Restaurant Review in Kamloops: Brownstone Restaurant
Although not rated the best in Kamloops, Brownstone Restaurant is a force to reckon for its menu and friendly service (TripAdvisor par. 1). I was attending a conference in Kamloops and needed a place to eat. My expectation was that I would get great service and good food. If these two were correct after my visit, then I would likely go back to the same restaurant the next day. My conference was two days, but I was spending three days in Kamloops; the third day I was sampling other attractions after the conference. I would probably go see the convergence of river North and South Thompson. It was winter, there was powdery snow, and I was aware of this part of British Columbia, where outdoor pursuits were memorable.
The first thing I saw upon entering Brownstone Restaurant was art displays on the walls. I felt they were welcoming and communicated the heritage of Kamloops. Getting in was an impulse choice. I did not know what I wanted and was grateful that the workers did a terrific job in handling my indecisiveness when it came to food. They recommended something that would probably become my favorite. I also loved the artful presentation of the food. There were water and wine at my table throughout my brief visit. I think this was a show of the high customer service quality for the management. You would not need to raise your hand to be noticed.
I actually got charcuterie place with homemade meat and English cheeses with wine, and of course water. The meal was very tasty. The restaurant was a winner from the moment I swallowed the first bite, in addition to its presentation and the attentive staff. As one of the waiters was replenishing my glass of wine, I asked about the food and was told that their menu consisted of multicultural dishes. Their guests temporarily transformed into multi-cultured people in the restaurant, which I saw as a fine marketing byline. I am always traveling to see and interact with people from different cultures, and I knew I could eat to achieve the same in some way.
Looking around, everyone seemed to take different things and the common experience was such an elation. I could not tell who was a visitor like me and who was a guest, but I could tell the people at a table adjacent to me were relishing their meal. They were taking the day’s special, which one staff member had tried to recommend, but my indecisiveness got the best of me. Brownstone Restaurant has varied specials every day.
I see this as a good place to come with friends and loved ones. Nevertheless, it would be better to make a reservation. As with many dining experiences, there is usually a bad day and you do not want it to be on the day that you are hosting people. A reservation ensures that the employees have your needs taken care of in advance. You need also to confirm the theme of the day that you are going. The restaurant has themed dinners, in addition to daily specials for lunch. As you sample multicultural cuisines at the restaurant, you also see some attractions of British Columbia, especially old buildings maintained in their original designs that tell a history of Kamloops. The artwork in the restaurant also gives the feeling of being taken through history.
Brownstone Restaurant has two stars awarded by ‘Anne Hardy’s Where to eat in Canada.’ In addition to the recognition, the restaurant is clearly visible when going through Victoria Street, with its red brick color of the courtyard famed for hosting parties and wedding receptions. Its competitors in the same street include Mittz Kitchen, Dorian Greek House Restaurant, and The Noble Pig Brewhouse and Restaurant (The Culture Trip par. 2-4). They have their attractions, but they miss the important connection with the Kamloops scenery. The dark red wall, beautiful big windows, and spacious courtyard are unique features that make the restaurant memorable, in addition to the artistic endeavors that tell you a meal is more than just food.
This is a place for making memories. It is a place to hold a wedding reception so you can remember not only this special day in your life, but the friendly workers too, and the beautiful setup that is handy in complementing any great occasion. More than once, while at the restaurant, I felt that I would have done better by enticing a friend or a colleague from the conference to accompany me. The restaurant seemed like the perfect place to do an intimate conversation on anything. I like history discussed intimately, and this would be the place to do that with a local or a visitor. Unfortunately, I did not have company even after going back on the third day of my stay in the city.
Still, it was a worthy conversation back at home. I brought up the name and the experience during several conversations with different people. I remember it was the first thing that I said to a group of people at the conference the next day when I was seeking feedback on the conference. Unfortunately, I did not get their feedback on the restaurant after recommending it to them. Nevertheless, I got feedback about the first day of the conference. My timing on the recommendation must have been bad. However, I believe they would be elated by the choice of food from different cultures and the responsiveness, as well as friendliness of the Brownstone Restaurant staff.
If you want that perfect Instagram shot which becomes the highlight of your foodie attitude, this restaurant at Kamloops should be your first stop on 118 Victoria Street. It made my day warm in the middle of winter, and it would even chill a hot summer day. I would like to go back at night and taste the food in the different setting. I think night will be better than day because that has been my experience with many excellent restaurants in the world. It is gorgeous and friendly during the day, but it becomes ravishing on your senses during the night. Brownstone Restaurant will evoke nostalgia, hope and ecstasy with its multicultural cuisines. It is an understatement to say that it is a great place to be; I would say one should be at this place. Consider it whenever you find yourself at Kamloops as a resident or visitor.
Hotel Review in Vancouver: Fairmont Pacific Rim
I stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim because I am used to choosing hotels based on brands. I like the Fairmont brand. It is located at 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver. I was on the gold floor and here I tell you about the hotel and its presentation of stories, especially romantic ones as its specialty. It is a strange, but a worthy proposal for a hotel claiming its position in luxury offers.
Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver is a great hotel to stay in when visiting Canada. The hotel’s management is keen on making a good impression to guests for the first visits and return visits. However, the things making it great are both man-made and natural. The location, the mix of technology and art in rooms, and the excellent customer service are just some of its main attractions. For couples seeking to wed, there is always the time for proposing. It is both a great time for the would-be groom and bride. Proposing is an art, as well as a science, and its location can make or break a groom’s heart and disappoint a bride or elate her. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is the haute of engagements.
In its rules of the engagement video contest, the hotel advances its proposal planner service to hopeful couples to make their relationship memorable and take advantage of the unique features of the hotel and its high quality customer service. The staff members are trained in making guests feel special and accompanying special events so they ingrain in one’s memory. The ultimate proposal costs $18,000 CDN. At least that is according to Fairmont Pacific Rim’s price tag for the winners of its rules of the engagement video contest. Suitors are supposed to offer a short love story in a video about their love and reasons for deserving the proposal package. The highlight is the Suite Romance proposal and floral décor provided by Granville Island Florist. When the ‘yes’ moment comes, Life Studios do the capturing in photo and video to complete the package. The Fairmont Pacific Rim delivers luxury.
Any of the hotel’s 377 rooms are worthy of the name, the expectation, and price tag of superfluity. Two gold floors are available with private lounge and complimentary buffet breakfast. It is the secret within the secret of luxury at the hotel. Staying at the gold floors also gives you access to afternoon tea and scones. You get canapés in the evening. The current hotel is the third generation of the Fairmont on Vancouver. The original that started in 1939 was Fairmont Vancouver. It was redone to become the Fairmont Waterfront. Today, it exudes novelty as the Fairmont Pacific Rim; you cannot say it is the same hotel as the others. You are not expected to say so after staying there and having stayed at the others. You will feel different from the moment you walk into the doors to its lobby and glance at the glass fireplace or hear tunes from a quarter-million dollar Fazioli piano that is part of the attraction for its weekly entertainment (Morphet par. 3).
You get control of room temperature, entertainment and lighting with one technology outfit. The hotel offers every guest a 42-inch high-definition TV in rooms to use during one’s stay. It comes with state of the art surround sound installation. There is an alarm clock and an iPod dock. If you are in the bathroom and need to catch up with what is going on, there is a TV in there for that purpose. However, you are unlikely to be staring at a TV screen both day and night. The views are spectacular.
The lights in the room and outside on the patio or elsewhere are marvelous. You can glimpse outside towards the Grouse Mountain as you relax in a bathtub. There you will see skiers who become animated lights at night because of their distance away from the hotel. The best thing is that guests get a room with a view. The hotel is designed in such a way that 70 percent of the rooms can open up to a great view of the water. Viewing water is spectacular, especially when doing yoga, meditating, writing a last minute report, catching up with friends and relatives, looking for information on your iPad, or just chilling in your room. Fairmont Pacific Rim has a rooftop pool if one gets too enticed by the water. It opened in 2010 and it is one of the attractions for the fitness facility at the hotel. The hotel gives guests an urban oasis where they can enjoy a private outdoor terrace, Jacuzzis, infrared sauna, meditation pods while enjoying the other services of the fitness center, and the private cabanas at the rooftop swimming pool (Fairmont Pacific Rim par. 3).
The hotel is home to famous people. An example, though an unfortunate one, is Cory Monteith whose last day on earth was at one of the hotel’s rooms. He was a star in the TV show “Glee” (Weisblott par. 1-2). The hotel is home to events in Vancouver. As a guest, you will be in the best company at most times. However, if you prefer lonely, quiet nights, a stream of guests to the lobby that sometimes feels like a clubhouse can be disturbing. However, with the surround sound and HD TV, you are free to indulge in private entertainment or just tune out sounds from outside your room.
All guest rooms display a selection of style inspired by modern urban living. Space is communicated by size and light, allowing guests to feel free and creative (Hotels.com par. 1-5). The hotel is very modern and does not have anything to remind guests of its previous states. Textures and colors are bold. Its art pieces are quiet, until you glance at them. They are placed to capture attention only when looking directly at them; otherwise, they remain vague. The thrill of seeking surprises inside the Pacific Rim will be sufficient for a keen observer and a treasure hunter.
The careful placement of every detail is meant to spark stories and help the guests share stories. Meanwhile, the hotel has its own story of accolades. It was the Georgia Straight: Best of Vancouver 2015 – Best Hotel award winner. It has also been featured in many travel magazines in the past few years. The TripAdvisor – Traveler’s choice awards places it at number five in the top 25 luxury hotels in Canada. The same awards placed it at number eight at a previous review. According to the Wedding’s Magazine, the hotel was the top loveliest wedding venues of 2015, which can say much about its selection as a place to propose and share a relationship story.
Works Cited
Fairmont Pacific Rim. “Welcome to Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel Vancouver.” Fairmont.com 2021. Web.
Hotels.com. Fairmont Pacific Rim. 2021. Web.
Morphet, Suzanne. “Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.” Westjet Magazine 2010. Web.
The Culture Trip. “10 Best Restaurants and Eateries in Kamloops.” 2017. Web.
TripAdvisor. “Best Restaurants in Kamloops, Canada.” TripAdvisor 2021. Web.
Weisblott, Marc. “Glee Star Cory Monteith, 31, Found Dead in Vancouver.” O Canada. Web.