The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Turns 15: Award Winning Hotel Offers Specials in 2014

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is to the right of the control tower at YVR. 

Hard to believe The Fairmont Vancouver Airport turns 15 this year. When it opened in 1999, there was no shortage of buzz. As the first hotel in the world to offer in-room airline check-in service, it was also the first in North America to provide satellite check-in kiosks. I've stayed at the hotel several times (once on the allergy free floor), and it's one of my favorites. The 392-room hotel is accessed by an escalator from the US Departures Terminal at Vancouver International Airport.

To celebrate the occasion, each month through October 2014, there will be "15" offerings from the hotel and guests may share their favorite memories through social media at #FairmontYVR15. Current specials are featured on their website, including a limited number of $15 room rates on the actual anniversary date of October 7. A year-round Celebrating Anniversaries package offers rooms from $249 with a $15 per person food and beverage credit. Reservations may be made through 800.441.4114 or www.fairmont.com.

A well appointed and comfortable room at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport.

No surprise The Fairmont Vancouver Airport picked up Best Airport Hotel in North America in 2011 and 2012 by Skytrax World Airport Survey. The hotel features a full-service health club, mechanized lap pool, spa, restaurant and lounge that caters to a variety of dietary needs. and top notch business facilities.

The hotel also offers a number of unique packages. If you're traveling to the sun, store your winter woolies at the hotel and retrieve them on your return; newlyweds may leave the wedding gown behind and pick it up cleaned and boxed following their fly-away honeymoon; and families may book a second room at half price.

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport also has a Fish Valet who "checks in" prize catches upon their return from BC's west coast fishing lodges. The hotel stores them in its special fish freezer on the Departures level. Recent "stayovers" included a 900-lb. sturgeon and a 180-lb. halibut, while others end up on dinner plates, courtesy of the hotel's chef. And on the human side of things, blogger Jaeger Mah "lived" at the airport for 80 days, which I wrote about in a previous blog post. How fun would that be?

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport. Photos by Sue Frause.

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Celebrate Chinese New Year in Richmond, BC

The celebrations aren't over! Chinese New Year, which is January 31 this year, is a second chance to say farewell to bad habits and bring in some good ones. Also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the largest celebration of the year for many cultures throughout Asia. Chinese New Year 2014 is the Year of the Horse, supposedly a lucky year.

One of North America's most authentic and elaborate Chinese New Year celebrations is in Richmond, BC. With a Chinese population of more than 44% (Canada's largest per capita percentage of Chinese descendants), Richmond is celebrating for two weeks, from January 24-February 8. Events include traditional lion and dragon dances, live music, art displays flower markets, gift fairs and food. 

Lunch at one of Richmond's many Asian restaurants. Photo by Sue Frause.

During Chinese New Year, many of Richmond's 400 Asian restaurants will be offering 10-12 course New Year's Eve feasts on January 30. Also known as the reunion dinner, it's the most important meal of the year, a time for bonding and giving thanks. Plus it's a time for eating purposefully and symbolically. Noodles represent long life; dumplings shaped like ancient Chinese money are for wealth and prosperity; lettuce wraps play on the Chinese word for fortune, which is also the word for lettuce; and the head and tail of a fish served whole symbolize a good start and end to the year. Among the many restaurants featuring reunion dinners are Fisherman's Terrace, The Jade Seafood Restaurant, Sea Harbour Seafood, Vivacity and Suhang. Reservations are advised.

Even YVR (Vancouver International Airport in Richmond) is getting into the Lunar New Year. After all, YVR has the highest frequency of flights to China (75 each week) of any North American Airport. On Friday, January 31, airport retailers and restaurants will be offering special deals, with lunch specials for just $8.88 (eight is considered a lucky number in the Chinese culture). 

From 10 AM to 1 PM on January 31, gather 'round Bill Reid's The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe sculpture. There will be live music, Chinese ink brush calligraphy demonstrations, fortune telling and a traditional lion dance. Visitors will be able to park for $5 between 9-2; pick up vouchers at the customer care desk in the International Terminal, departures level. Or take the Canada Line to YVR.

