Booking The JW Marriott/Free Night Promotion From The Parq Casino

I decided to tag along with my grandma who received a complimentary room valid for either the JW Marriott or The Douglas Hotel which are both connected to the Parq Casino in Vancouver, BC. The promotion is put on by the Parq Casino and is based on playing habits. I’m not sure what the threshold is to receive one of these free nights, but I do know she has 3 diamonds on her player’s card which is considered the top tier for Encore Rewards, a casino loyalty rewards program run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).

We booked the room by calling Parq Promotions at 1-888-281-8868, and they passed along our reservation request to the JW Marriott for April 10, 2018.

Using Marriott Rewards For A Free Night At The Parq Casino

Anyone looking for Marriott Rewards redemptions can redeem points at this property (or the Douglas Hotel next door) for 40,000 Marriott Reward points per night. With prices regularly in the $300-$500 range (and probably even higher in the summer), this can be a very good use of points – similar value as Tyler got on his recent visit to the Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel and JW Marriott South Beach Hotel in Singapore.

Marriott recently announced some huge changes coming to the program as of August 1st which will see some new benefits through the end of the year for anyone with Marriott Gold Elite status. As a reminder, Gold Elite status comes complimentary with the American Express Platinum Card or American Express Business Platinum Card, so if you’ve been considering either of those products, act fast! Currently, Gold Elites get guaranteed lounge access with breakfast, though between August 1 and December 31, 2018 you’ll also be eligible to receive suite upgrades and more!

• New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn Welcome Bonus points
• American Express is currently offering Membership Reward welcome bonus points on the Business Platinum Card .

Parking at the Parq Casino

We also received a promotional offer for free parking based on BCLC Encore loyalty status (a $38 savings for a 24-hour period), which we used at the same time. Parking rates at the Parq Casino increase when events are happening at BC Place or Rogers Arena for non-registered guests of the hotel.

Be sure to check with the hotel or casino guest services to see if you can get discounted or complimentary parking if you have an Encore Rewards card. I’ve heard varying success stories based on your loyalty status, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.

I find parking can be a little tricky in Vancouver, so I almost always valet the vehicle, and in some cases that is the only option (such as The Rosewood Hotel Georgia – a stunning property). However, parkade access to the Parq Casino is easily accessible on Smithe Street so we decided to self-park this time around. Valet parking is available for a $7 charge on top of the normal parking rates.

JW Marriott Parq Vancouver Location

The JW Marriott Parq has one of the best locations in Vancouver. Connected to the Parq Casino, you’re just a short elevator ride away from slot machines, table games, and 5 restaurants and 3 lounges.

And on the other side of the casino is the sister property, The Douglas Vancouver, An Autograph Collection Hotel.

Literally steps away from BC Place, and a short 7 minute walk to Rogers Arena, you can easily take in a show or a game right nextdoor without having to worry about taking a cab or driving to and from the event. You’re also a 15 minute walk away from Science World, and a 5 minute walk away to catch the short ferry ride to Granville Island. Countless restaurants and stores are all within walking distance as well. The location is world class.

2 Queen Beds, Water View Guest Room

Thanks to my Marriott Rewards Gold Elite Status from my American Express Platinum Card, we received an upgraded room with a water view overlooking False Creek, the Plaza of Nations, Science World, and ferries transporting passengers to and from Granville Island. Despite receiving an upgraded room, we were still adjacent to the ice machine, maintenance rooms (electrical/water/ice), and on the lowest floor – floor 7.

In my experience, rooms in these high traffic areas are reserved for discounted rates, or promotions such as this, and come with noisy hallways, and less than perfect fixtures in the room. However, with this hotel being less than a year old, the room was in excellent condition, and there was no bothersome noise coming from the maintenance rooms. Keep in mind, this is a Tuesday night in April (Vancouver’s shoulder season), so it would be interesting to see what the noise level outside the room would be like on a busier night.

Our 2 queen bed guest room had a typical layout for a standard room and was about 380 sq ft. The closet featured a decent amount of space, with two robes, two sets of slippers, an iron, and an umbrella, which you’ll probably need 8 months out of the year in Vancouver.

One of the drawers on the bottom of the closet/armoire had a safe in it, while the other was empty storage space with some bags for laundry service.

The bathroom features a barn style sliding door, with a decent size tiled walk-in shower with a removable shower head, and a partitioned area for the toilet.

The hand wash, lotion, body wash, shampoo and conditioner are all made by Molton Brown and are in big bottles. I always like the soaps to be in little bottles so I can take them home (plus it’s more sanitary), but these bigger bottles are available for purchase in the spa.

There is also a vanity mirror, hairdryer, and some smaller toiletries in one of the decorative boxes.

