Fairmont Turns Up The Holiday Spirit With Two Festive (+ Extremely Sip-Able) Celebrations

Vancouver’s hotel scene is officially in its holiday era, and this year Fairmont Hotels are making the season brighter, boozier and deliciously sweeter with two festive happenings worth bundling up for.

First up: cocktail lovers, this one’s for you. Fairmont Pacific Rim has teamed up with five of Vancouver’s most iconic bars—Botanist Bar, The Keefer Bar, Laowai, Meo, and June/LaLa—for the first-ever Sip Into the Season cocktail crawl running December 1–25. Think of it as the city’s ultimate holiday bar-hop, featuring signature festive cocktails from each spot’s seasonal menu.

And these aren’t just any cocktails—they’re full-on holiday mood in a glass. A few standouts include Botanist Bar’s Sleigh All Day (Christmas pudding gin! red wine! winter spices!), The Keefer Bar’s milk-clarified Quick Draw, Laowai’s smoky-bright Via Galaxie, Meo’s dreamy Gingerbread Old Fashioned, and June’s rich and nutty Noisette Manhattan.

Even better? Every time you order a featured cocktail, snap a pic, tag the participating bars, and include #sipintotheseason, you’re entered to win a one-night suite stay at Fairmont Pacific Rim—plus extra prizes. Holiday spirits and a luxury staycation? Consider your December plans sorted.

“We can’t be shaking drinks side-by-side this time of year, but this crawl lets us celebrate as a community,” says Grant Sceney, Fairmont Pacific Rim’s creative beverage director. And honestly, we’ll cheers to that.

While you’re cocktail crawling your way across the city, keep room for something cozy, creamy, and wonderfully chocolatey—because Fairmont Waterfront is also joining the festive fun with a brand-new HYPE Chocolate Hot Chocolate Pop-Up, running every Friday from November 28 to December 19.

Taking over the hotel lobby from 3–6 PM, the pop-up is pure Christmas-card energy: warm lighting, velvety hot chocolate, and the dreamy smell of cocoa wafting through the air. HYPE will be pouring both Original and Vegan hot chocolate made with ethically sourced cacao—and yes, you get to dress it up with unlimited toppings. Mini marshmallows, whipped cream, Oreo crumble, Biscoff bits, chocolate drizzle … build your own holiday masterpiece for $8 a cup.

The collaboration also includes co-branded chocolate bars (Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, S’mores, Gingerbread, plus Classic Milk, Vegan and White), all sustainably crafted and priced $13–18—perfect stocking stuffers, if they make it home without being eaten.

“We love bringing a little sweetness and magic to our lobby during the holidays,” says Mike Pagnacco, Director of Food & Beverage at Fairmont Waterfront. The vibe? Local creativity meets festive indulgence with a side of luxury.

Whether your December plans include bar hopping with friends, warming up post-seawall stroll, or finding the perfect gift for that person with a cocoa obsession, Fairmont Pacific Rim and Fairmont Waterfront have officially made the city’s holiday circuit irresistible.

Cocktails, hot chocolate, prizes, and a whole lot of holiday sparkle—Vancouver, your festive season starts here. —Noa Nichol