It started on Sunday night…

It was the day after my 50th birthday and I felt a little wrung out, that sort of post-party lethargy with maybe a hint of oh-de-wine headache.  Luckily, I knew the next treat was just across Howe Sound when I took the ferry to North Vancouver and checked in to the Pinnacle At The Pier.

What is it about brand-spanking new hotels? There is not a hint of wear (that even the best properties start to show) and maybe I’m just a little to cognizant of wear and tear..what with the recent 50th birthday and all.

And here’s the other thing about a great hotel, besides a spectacular view south to Vancouver’s skyline…it’s the smell of those towels. Brand new towels that have just the right clean smell. I do a pretty good load of laundry, and yes, the ones off my clothesline are pretty spectacular, but that hotel smell is one of those aromas that makes me know I could just check in and live there forever.

I have stayed in about a zillion hotels now, and it never gets old…the little bottles of shampoo, the crisply-wrapped soap, the perfect bedding, that hotel robe…and the Pinnacle did it up right. They even had the requisite hook in the bathroom.

If I have to dig for the imperfection, it wasn’t in the zen-grooving decor with the cool B&W photos, or the wavy-lined uber-cool carpet and wallpaper, no, it would have to be the fake powder creamo for the coffee..which was weird because there’s a little fridge that could easily hold a couple of fresh cream packets.

And yes, this is my ‘thing’. I’m trying to get over it. I’m not there yet. Hell, I’m only 50…this could take a while.

And then my day really started when I boarded the Rocky Mountaineer train for the 3-hour trip to Whistler.

Why are trains so cool?

 Is it the champagne and O.J. that accompanies the hot breakfast? Or the drop dead scenery? Or because it’s a whole new perspective on the Sea to Sky route? Or is it because it’s totally carless and therefore stress-free travel?

There’s simply nothing to do but sit and chat to my wonderful seatmate Lori Henry, take in the view and know we’re going to the spa 🙂

I’ll write about the spa experience in my next post. Meanwhile, here’s a little youtube of that train ride.