I’m looking out at a sea of red and white ahead of Canada’s historic FIFA World Cup match against Switzerland. But I’m not in the stadium stands. Instead, I’m 21 floors up, inside a room at Vancouver’s “Last Mile” hotel.
Just a stone’s throw from BC Place, the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver might be the closest you can get to the match without actually being there.
Starting at check-in, the lobby has been transformed by a massive three-dimensional soccer ball built entirely out of flowers, including fresh and silk blooms, moss and succulents. The towering, limited-time installation is part of “Garden of Goals,” from Fleurs de Villes.
View this post on Instagram
Most rooms here have a stadium view, so instead of fighting for sight lines, you can watch the crowd gather from above, the grounds of BC Place inside the gates turning into one long pregame party. You’re close enough to hear the chants through the glass (“Oh Canada” heard twice so far, an hour out from the match), yet far enough to choose your own adventure and vantage point on game day.
The Last Mile route itself has become a must-do for FIFA visitors to Vancouver. It kicks off near Main Street–Science World station, where the building’s iconic geodesic dome has gotten an epic and photogenic glow-up as a giant FIFA ball, then winds along the seawall and Expo Blvd. The route is packed with activations: face painting, a pop-up soccer game for kids and adults alike, and a beer garden with live music on the north side of Science World, overlooking False Creek.
The route ends just steps from the hotel and the stadium alike, so by the time fans arrive, they’ve already journeyed through an hour or more of street-party energy, live bands and a horse-led parade before the match even gets underway.
The hotel has built itself into the tournament, too. The 17th floor rooftop JW Garden patio with panoramic views of BC Place and the Vancouver skyline has a Summer of Soccer feature menu and live music on weekends and game days, while the Sportsbook Lounge offers a 50-foot screen and jersey giveaways for every Canada match.
So even without a ticket to the game, you can get a front row seat to the World Cup frenzy of action unfolding in downtown Vancouver.