A complete list of Chinese New Year events may be found at Tourism Richmond's website

Enjoy a Spot of Weekend Tea at London Heritage Farm in Richmond, BC

The 1880's farmhouse at the London Heritage Farm. Sue Frause photo.

Tea time doesn't need to be over the top or expensive, that's why I so enjoyed afternoon tea at the London Heritage Farm when I spent a few days in Richmond, BC several years ago. Located on 4.5 acres overlooking the south arm of the Fraser River, it's a lovely spot with heritage and herb gardens, a restored barn and even a small hand tool museum. There is also an expansive lawn and picnic tables for when the weather warms up. 

The table is set with china and flowers. Photo by Sue Frause.

A full tea is served in the Heritage Tea Room of the 1880s farmhouse and includes their own blend of London Lady Tea; a large, homemade scone with London Farm jam/jelly and butter; plus three homemade goodies. No fancy sandwiches, but the tea room tables are set with lovely tablecloths and served with bone china tea pots, cups, saucers and dessert plates. The price is a reasonable $8.50 per person (you'll pay $48.50 for The Fairmont Empress Afternoon Tea in Victoria). 

Colorful tulips blooming in May. Photo by Sue Frause.

Before or after tea, tour the six rooms in the restored house, complete with furniture, pictures, clothing, quilts and other everyday items that reflect life in Richmond from 1880-1930. London Heritage Farm hours are Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 (February-June) and Wednesday-Sunday from 12-5. To see more photos of Richmond and the nearby fishing village of Steveston, click on my Seattle Travel Examiner slideshow.

Richmond Foodie Blogger gets $50,000 a year gig

What a great gig for somebody who (a) loves Asian cuisine and (b) loves to write and (c) is skilled at doing both. And there's a lot of BIG interest out there. When BC's Tourism Richmond announced its Richmond Foodie Blogger competition, they received more than 1,500 entries. The one-year contract includes a salary of $50,000; apartment and living compensation; daily stipend for all restaurant meals; and a one-year membership to the Richmond Olympic Oval (a 23,000 sq. ft. fitness center) to work off all those calores. The unique position was open to anyone in the world eligible to work in Canada for a year. In exchange, the Richmond Foodie Blogger will visit at least one of Richmond's 800+ restaurants each day, resulting in daily blog posts, social media updates and acting as an ambassador during Richmond's 365 Days of Dining Campaign.

On April 23, the names of the 12 semi-finalists were announced, selected for their quality of writing and photography; online community engagement and of creativity; and overall aspect of their blogs. The dozen contenders include candidates from London, New York and Toronto and were interviewed either in-person or via Skype. The group of 12 will be narrowed down to three finalists, who will undergo a second interview before the Richmond Foodie Blogger is announced by the end of May.

PLACE YOUR VOTE! Tourism Richmond wants the public's input to select the top three, and public voting is open to all. The candidate who receives the most public votes will automatically earn a spot in the top three, while Tourism Richmond will select the other two. Voting runs through May 1 at 4 PM PST and may be accessed through Tourism Richmond's Facebook page, where you'll find the 12 finalists' photos, short bios and links to their blogs. 

British Columbia is no stranger to unique marketing campaigns. When Vancouver International Airport turned 80 last year, they held a contest for somebody to live at YVR for 80 days. Jaeger Mah, a Port Alberni native now living in Vancouver, was selected for the gig. I met the affable young man at the end of his reign in October 2011 while I was enroute to Churchill, Manitoba. Read more about my visit with Jaeger here. 

