Movie nights and dinners out are great and all...but you know what date night trumps all those? A full blown staycation. I mean, obviously, a vacation would be the best case scenario, but hey that's not always an affordable option. The next best option is the 'staycation'! Right before New Year's, the bf and I spent a night at The DOUGLAS - one of two hotels that now live in the new Parq in downtown Vancouver.
Keep on reading below for a peek inside our luxe night out, and my date night outfit!
This was honestly the first time I've walked into a hotel room and legitimately been impressed with the look and feel of the space. Usually, hotel rooms are a bit underwhelming compared to the photos you see. Not here! Even the hallways were beautiful, done in dark wood, which carries into the rooms as well. A very modern, yet comfortable space. And our view? We were right up and personal with Rogers Area next door! The mini bar was fully-stocked with some local favourites, Yaletown spirits and Thomas Haas chocolate, which I thought was a nice touch.
My favourite part of the hotel room? 100% the bathroom. Look at that marble counter top! Blogger goals, right there. And of course, I was super excited to try out the hand soap, shampoo and conditioners, as I'd heard they would all be from Aesop. With scents that combined mandarin rind, rosemary leaf and bergamot among others, you can't go wrong. Also, loved that lighting.
As for date night beauty: my LipSense lipstick in Blu-Red is a must. It's 100% kiss-proof, and I know I can rely on it to make it through dinner and drinks too. I haven't found any other lipstick I can say that about!
One of my Christmas gifts from the bf: Hermes' new fragrance, Twilly. A perfect night to try it out! This is a new favourite. It's considered a 'powdery floral' scent, with key notes of ginger, tuberose and sandalwood.
A special night like this warranted an outfit that wowed, and I found this super unique sheer wrap LBD on SheIn. Believe it or not, it was only $34! It doesn't have a proper bodysuit underneath, so you'll need to wear one underneath, but I already had a bodycon slip I figured would work perfectly. This dress honestly made me feel like a million bucks on our date night staycation!
First, we headed to dinner at The Victor, a classic steak and seafood restaurant, found on the 6th floor of Parq. We walked across the outdoor roof garden from the DOUGLAS to The Victor - a beautiful walk in the evening. Little white lights lit up the foliage on the terrace and reflected off the rooftop waterway. Plus, it has an exceptional view of the city. A romantic way to start the evening!
It's hard for me to describe just how much I loved the interior of The Victor. The space was elegant and chic yet classic in design, with a dimly lit romantic vibe - perfect for our date night dinner. We both ordered tasty craft cocktails, and then were treated to some of The Victor's house-made bread. Yum! But of course, the pièce de résistance was their specialty steaks. Having worked in a butcher shop during my high school years, I always appreciate a good steak, and this was definitely one of them! We decided on New York Striploins, but I'd be lying if I said we weren't tempted by the Tomahawk to Share or Cowboy Ribeye. Oddly enough though, our favourite part of the meal was definitely the brussel sprouts, if you'll believe it! The bf took one bite and said "WOW!" If you're getting sides with your meal, they're an absolute must.
Stuffed from our delicious dinner, we wandered through the second level of Parq to check out the casino floor. Now I'm not really much of a gambler (like at all), but we figured it would be fun to play a few penny slots before finding a place for drinks. I was super giddy when the machine started going nuts and I went from $5 to $20 in less than a minute! Woohoo! A small win to some, but I was absolutely ecstatic. The bf played another $20 but didn't fair as well as me. Oh well! It was worth the fun.
Next up was checking out the bars and lounges at Parq. First I wanted to show the bf D6, which I had already had the chance to check out at their media preview a couple months back. There's a full bar, seating and a pool table inside. And behind that chic book case you see above? There's a secret room back there! You can check out my Instagram post here to see what it looks like inside.
Then we moved up to the 'high roller' floor, where the more expensive casino table games are, as well as the Lotus Whiskey and Tea Lounge. It serves high-quality teas during the day, and switches to an impressive selection of reserved whiskeys in the evening. The setting is super elegant, and I loved the low, comfy lounge seats along the bar. We sipped on 12 year old scotch before calling it a night to binge some Netflix!
It was sad to say goodbye to those super comfy robes (seriously - best hotel robes I've ever worn!) and that massive bed. Until next time, Parq! Thanks for the much-needed staycation.
Got a hot date coming up? Shop my date night look here:
Happy Styling! xo
~ Britta
