Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre

A few weeks ago, we packed up our kids and stayed at the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre for a last minute two-night retreat. We were just dying to get out of the city and we hadn’t been to Whistler in about 15 years.

Our Requirements

Although Whistler is known for its lakes, trails and outdoor beauty, being 36 weeks pregnant left me a bit limited. Knowing that we’d be calling in early nights to put our kids down for bed, our hotel and specifically our room were the most important things since we’d be spending lots of time there. We opted for one of the Pan Pacific locations since we’d stayed at the Vancouver location a few years ago when our second daughter was a baby and enjoyed it.

Tips for Booking

When booking, I recommend calling the hotel directly. Reservations was able to give us some inside information on both of the Whistler Pan Pacific hotels- the pool at Pan Pacific Mountainside was not open and Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre was nearby, plus a continental breakfast and valet parking would be included. The price given to us was also better than anything we had searched online.

Kid-Friendly Amenities

By far the most exciting part of the hotel for my kids was the pool, although not the most ideal space for young children who can’t swim. Intended for adults wanting to get in a few laps, the pool is small and there was no spot for wee ones to just wade in. Be sure to bring water gear.

The hotel doesn’t provide room service (not sure if this is common at Whistler); guests instead can order from a list of take-out or delivery restaurants – not the most convenient option when you’ve got two kids in your room.

Hotel Amenities

We had a terrific northern view of the mountains, along with a perfect line-of-sight for watching some of the village activity.

Our room came with a fabulous, well appointed in-suite kitchen that had basically everything that any chef would want. The room even came with a table that doubled as a desk and dining table, where you could add a leaf and comfortably seat four.

For parents, the spa is a bit on the smaller size and offers just the classic services. Unlike the spectacular Spa Utopia at Vancouver Pan Pacific, this spa has only a few treatment rooms. My pedicure was terrific, but missing the foot soak tubs that you would expect at this price point.

The continental breakfast is as expected: hard-boiled eggs, toast, danishes, cold cuts. They did have cool cups with lids and straws for the kids. Get there early as it gets busy mid-morning.

Around the Hotel

Be sure to take a stroll through the villages while you visit. There seemed to be lots happening between live shows and street performers. The North Village has a really neat playground near the Starbucks, complete with a mountain-inspired climbing structure.

Within a five-minute walk is a recently built Blackcomb Base Adventure Zone. My four-year-old was able to go on three rides, including the Kiss the Sky Bungy Trampoline; my younger one had some fun in the bouncy castle. All in all, I recommend avoiding this section unless you have older kids or want to splurge big on something to kill a couple hours of time.

Bottom Line

Cost is a bit steep but comparable for a hotel of this level: Two nights’ stay in a one-bedroom with kitchen suite, including parking, breakfast and WiFi, costs around $700, plus tax. We probably could have done better in the family-friendly department with more planning and research.