Concierge.com's insider take:

For its entry into North America, the Hong Kong–based Shangri-La chain fired a dramatic opening salvo. The 119-room Shangri-La Vancouver takes up the first 15 floors of a 62-story glass tower, Vancouver's tallest, located between downtown and the residential West End. The Asian-style hospitality is evident in the doting, singular focus on guests: After entering, you are greeted by a hostess in Mandarin-style attire, then led to a discreet check-in area on the lower level and served a pot of steaming tea. (A bit of hand-holding is necessary, in fact: The hotel's three separate entrances can be confusing.) The interiors are sumptuous, particularly the three-story lobby with its limestone walls and floors, crystal chandeliers, rosewood paneling, and plush leather chairs. Rooms—there are seven different configurations—start at a spacious 450 square feet and have contemporary furniture with Asian touches and a Chinese color scheme of gold and bronze. Marble bathrooms are the biggest in town, with enormous walk-in showers and mirrors that double as ten-inch televisions. Food is covered by Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Market, and the Chi spa pampers patrons with a range of Chinese and Himalayan treatments in six individual suites with fireplaces.—Kasey Wilson