Hotels
Note: I give descriptions and reviews of several hotels in
the "Vancouver Online Booking " section (click the banner below). I am trying to expand the section so
please E-Mail me with any comments, positive or
negative, you have on Hotels you have used, so I can add them to that section,
so others can benefit.
Hotels in Vancouver tend to be expensive,
especially downtown and especially in the summer. If you are not
into the Hostel scene, it is possible to find Hotels that won't
break the bank. A lot of people recommend the Sylvia (1154
Gilford, 604-681-9321) in the West End. Its an older renovated
Hotel right on the beach, close to downtown. I find it a little
dark inside, but this is due to its age and style. At $65-$125 a
night for rooms or around $175 for suites, its quite reasonable
for Vancouver, and you can't beat the location. The Hotel is not
included in my online booking section, so you will have to try
and make reservations by phone or mail if you wish to stay there,
or visit their web site at the link below. To find cheaper
places, you have to head out into the suburbs. Surrey, Coquitlam,
Burnaby or New Westminister are probably the best bets. There are
several cheaper Hotels stretching along the King George Highway
in Surrey between 64th Ave. and 108th Ave. I have seen most of
them advertised at about $50 a night and many look quite
decent. Access to downtown is easy. Just take the King George Bus
to the Skytrain Station (rapid transit) and transfer to downtown,
or if you have a car, drive to Scott Road Park and Ride, just
before you reach the bridge after going down the steep hill on
the King George Highway. This lot is patrolled, so its reasonably
safe. If you are travelling by car from the States, simply exit
off the Freeway at the second exit (down the hill) and go north (to
the right) on the King George highway, until you reach the Motel Strip.
Mid range price accommodation can also be found in the Metrotown
area of Burnaby, near the Skytrain station of the same name. You
can book a number of suburban Hotels through my on-line booking.
Click the banner above at the upper right & select "Suburban".
There is also a new 392 room Hotel in the
Airport Terminal. State of the art but quite pricey. Its called
the Fairmount and will put you back $200 to $300 Canadian a night.
Budget travelers might want to consider the Patricia. The
problem with this hotel is the area it is in, not the Hotel itself, which is
clean and renovated. The area borders on skid row, but safe enough. I
would have no problem with it, but if your expecting the downtown shopping
district with an ocean view, you will be disappointed. prices range from around
$50 to $100 a night. The hotel is convenient to Gastown & Chinatown. There is a
link in the table below.
If you would like to be closer to the mountains & want a
quiet, comfortable, reasonably priced (about $100), consider the Holiday Inn
in North Vancouver. See the link in the table below. This hotel is best if you
have a car, since it is not close to frequent transit. This is one of my
personal recommendations.
Also recommended, is the Century Plaza on Burrard Street in
downtown. This older 30 storey high-rise hotel looks a bit dingy on the outside,
the hallways are a bit dark & grungy, due to age of hotel, but all the rooms
have been redone and are fantastic. I believe they all have full kitchen
facilities. This hotel has high marks for staff courtesy and it is conveniently
located in walking distance of most attractions. I have a comment from one
visitor in my Vancouver Online Booking section.
If you want to be out of the downtown core, you might also
consider the Metrotown Hilton in Burnaby. This new hotel is located next to the
largest mall in the Vancouver & is on the Expo line of the Skytrain rapid
transit system. I was impressed with the staff at this Hotel.
