Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront is nestled right in the heart of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour seawall. The hotel offers easy proximity to the seawall which stretches from Stanley Park all the way to Yaletown and Granville Island. Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront is also ideally located for those attending events at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Likewise, the location is convenient for anyone departing or arriving via cruise ship at the Port of Vancouver.
Harbour Views and a Little History
Because of its Coal Harbour situation, the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront boasts gorgeous glimpses across the water of the North Shore Mountains. Guests with harbour-view rooms can catch float planes taking off and landing, as well as the Hullo ferry to Nanaimo coming to and fro.
Pinnacle Hotels is a division of Pinnacle International, which is a Vancouver-based hospitality brand. Currently, Pinnacle has three hotels and three restaurants in downtown Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Whistler. Each of the hotels and restaurants aim to give guests a sense of place, with a focus on local touches and personalized service.
The Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront was built in 1974. While not a new addition to Coal Harbour, it has been thoughtfully refreshed and updated. A nod to its 1970s origins can be seen in the saturated reds and yellows at the core of the interior design and branding. The rooms contain touches of citrus and the bold use of stripes that bring vital energy.
The Place to Eat
The spacious lobby of the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront leads up to the front desk, conference rooms, and elevators. At the back, it opens into the P2B Bistro space. This on-site restaurant offers some of the best views of the whole hotel, with two-story windows facing the North Shore. P2B also has a beautiful patio, which makes for the perfect spot to catch the sunset as it dips down behind Stanley Park.
P2B Bistro is so named because it is the “Place 2 Be.” And there are a few delicious reasons why this is true, no matter the time of day. As a hotel restaurant, P2B must grapple with maintaining the quality of food and service over the course of the entire day, from early morning coffee and breakfast to evening nightcap or midnight snack.
First, they have a daily breakfast buffet. P2B serves a breakfast buffet every day, not just on weekends. The spread includes a variety of hot and cold breakfast dishes, including breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, cereals, fresh fruit, cured meats, artisan cheeses, yogurt & granola, fresh pastries, and sweet breads. Their daily buffet is also available on weekends, in addition to a few exclusive à la carte menu items.
In fact, P2B Bistro will be celebrating Easter with a holiday Brunch Buffet on Sunday, April 5th. This festive brunch will feature special menu items like mushroom ravioli with citrus butter sauce. Of course, there will also be an assortment of Easter treats like chocolate eggs.
Day to Night Allure
Another alluring reason to visit is P2B’s affordable and fun Happy Hour menu, which features $6 highballs, $6 beers, $7 House red or white wine, and $12 Italian Espresso Martinis. As the weather warms, enjoy a cocktail and some Happy Hour snacks on the patio. P2B has house-smoked Pulled Pork sliders for $11, pan-seared pork dumplings with ponzu sauce for $10, or Chicken Wings and Fried Pickle Chips with ranch dip and tzatziki for $13.
Even better, you can enjoy your Happy Hour eats and drinks with live musical accompaniment. P2B has live music three nights a week. You can catch local musicians on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5:30 pm to 9 pm.
Since you’re staying for the live music, you may as well also order some dinner. I would suggest the Braised Beef Short Rib. The tender short rib comes with a warming and comforting assortment of whipped potatoes, asparagus, gremolata, and mushroom ragout. If you ask nicely, they might just bring you some extra sauce on the side.
Seawall Stroll Suggested
Following dinner, given the hotel’s proximity, I would recommend a digestive stroll along the seawall. This particular section in Coal Harbour has a stretch of trees decked out in fairy lights that shift in sync. It feels very quiet in the evening there on the seawall, but also safe.
Vancouverites can enjoy P2B’s view, food (morning, noon, or night), and live music, while visitors to Vancouver will also appreciate Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront’s location as an ideal jumping off point for adventures around BC. After all, casting your eyes along Vancouver’s horizon from Stanley Park almost all the way to Gastown stirs the urge to explore.
