Two flights this week, one for work and one for pleasure. It always seems to happen that whenever I have a fun trip planned, I also end up having to schedule work trips nearly back to back or within days of each other.

For my friend’s wedding this weekend in Vancouver, and to keep loyal to the Marriott, I am staying at The Douglas Autograph Collection hotel in the Yaletown area of downtown Vancouver. I had an idea of how trendy and posh it was when I made the hotel booking, but I didn’t realize how intense it was until I arrived past midnight. I was so exhausted from the flight that I felt a bit disoriented when I got to the hotel. First, I couldn’t figure out where the actual entrance was (it’s on the 6th floor… above the casinos and the ground level). Then, when I got into the elevator, I felt like I was being pushed into a virtual reality. When you enter the elevator and the doors close, laser lights in shades of jungle green and golden yellow surround you on all sides, so when you look at your reflection in the mirror, it looks as though you are being warped into the future. These lights were so bright for bleary-eyed me, whose internal clock was past 3am by this point.

When I exited the elevator to my room floor, I went all the way to the end of the hallway to the corner suite, where… my suite was actually bigger than our New York apartment. There are multiple couches in both the living room and the bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms, and  views overlooking downtown Vancouver and the stadium right next door to the hotel. Even the shower has floor to ceiling windows.

Yep. It’s official. I never want to leave this place.

Chris is right; I’m so spoiled now by all these amazing hotel experiences. But I will say that each time, I definitely do not take it for granted. Every single time I come to one of these stunning properties, I still count my blessings and realize how grateful and privileged I am to be pampered like this in such beautiful locations in the world.