Here’s a closer look at West Canada’s newest eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces available for events this fall. The new and renovated West Canada venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
LaunchPad Golf
LaunchPad Golf opened a new outpost in Calgary’s Heritage Pointe on June 30, boasting 40 hitting suites where competitive groups can team build with the help of 10-plus challenges to choose from. Custom menus and craft cocktails are also on offer to enhance the guest experience, and planners can choose from classic options like wings, loaded nachos, and margarita pizza, or elevated offerings like togarashi tempura prawns or a tuna poke bowl. The multilevel venue can accommodate up to six participants per suite, with a maximum capacity of 600 for event buyouts. Pricing starts at $60 per hour Monday-Thursday and increases to $80 Friday-Sunday.
Photo: Courtesy of LaunchPad Golf
Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Following a rehaul of its 32,000 square feet of meeting and event space in 2017, Fairmont Chateau Whistler is set to complete a $14 million revamp of its 366 guest rooms and eight suites in December. The two-phase renovation began in April, and incorporates decor reminiscent of a modern alpine lodge into the accommodations (think: warm woods, striking headboards, and leather lounge seating)—a perfect fit for the property, which is nestled at the base of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, B.C. Elsewhere on the luxury property, there are 12 function rooms, including the 11,319-square-foot Macdonald Ballroom (pictured) that’s divisible, boasts ceilings over 15 feet high, and can fit up to 1,500 guests for a reception. Other highlights include the 448-square-foot Algonquin meeting room for 22 boardroom style, as well as the 2,881-square-foot Empress Ballroom—the most intimate of three on-property ballrooms—which can host up to 340 theater style and has an adjacent foyer. In the warmer months, planners can take advantage of the alfresco Woodlands Terrace, a 4,925-square-foot setting for up to 200 guests in the forefront of a picturesque mountain range.
Photo: Courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Whistler
The Roof at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Following an overhaul of its 63,000 square feet of meeting and event space that was completed in spring 2019, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver revamped The Roof in December 2021. The 15th-floor, 5,200-square-foot space was named in a nod to the hotel’s iconic green copper roof. It’s the only designated event space on the floor, offering the utmost privacy, not to mention north-facing floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Vancouver. The Roof is also notable for its permanent wooden dance floor, where up to 300 can mix and mingle at a cocktail reception. There’s also space for banquets of up to 260, theater-style seating arrangements for as many as 230, and boardroom setups for 48. Elsewhere in the hotel, event space highlights include the 11,400-square-foot BC Ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,500 guests; the 1,224-square-foot Boardroom for up to 128 professionals to gather; and the intimate, 200-square-foot Hornby room for 12.
Photo: Courtesy of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Delara
Modern Persian cuisine is on order at Delara, which opened in August 2021 in the heart of Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood. Recommended by the Vancouver Michelin Guide, Delara’s menu spans brunch, lunch, and dinner, with highlights courtesy of chef Barbia Ilbeiggi like smoked eggplant and braised beef short rib, turmeric-marinated chicken and barberries, and roasted halibut with turmeric dill. For groups with a sweet tooth, look to the saffron ice cream, served sandwiched between two pistachio and cardamom cookies. The eatery—which is adorned with paintings by local Iranian artist Golnaz Kianipour—is 1,200 square feet, with enough room to accommodate up to 60 for a seated affair or 72 standing with a buyout. There’s also a 150-square-foot atrium for intimate, semi-private events of 20. Buyouts will run planners anywhere from $2,000-$8,000 depending on the day of the week, with plated meals for partial buyouts ranging from $30-$100 per guest.
Photo: Sophia Hsin Photography
The Wilde at The Dorian
The Dorian Hotel welcomed The Wilde to its 27th-floor rooftop in July. The swanky, 2,420-square-foot indoor-outdoor space is the perfect complement to the 137-room hotel’s eclectic design. Named after Oscar Wilde, patterned carpeting is juxtaposed with plaid-upholstered sofas, modern light fixtures, and floor-to-ceiling windows framed by green-velvet curtains. There’s room for 92 in the main dining area, with space for 40 in an adjacent lounge (pictured) and alfresco patio. Fare nods to the famed author’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, with offerings like elk tartare with confit quail yolk, bison short rib, and honey lavender duck breast, accompanied by beverages that put molecular gastronomy at the forefront.
Photo: Mark Shannon Photography