The workspace is a good size and has plenty of USB and regular charging ports.

The mini-bar fridge is stocked with a variety of pop, water, and alcoholic beverages.

There are also snacks available to purchase, and an illy Espresso machine that was quite easy to use.

Next to the window is a sitting area with 2 chairs and a small table.

The nightstands both have USB charging ports and storage space.

The beds themselves were very comfortable with down pillows.

Wi-Fi was included with my Marriott Rewards status but is $7.95 per day for non-members. I really don’t like this trend of charging for wi-fi, which a lot of luxury hotels seem to be doing lately. Clearly, almost everyone is going to use the internet, and it’s just a sneaky up-charge when it should be included in the cost of the room. I pay about $3 a day at home for fibre-optic 250Mbps internet, so for hotels to charge $7.95 per day for 25Mpbs internet is frustrating to see. Rant over.

I did like the option to be able to login to Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and Pandora through the TV. The login process was seamless and I ended up watching Netflix which worked well. I usually end up bringing an HDMI cable to plug my laptop or iPad into the hotel TV, so having this option directly available on the TV was a nice touch.

Service at the JW Marriott Hotel in Vancouver, BC

The service from the time we checked in, until the time we left was exceptional. I always appreciate when the staff is proactive in greeting guests, and setting expectations accordingly. Upon check-in, there was a temporary issue with the booking system/Internet going down. As a result, they couldn’t bring up our confirmation number, and our Marriott Rewards status was not recognized.

We were offered bottled water and thanked multiple times for our patience while we waited, which only ended up being a few minutes extra. Even though the delay was extremely minor, it could have ended up taking way longer, because you know, sometimes technology doesn’t like to cooperate. Kathleen, the front desk agent, was proactive in communicating there was an issue right away.

Shortly after we got settled, there was a welcome amenity dessert and handwritten card sent up to our room from the front office team. A very nice, and unexpected gesture that was much appreciated! Generally, welcome amenities are only provided for Marriott Rewards members with Platinum status.

JW Marriott Vancouver Hotel Areas For Improvement

One of the things I look forward to most in a hotel is checking out the swimming pool and hot tub. There is certainly plenty of room on the rooftop terrace for a swimming pool with a beautiful view overlooking the city. And with plenty of other luxury hotels in Vancouver with fantastic pools, this is quite the letdown.

And I’m not sure why they decided to install such a small hot tub. It certainly doesn’t scream luxury, but at least they can say there is one available, even though it was covered over during our stay. I would say it maybe fits 6 or 7 people comfortably.

With the frequently rainy weather in Vancouver, it makes more sense for the hot tub to be inside. I can picture guests traipsing out there in the rain only to find that it’s full and then awkwardly standing inside for people to leave. And although there is some seating and lounge chairs on the terrace, there are no covered areas to escape the rain or the sun. Overall, the terrace and hot tub seemed like an afterthought.

Another huge let down was that bathtubs are not available in the standard rooms. I feel that should be a standard feature in a luxury hotel, considering even the most basic economy hotels generally have bathtubs.

No swimming pool, no bathtub, and the small hot tub are real oversights for a luxury hotel (or clever planning to get guests down to the casino). I get it. The hotel is connected to the casino, and the goal is to get people to get down there and sink money into a slot machine, but did they have to be that obvious about it? There is however a spa and fitness on site.

JW Marriott Vancouver Executive Lounge for Marriott Rewards Members

I’ve decided to split this review into two parts, so you can check out the full review of the JW Marriott Vancouver Executive Lounge here and see if it’s worth the visit!

We received executive lounge access thanks again to my Marriott Rewards Gold Elite Status with my American Express Platinum Card.

JW Marriott Vancouver Hotel Review Bottom Line

Whenever I go to Vancouver for a staycation, I almost always bring my two German Shepherds along for the ride, as there are plenty of luxury pet friendly hotels to choose from in the city, however, the JW Marriott Parq Hotel and The Douglas Hotel are both not pet-friendly. Usually, this would be a deal breaker for me, but I’m willing to make compromises for a free night stay at two of the newest luxury hotels in Vancouver available using reward points!

Although I’m really disappointed about there not being a swimming pool and no bathtub in the room, the JW Marriott would be my first choice if I was planning a night out at the Parq Casino or to take in a game or show at Rogers Arena, or BC Place. The location is top notch, the room was spotless, and we received outstanding service from the staff our entire visit.

• New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn Welcome Bonus points
• American Express is currently offering Membership Reward welcome bonus points on the Business Platinum Card .

What’s Your Review Of The JW Marriott Parq Vancouver Hotel?

Have you stayed at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver Hotel? Let us know your experience in the comment section below!