Ladies Staycation Weekend with Codi Lynn

As a parent, it is hard to find much-deserved downtime – and even harder to get together with friends. We were thrilled when Codi Lynn, who runs a mommy + lifestyle blog called Creative Wife and Joyful Worker, was able to get a little R&R with her girlfriends earlier this month. Check out her fun staycation experience!

5 Key Features at Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection

The Location

Civic Hotel is a gorgeous architectural feature in the heart of Surrey. It is located right next to the Skytrain station, so you can head to downtown Vancouver without having to worry about traffic. You can also travel easily and car-free within Surrey because the Surrey Central bus loop is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel’s entrance. Of course, you don’t need to leave the hotel at all! There is an incredible array of amenities and dining experiences inside Civic Hotel.

The Rooftop Pool Deck

The pool deck is the perfect place to hang out. The pool and hot tub are both outdoors, but the hotel was designed so that the pool area is private. No one can see in, but you can spy the Civic Plaza while you’re lounging poolside. Talk about a picturesque view of the city of Surrey, especially as the sun goes down. You can order food and drinks right to the pool, too. Cheers to that.

The Rooms

Civic Hotel has taken its motto of “Celebrate BC” to new heights — literally! Each floor of the boutique hotel represents a different region of BC. Each of the rooms showcases a different city, town, or village from the floor’s region. The rooms we stayed in featured a map of Richmond and a map of Surrey on the walls. Both rooms had floor-to-ceiling windows, so we were greeted with lots of natural light when we arrived. Also: I cannot say enough about how incredible the beds at Civic Hotel are! If I could wrap one up and bring it home, I would. Being able to snuggle up in a cloud-like bed until the late morning is one of the best parts of staying in a hotel; not having to share the bed with kids for a couple of nights is also a bonus.

Dominion Bar + Kitchen

Of course, all that swimming and sleeping works up quite an appetite, so it’s great that Civic Hotel has so many delicious options for any meal, snack, or even a quick coffee break! Their signature restaurant is Dominion Bar + Kitchen; it has a gorgeous dining area for hotel guests and non-hotel guests alike, and special Dominion on Demand in-room dining menu. Dominion Bar + Kitchen has a great spread of New Canadian menu options — they incorporate a variety of flavours from different cultures into their menu, which is reflective of BC’s cultural diversity. Dominion also has Happy Hour specials, and what’s a girl’s night without cocktails? Dominion is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday, and on weekends they do brunch, which is the perfect meal to share with close friends and family.

Prado Cafe

If you’re not looking for a sit-down restaurant for breakfast, there’s also Prado, which is a gorgeous, modern feature of the hotel’s lobby. You might have seen Prado in Vancouver, too, since there are a few different locations. Prado is owned by a champion barista, and it shows; the espresso beverages taste amazing, and the atmosphere is definitely award-winning. It’s the perfect place for a business meeting or to catch up with friends over coffee and pastries. Prado highlights their use of local, organic food on their menu; their coffee is from 49th Parallel, while their bread is from A Bread Affair. They have vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and no-carb options, so there is an option for everyone!

Thanks so much to Civic Hotel for letting us come and experience such a fun night out. We all had a blast! I think the photos speak for themselves to say that we were laughing and feeling well rejuvenated after this mamas’ night out – Codi Lynn.

See her original blog article here.