Review: Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection

The Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection is an interesting accommodation option for those who don’t need to stay around the Downtown Vancouver core. Autograph Collection hotels tend to have a uniqueness to them compared to Marriott’s established sub-brands. 

Booking & Check-in

Having some events to attend in the surrounding area, the Civic Hotel was the most convenient location for me. With a Marriott Bonvoy promotion doubling the number of elite night credits per stay plus a points bonus, the timing was perfect for booking a stay. 

I was also invited onto the podcast to talk about my experience with the Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite Status so I needed a quiet place to record as well. You should check out our podcast where we dive into the nitty gritty of miles and points, take a listen here or ask us a question!

The property has no suites, so the ‘upgrades’ available are simply for rooms on higher floors, which can also be set as an automatic request in your Marriott Bonvoy account. The largest rooms on property are corner rooms, though they are in very limited supply. I was given a bottle of essential oils as a welcome gift on top of the 1000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Location

Located in the heart of Surrey’s City Centre in British Columbia, Civic Hotel is near various shops and services, including the Central City shopping mall. It’s a short walk away with some big-box stores, like Walmart, Best Buy, and T&T Supermarket. The hotel is also in close proximity to various university and college campuses. For students who have exams or late-night events, an overnight stay here is a great opportunity to earn or start your loyalty program journey. Learn more about how students can earn and use loyalty program points!

Civic Hotel is also across from the Surrey City Centre public library branch, City Hall, and Surrey Central SkyTrain station. The train takes under 40 minutes to reach Downtown Vancouver, and depending on the time of day, it can be faster than driving.

Getting to Vancouver International Airport from the Civic Hotel is a bit of a hassle. The fastest way is to take a taxi or rideshare service, which takes around 30-40 minutes compared to over an hour on public transit.

Parking

Underground parking is available at a rate of $19.53 daily. Access is through an entrance on Central Avenue.

Room – 1 King Guest Room

Entering the room, I thought it looked smaller than a regular standard King room you would expect, though the bathroom area seemed larger than normal. If I were to book a room with a single Twin sized bed instead, it might make the room look a little more spacious. The room is quite open, with lots of light coming in from the floor to ceiling windows. 

The closet was the standard size you would find at most other hotels. It also housed the mini-fridge, ironing equipment, and a safe as well as bathrobes and an umbrella for rainy days. 

My room was facing west, which was perfect for watching sunsets. The window featured views of Surrey Public Library’s Central Branch in the middle and Surrey City Hall on the right. At night, a light show is shown on the side of the library, with a card located on the workspace desk detailing the artwork and what it means.

The large bathroom area had separate sections for the toilet, walk-in shower, and had a large countertop.

The coffeemaker was at the far end of the counter, across from the toilet, and water was provided in a flip-top glass bottle instead of plastic bottles.

Bathroom hand-washing amenities were supplied by Tallu & Co.

Restaurants

Dominion Bar + Kitchen – Marriott Bonvoy Elite Complimentary Breakfast

The complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Elite breakfast is served in the hotel’s restaurant, Dominion Bar + Kitchen. They offered a buffet selection of what you would typically see at a continental breakfast buffet, including scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausages, bacon, as well as cold foods like muffins, cereals, yogurt, and fruit juices.

The selection here was definitely much smaller than what I’ve seen at other Autograph Collection properties I’ve stayed at, including the Madi Paidi, which featured a breakfast buffet and a made-to-order menu you could choose from for no extra charge. The restaurant was quite empty, with only two other people eating while I was there at around 9 AM. The breakfast buffet is available every day from 6:30 to 10 AM.

Although it was never mentioned to me at check-in or when I entered the restaurant, you can pay extra to order from a curated menu, instead of the buffet.

Prado Cafe

Prado, a local coffee shop chain in Metro Vancouver, offers a variety of cafe beverages and baked goods. The hours are limited, closing every day at 5:00 PM. The Civic Hotel is also located in the same building as a local post-secondary campus, so it can be busy during the middle of the day. There are other coffee shops a short walk away as well; one inside the public library and one next to city hall, both across the pedestrian plaza from the hotel.

Facilities

Fitness Center

The Fitness Center is accessible 24/7 with a small selection of equipment, machines, and free weights. The changerooms and shower facilities are shared with pool users as well. There was a patio for the Fitness Center, though it was locked during my visit.

Pool

There is an outdoor “lap pool” and hot tub located on the property, though it was closed during my stay. Advertised as a rooftop pool, it isn’t located on the highest floor of the hotel, but on the fourth-floor patio. 

Conclusion

The Civic Hotel is great for those who don’t want to stay in Downtown Vancouver or have activities or things to do outside of the city. With adequate facilities and convenience to local attractions and public transportation in Surrey, this property is probably best suited for guests who have business or family in the area.