Icy Delicious Eggs at Delicious Cuisine in Richmond, featuring Taiwanese food
Photo by Sue Frause

Celebrate Chinese New Year + Year of the Dragon in Richmond, BC

One of these years, I'll make it up to Richmond, BC to celebrate Chinese New Year. This year's 2012 Lunar New Year is the Year of the Water Dragon. With Richmond boasting a population that's 65% Asian, and having the largest proportion of Canadian residents of Chinese ancestry (44%), it's the natural place to be. The winter celebrations run January 23 to February 6, and range from fabulous food to participating in prayer ceremonies at a Buddhist temple. Here are just a few of the activities:

Asian Cuisine: Richmond is on the food map for its quantity and quality of Asian restaurants. New Year dishes were served at many of the city's 375 restaurants on New Year's Eve, offering multi-course menus featuring up to a dozen courses. The feasts will also be available at many of the restaurants during the two-week celebration. Many of the restaurants are located on Alexandra Road, also known as Wai Sek Kai or Food Street, which features 200+ Asian eateries serving everything from xiao long bao (soup dumplings) to hot pot and hand pulled noodles.

Asian Shopping: Although a year-round activity at the Golden Village, shopping at the three large Hong-Kong inspired malls is extra special during the Lunar New Year. With shops featuring the latest in art, fashion and household goods direct from Taiwan and China, they're decked out in red and gold streamers, tasseled lanterns and peach blossom trees. Parker Place is featuring a Dragon Dancer and Fortune God who will stop by all the shops on Jan. 27, and on Jan. 29 there will be Lion Dancers and live performances in the mall's center court.

Temple Tradition: Richmond's International Buddhist Temple is modeled after Beijing's Forbidden City and is one of the largest Buddhist temples in North America. Through Jan. 29, the gilded temple is hosting its annual Chinese New Year Bazaar featuring elaborate flower arrangements, traditional snacks and foods and good-luck gift items.

Spend the Night - Shop and Eat! Several years ago, I spent a night in Richmond, allowing me plenty of time for shopping and dining. See my previous article in Examiner.com: Spend the night and dine and shop your way around this Asian community. A slideshow is included.

Icy Delicious Eggs at Richmond's Delicious Cuisine. Photo by Sue Frause.

Jaeger Mah wraps up his 80 days at Vancouver International Airport

Photo by Sue Frause

I was able to meet up with Jaeger Mah, the 29-year-old Vancouver resident who lived at Vancouver International Airport for 80 days. It was Jaeger's final week as an airport dweller, and The Port Alberni native invited me for a coffee last Sunday during my three-hour layover from Seattle to Winnipeg. Jaeger was selected from a field of 96 competitors to be a special correspondent at YVR for 80 days and 80 nights. It was all to celebrate the 80th anniversary of YVR, Canada's second largest airport, located on Sea Island in Richmond. In addition to being the airport's storyteller through his videos and blogs posted at www.liveatyvr.ca, he received $15,000 for his unique airport gig.

When I arrived at YVR from Seattle on the morning of Oct. 30, I tweeted Jaeger, who tweeted me back that he was editing videos in his suite at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport (not a bad place to hang your hat for 80 days). He suggested we meet at Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge, close to my gate in YVR's Domestic Terminal. What a fun and friendly guy! Dressed casually, including flip-flops but minus his trademark Hawaiian shirt, he offered to make me a Mochachino -- a special coffee with Baileys Irish Cream.

Jaeger (which is German, Mah is Chinese) said he's long had a craving for adventure. The nine-year Vancouver resident, who runs a video production company out of his home, said the biggest surprise about his time at YVR was the love from his fans. Oh sure, he missed home cooking and having friends over, but how can you complain about arriving at a new job in a London Air Lear jet?

Plus, he made all those new friends (YVR has 23,600 employees) while sharing his stories with the world. Jaeger got caught up in the energy of the airport ("it consumes you") and is impressed with YVR's commitment to technology and the environment. Some of his highlights included meeting with pilots, assisting in a runway safety check, finding Sea Island's Queen Bee and conquering the control tower.

On Nov. 4, YVR held a farewell ceremony for Jaeger prior to his departure from the airport at 11 AM. He was made an honorary Green Coat, plus YVR produced a  special farewell video for Jaeger. Bon Voyage, Airport Man!

