Looking for a way to put more “art” in the
Art of Travel? Check out Vancouver's 129 room Listel
Hotel which
spends more on the art it displays on just one or two floors than
most hotels invest for an entire property””and I'm not talking
about art that makes you say (or at least think) “My
three-year-old could do that.”
By partnering with Canadian art world heavy hitters, the hotel
has amassed a noteworthy collection of both
modern art and traditional British Columbian art. To make the
most of its collection, worth more than half a million dollars,
the hotel is divided into different floor categories, each with
its own artistic focus.
Rooms on the two
Museum Floors are a tribute to all things British Columbian.
Curated in partnership with the University of British
Columbia's Museum of Anthropology, these floors feature
handcrafted traditional hemlock and cedar furniture as well
pieces of contemporary Northwest coast art in rooms painted to
reflect the subtle natural colors of the region.
The two Gallery Floors were curated by the Buschlen
Mowatt Gallery and each room features original and limited
edition works by international and Canadian artists including
Graciela Boulanger, Amanda Watt, Z.Z. Wei and Bernard Cathelin.
Larger Artist Series
Suites on these floors feature a separate living room for a
substantial amount of extra space. My suite was decked out with
the “spiritual landscapes” of Otto Rogers but, at The Listel, a
member of the Luxe Worldwide Hotels group, the art isn't just
hanging on the walls. My suite also featured an elaborate
laser-cut metal headboard and (dare I say it?) an artful mix of
antiques””including a jaw-dropping wet bar hutch””deco pieces and
modern furniture. The built-in window seat was the perfect place
to enjoy the French press of coffee that was delivered to my room
every morning along with a newspaper.
The weak spot in these otherwise unique and
exciting rooms is the bathroom which felt more motel than hotel,
but I've been assured that The Listel is preparing to completely
renovate every bathrooms in the place.
Despite the name””which makes it sound like a
dank Irish pub””the hotel's restaurant, O'Doul's, creates its own
art with a wide-ranging wine list and mouthwatering dishes (the
fried oysters were delectable) that have earned it a Wine
Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 1997. The
restaurant also celebrates a great American art form and morphs
into a classy and popular jazz club at night. The hotel has even
released a compilation CD featuring 14 Vancouver-based jazz
greats.
If your personal muse is more about
shopping not sculpture, The Listel has you covered with a
location smack in the midst of Robson Street which features one
of Vancouver's highest concentration of retailers including
BCBG Max Azria,
The Body Shop, Esprit, A/X Armani Exchange, Zara, Bebe and Canada's
own Club
Monaco. Feeling inspired to buy some art? Nearly every piece
on display in The Listel Hotel is for sale.
Rates: summer CDN$260 to CDN$600; winter CDN$180 to
CDN$500
The Listel Hotel
1300 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6E 1C5
Phone: (800) 663.5491
www.thelistelhotel.com
In April of 2006 peripatetic journalist Karen
Catchpole left her job as deputy editor of SHOP Etc. magazine in
New York City, jumped into a Chevy
Silverado and embarked on Trans-Americas a three year, 70,000+ mile road trip
through North, Central and South America. When she's not
reviewing luxury hotels, resorts, ranches and B&Bs, she can
be found enjoying the nearest campground.
Click here for the hotel's Vancouver recommendations.
