and?" And I have to reiterate that I ordered it medium but got it well done that I need a replacement because it isnt what i ordered. He tells me that it would take 25mins and they will come pick up the one that's well done so that they can replace it not even apologetic at all. I tell him okay I will wait and we hang up the call. He calls me again while I'm trying to at least enjoy my salad in peace just to tell me again to not eat the steak because they are going to replace it with a new one. I understood perfectly well the first time considering I was also the one that requested this in the first place?? I was disturbed once again during my meal when I was trying my best to just let go of his rude and incompetent service. When I called to explain this whole ordeal, his colleague tries to excuse this behaviour by telling me that he didn't know what a filet mignon is because he doesn't eat meat. If you work in in-room dining wouldn't it be basically your main and only job to know the menu and take food orders from guests!?! In the end I ended up cancelling the replacement simply because i was just apalled at their service. How is any of this acceptable at a 5 star hotel?? To top it off the filet came already cut in half. Which means whoever prepared the dish in their kitchen cooked it, cut it in half, saw it, and thought "yes, let's serve this well done steak to a guest who ordered it medium" so I was not confident that they would even cook the new one properly. Just disappointment after disappointment. Also this $58 filet mignon is a two bite steak and basically a kids meal in terms of portion I guess that's why they leave out how many ounces the filet is on the menu. Had I at least been able to enjoy the medium steak that I had ordered I would not have left this review. The caesar salad was also bland and the dressing was very watered down. Never experienced such incompetence, one after another at an actual 5 star hotel. At least when you go to a fast food joint the workers actually know what they serve on the menu... and lastly yes the walls are paper thin and you will constantly hear noise and hear normal conversations of other guests at any time of the day. I don't mind spending money to experience good quality but this is simply a horrendous experience not worth any money at all, do not come to this hotel unless you want to be paying money to waste your time and train their...

I recently stayed at The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver and overall, I had a pleasant experience. The location of the hotel is fantastic, with easy access to BC Place Stadium and Yaletown–Roundhouse station. The SkyTrain connection made it convenient for guests using this method of transportation to explore different parts of the city, including the airport.

Upon entering the hotel, I was immediately struck by the unique check-in desk made from a large Douglas Fir tree. The lobby had a wonderful blend of nature and city vibes, with wooden accents and beautiful light fixtures. The check-in process was smooth, and the staff, especially Marina, was welcoming and friendly.

One area that could be improved for The Douglas Hotel, being a 5-star establishment, is providing better signage or direction for guests to easily locate the lobby on the sixth floor. Alternatively, having the check-in desk at the ground floor would also enhance the overall guest experience. This would eliminate any confusion or inconvenience that guests may encounter when trying to find the lobby upon arrival.

Parking is another aspect that could be better managed at The Douglas Hotel, particularly for guests who would like to utilize the valet service. The lack of a welcoming presence at the front entrance is a downside, as there is no one available to assist with valet parking or to handle luggage until reaching the sixth floor. This absence of dedicated staff at the entrance raises concerns about the hotel's claim to be a five-star establishment. Guests would expect a higher level of service and attention to detail in terms of parking and baggage assistance.

The room itself was well-decorated, with a West Coast-inspired design. The carpeted floor and wooden-themed decor gave it a cozy feel. I appreciated the local art pieces that added a contrast to the natural elements. However, I was a bit disappointed to find that there was no mini fridge in the room. Instead, they provided a YETI cooler for guest use. While it was a unique touch, I felt that a mini fridge would have been more practical for a 5-star hotel.

The desk in the room was not very comfortable to work from, which would a letdown for guests to have a productive workspace. The chair was uncomfortable, and the bench on the other side of the room was visually pleasing but not comfortable for extended sitting.

The bathroom was nicely appointed, with a wooden and marble vanity that continued the urban and earthly theme. The shower area was spacious and well-lit, with marble designs on the walls.

I found the window pane between the shower and the bedroom to be a creative touch, although I can understand that some guests may not prefer this feature.

One area where the hotel fell short was in the service provided when I tried to extend my stay. Using the chat option, I found the response time to be slow. Despite being a current guest, the price was still the same while I chatted with the front fesk, and by the time I received a reply, the price had increased. Instead of the front desk extending my stay for the same price they offered to extend at the more expensive price. This lack of consistency in service was unexpected from a hotel in the Autograph Collection.

Despite these shortcomings, The Douglas Hotel is still a good choice due to its prime location and easy access to various areas of Vancouver. The hotel offers excellent facilities and provides guests with opportunities to explore nearby attractions within walking distance. However, improvements in certain areas, such as the comfort of the workspace, lack of mini fridge, parking/lack of valet attention and the inconsistent of customer service, would elevate the...

A few years ago, right after Canada reopened its borders to visitors, the Mrs. and I made a beeline to Vancouver to escape the social toxicity that was in the United States at the time (anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers). We stayed at the J.W. Marriott because they offered the best Amex Plat Fine Hotels and Resorts deal and we had a nice stay (the review can be found here on TripAdvisor). Still, during that stay I found myself eyeing with curiosity and envy the handsome boutique hotel next door that had not yet been opened post Covid closure. That hotel was The Douglas.||||Fast forward to 2025 and just in time for my wife’s birthday, BeVancouver held a promotion for Vancouver hotels that was a combination of competitive rates and a $250 gift card. And the five star property with the best rates? The Douglas. At last…a staycation at the Douglas was in the works.||||Which was a mistake.||||The Douglas is a boutique property who keeps the upscale vibe all the way through the check in process. However, once we arrived at the room we found it QUITE small (smaller than we’d ever expect a room with a King Sized bed to be), with a tiny closest and a SINGLE drawer for placing clothing. It was as if they had never considered that more than one person might be staying in a room with a King Bed, and staying for more than one night.||||Add to this an very uncomfortable desk chair, a desk without drawers (I guess they also assumed the person staying in this room would only go to the casino and never look to do any work), and no luggage stand.||||Mind you, there was no luggage stand...because the luggage stand was serving as the placeholder for a Yeti cooler.||||Yes – you read that correctly. Somehow, someway, somebody thought that the crowning touch for a room in a 5-star hotel would be a BLEEPING ICE COOLER. No refrigerator, no “mini-bar”, nope. An ice chest. Mind you, an upscale trendy brand ice chest, which I guess was supposed to make it ok.||||We spent the ENTIRE weekend being inconvenienced by two aspects of the room that just put a pall over every aspect of our stay…. nowhere to put our clothing, and no ability to keep things cool (yes, they provide ice. Which melts. Despite the cooler being a “Yeti”).||||There also seemed to be a lack of staffing, at least in sufficient qualities to truly qualify as a five-star property. Everyone we dealt with was very polite, but we didn’t get that “we will take care of your every need” feeling you get when you stay at, say, a Four Seasons (or our Vancouver favorite, the Rosewood Georgia).||||In summary, a very disappointing stay, money not well spent. How disappointing? We actually ended our staycation early so we could go back home to a place with a working refrigerator and cold drinks on offer. Another safe, clean and polite staff hotel stay that still is an absolute no repeat.||||just noticed that like the very disappointing Hotel Lotte in Seattle, The Douglas is a "designer" hotel...with just as many stupid, annoying design choices of style over function...I guess "the designer" lives someplace very, very cold, where refrigeration...