Whale, sea lion and bird watching out of Steveston, British Columbia

Several years ago, while spending time in the fun fishing village of Steveston near Richmond, BC, I went out with Vancouver Whale Watch on their two-hour Sea Lion Tour. Although the tour is only offered in the spring (April 1-May 15), when both Steller and California sea lions visit the Fraser River Estuary, the whale watching season in Steveston runs April 1-October 31. Two other local outfitters, Steveston Seabreeze Adventures and Steveston Eco Tours, also offer daily whale watching tours.

Killer whales (orcas) come to the region to feast on the salmon that return to spawn in the Fraser River. The migration up the river begins in May and continues into October. Three pods of killer whales, which total around 80, return to the area each year.

The tours run from 3-5 hours, traveling through BC's Gulf Islands. Naturalists on board discuss the marine ecosystem and answer questions. In addition to orcas, plan on seeing Dall's porpoises, sea lions, seals, eagles and of course, seagulls. The three companies all offer guaranteed whale sightings -- if they don't make an appearance during your trip, you're welcome on a return trip until you do. All the companies offer eco-friendly tours, maintaining a respectful distance from the marine mammals, and using vessels with low emissions. Here are photos from my trip.

Vancouver Whale Watch trip out of Steveston, BC in May 2009
Photos by Sue Frause

Live at YVR for 80 days? Vote for your favorite airport dweller

Nearly 100 people submitted videos in the Live@YVR contest held by Vancouver International Airport. Yup, 96 adventurous souls responded to the invitation to spend 80 days and 80 nights at YVR's Sea Island home. It's all a part of YVR's 80th anniversary celebration. From that large lot, five finalists were selected from across British Columbia. The winner will be employed as a special correspondent at YVR, Canada's second busiest airport. Here are the finalists in alphabetical order:

Carrie Dymond (The Dance), 36, Vancouver (originally from Hamilton, Ontario)
Christopher Jordan Lee (Chris Lee at the Tool Library!), 22, Maple Ridge
Jaeger Mah (The Heart of YVR), 29, Vancouver (originally from Port Alberni, BC)
Marelle Reid (Circus School), 29, Coquitlam
Sarah Szlobody (Sorry YVR I Tried!), 24, Vancouver (originally from Richland, BC

Rebecca Catley, Director of Communications for Vancouver Airport Authority, said they were "incredibly impressed by the quality and quantity of video entries." But now it's up to the public to decide who will tell the behind the scenes tales of YVR. Vote online at www.liveatyvr.ca until Aug. 5, 2011. The selected correspondent will sleep at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, live in the YVR community and experience the endless stories of YVR’s 23,600 employees and 400 businesses.

The Live@YVR correspondent will be equipped with a camera and editing equipment act as an all-in-one producer, director, reporter, editor and post-production supervisor. He or she will uncover stories and share the trials and tribulations of living full time at an airport on the Live@YVR website, Facebook and Twitter.

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel (at right) at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). As seen from Pacific Coastal Airlines. Photo by Sue Frause.

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport: Best North American Airport Hotel

One of my favorite airport hotels, The Fairmont Vancouver Airport, was awarded Best Airport Hotel - North America at the 2011 World Airport Awards held on March 30, 2011 in Copenhagen. This is the first year that airport hotels have been included in the annual awards.

 The Fairmont Vancouver Airport came in the number one spot over the Grand Hyatt Dallas/Fort Worth and the Westin Detroit Metropolitan. The hotel also placed fifth in the world for Best Airport Hotel Worldwide.

The Skytrax World Airport Survey was distributed to more than 11 million passengers around the world, representing more than 100 nationalities and 240+ airports. The results were tabulated from more than 860,000 responses from guests who rated their hotel experiences.

I've stayed at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport several times, and it's truly tops. Located just above the USA Departures Level of YVR, it has 392 spacious and fully soundproof guestrooms and suites. All have floor to ceiling views of the runways, ocean and mountains. A designated Quiet Zone floor offers day use rooms for travelers on long layovers, and a Hypoallergenic Floor features low-allergen amenities.

