What’s it like? The first North American hotel from the Hong Kong-based luxury group opened in January last year. Housed in the first 15 floors of Vancouver’s highest building (the other levels of the 61-storey structure contain apartments), the interior of the 119-room property is stylish with a serene feel. You will be hit by Shangri-La’s sweet signature scent when you walk into the triple-height lobby – a grand, minimal space with a sandstone floor and exquisite Italian crystal chandeliers. The concierge is located here, while reception is downstairs.

Where is it? On West Georgia Street in the heart of downtown. City Centre station, which links the district to the airport, is a short walk away, as is the Convention Centre.

Room facilities Rooms are located on floors seven to 15 and start from 42 sqm. They all have city views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and warm brown and gold décor with lots of dark wood. Standard amenities include in-room check-in, free wifi, a 40-inch flatscreen TV and DVD player, a Nespresso machine, a safe, minibar, iron and ironing board, thick robes and L’Occitane toiletries. Almost half have balconies.

I stayed in a ninth-floor Deluxe one-bedroom suite. It had a living room with a dining table, a workdesk with plug sockets and connections for wired internet and USB charging, a coffee table, sofa and armchair, and a balcony. The bedroom had a comfy bed, a TV with a good range of channels and a recording facility akin to Sky Plus, and an iPod dock. The curtains, drapes and lights were controlled by panels by the bed and in the living room. What I loved about this room was the ease with which things worked – everything was just where it was supposed to be, which gave it a home-from-home feel.

The marble bathroom had a deep tub, a large walk-in shower with wall-mounted, rain and handheld showerheads, twin sinks, and a small TV embedded in the mirror.

Restaurants and bars Market by Jean-Georges, from triple Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is the hotel’s signature restaurant and has four sections. A café area serves comfort food and an à la carte breakfast – try the French toast with roasted apples and bacon (C$14/£8.50) and you won’t have to eat for the rest of the day. Dishes in the fine-dining section include a stunning roasted beets with goat’s cheese and crystallised wasabi (C$10/£6), and there is also a bar (11.30am-midnight) and a seasonal outdoor terrace. Market is open 7am-11.30am for breakfast, 11.30am-2.30pm for lunch and 5.30pm-10.30pm for dinner. Other options are Ginger (open 8am-6pm), an indoor bar by the pool serving juices and bento box-style snacks, and the lobby lounge (10.30am-1am), offering lunch, afternoon tea and supper.

Business and meeting facilities On the sixth floor are three meeting rooms (all with daylight and free wired/wifi internet), a library, pre-function area, 36-seat screening room and a covered terrace. The largest venue can hold 100 people for a reception or 125 theatre-style. On the third floor is a business centre with three PCs (internet costs C$10/£6 for 30 minutes) and a small boardroom.

Leisure facilities These are on the fifth floor and consist of a small outdoor pool and spa bath, a 24-hour gym with Technogym equipment, and Chi, the spa, which has six treatment rooms and two manicure stations.

How many rooms? There are 119 – 24 are Superior, 24 are Deluxe, 32 are Executive Balcony King and the remainder are suites.

Room highlights The city view, free wifi and easy-to-use technology.

Verdict A luxurious property with top-level service and well designed rooms. It’s in an excellent location too.

Price Internet rates for a midweek stay in March started from C$339 (£204) for a Superior room.

Contact Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver, 1,128 West Georgia Street; tel +1 604 689 1120; shangri-la.com