All guests may enjoy Globe@YVR restaurant and the Jetside Bar (both with runway views) for dining and beverages. The full-service Absolute Spa and a health club is also on site.

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport

Photo by Sue Frause

Richmond's Thrangu Monastery, Canada's first traditional Tibetan monastery

Thrangu Monastery is the first traditional Tibetan monastery to open in Canada.


Golden Buddha, surrounded by 34 smaller Buddhas and 1,000 Medicine Buddhas.


Nine lamas meditate here daily at the monastery on Richmond's Highway to Heaven.



Thrangu Monastery opened in July of 2010. The public is welcome to visit.

Photos by Sue Frause

Cool Art: Vancouver Biennale 2009-2011 features public art

A-Maze-Ing Laughter by Yue Minjun, China 
Photo by Sue Frause

I'd seen the sculptures around Vancouver, but when I happened upon the one pictured above at English Bay, I knew that something big was going on.

Turns out it's the Vancouver Biennale, a bi-annual public art exhibition that has created an open air museum for the city. Each exhibition features world-class international sculptures, new media and performance art in parks, beaches and urban spaces.

The point? To celebrate art in public spaces and "create a uniquely accessible cultural destination where residents and visitors from around the world can come to experience the brightest new and world renown talent in contemporary art completely free of charge, throughout the seasons. "

The theme for the 2009-2011 exhibition is in-TRANSIT-ion, and venues include bike routes, YVR (Vancouver International Airport), the new Canada Line stations and art wrapped on buses and rapid transit trains.

The 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale has three components: Sculpture, New Media and Performance.

Phase I includes 29 sculptures by 26 artists from a dozen countries. Most of them were in place by January 2010 (in time for the Winter Olympics) and will remain on display until Summer 2011.

Five of them are Legacy pieces acquired by the Vancouver Biennale Foundation from the 2005-07 exhibition. They include Walking Figures, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Poland; Engagement, Dennis Oppenheim, USA; King and Queen, Sorel Etrog, Canad); 217.5 Arc X 13, Bernar Venet, France; and Jasper, John Clements, USA.

Phase II is the New Media and Performance Art Festival, beginning in May and running through August 2010. Additional events include In Transition: New Art from India at the Richmond Art Gallery.

No Richmond Night Market in BC?

Although I've enjoyed the fabulous restos of Richmond, BC, I've never been to the Richmond Night Market.

According to Target Event, the 2008 Richmond Night Market has been canceled due to the increased cost of leasing their former space and the inability to find a suitable new space.

But a comment I just received on this blog post says that there is a "new" Richmond Summer Night Market 2008. It's open Friday-Saturday, 7-midnight and Sunday, 7-11 PM.

Richmond-based Lions Communications won a land-use permit to re-open the market on May 30, 2008 after the founding organizer, Target Events, said it could not afford the landlord's increase in rent this year. The market is located at 12631 Vulcan Way.

Elsewhere in Richmond, there is no shortage of yummy Asian food and restos. Oddly enough, when my friend and I were staying at the Best Western Richmond Hotel before flying off to Campbell River the next day, we ended up at an Irish pub just down the street.

It's somewhat of an oxymoron to have an Irish pub in Richmond, but the Foggy Dew Irish Pub was a fun spot to hang out on a summer's eve. Dinner for two, including a bottle of Aussie wine, was only $55.

A window at the Foggy Dew Irish Pub in Richmond, BC
Photo by Sue Frause

Window on Canada : Strange Sign, Indeed

I spotted this sign off the Westminster Highway while staying at the Best Western Richmond Hotel.

What is an executive cold beer and wine store, anyway?

For executives only?


Photo by Sue Frause

Sunset on the Fraser River in Steveston, British Columbia

Sunset on the Fraser River from Garry Point in Steveston, BC.
Photo by Sue Frause.