Vancouver hotel help

[Dirtyoldad]

Hi All, I'm trying to pick a moderate priced hotel in Vancouver. We'll be there overnight following our cruise. Which part of the city is best-downtown or by the airport. Our flight home is around 11 AM the following day.

 

Also, can one get around the city easily withour a rental car or should I rent ??

 

Ideas for must sees and must does in the limited time we have there??

 

Thanks

[Yukon]

We're staying at the St. Regis post-cruise - a historic hotel close to Gastown, a part of town I really enjoy. No need for a rental car - there's lots to see and do in a fairly small area (a short cab ride at the most). Our tour spots this trip (2 nights, 1 each direction) are Gastown, Granville Island Market, the ferry over to North Vancouver, and English Bay for walking).

 

Murray

[grouchy]

a great deal on Hotels.Go to http://www.betterbidding.com and check out how to do it.

 

Yukon-did you check out the St. Regis? Have you stayed there before? It is NOT in the best area of town and the hotel is right by The Salvation Army and soup kitchen.

[Yukon]

>>Yukon-did you check out the St. Regis?<<

 

I did check it out, and from the reviews it looks like a very good value (and Cathy and I both really like historic hotels).

 

Murray

[hotmike98]

Hotel Sylvia at English Bay is a classic old hotel; haven't been there in a while, but rates were reasonable, and it's near Stanley Park and several nice restaurants.

 

Pre priceline, and because we flew in standby to get cheap rates (airline employee relative) we arrived at the airport without reservations in 2001. We booked a limo into town, along with a very nice room (which the hotel upgraded to bay view) at what is now the Fairmont. It's right across from the dock, and the hotel delivered our luggage to the ship. I believe we got it for $134 CN per night (current expedia price is over $300). Anyway, if you are willing to take a riskon availability and price, we found the travel desk (outside of customs) to be worthwhile.

[Serious Cruisers]

As someone who lives downtown I would not recommend The Regis to any tourists...not the best part of town. Even I don't go down there!

[Starbuck1]

I would have to agree with Serious - we lived in Vancouver for 15 years, and I wouldn't opt to stay near Gastown after dark...

 

The Granville Island Hotel is in a great central location - it lets you explore the awesome Island Market, shops and restaurants - all right there and within easy walking distance. They often have online deals.

 

From the hotel, take the aquabus - small shuttles that take you all over the place! http://www.aquabus.bc.ca/home.html. It's $11 for an all day adult pass ($8 for kids).

• Hop across to funky, trendy Yaletown - great shopping, pubs & restaurants. Urban Fare is the coolest food market/cafe you've ever been to - it reminds me of Dean & Delucca. Go there for lunch.
  
• Hop another boat to Science World.
  
• or even one more boat to Hornby Street (downtown)
  

:cool: Starbuck

[Yukon]

I remember the St. Regis from the days when I drove taxi in Vancouver (I lived there for 40 years). BUT, I'm going to go by the reviews at Yahoo Travel, and the hotel's Web site that indicate that its dramatically different than it was 30 years ago - if I'm wrong, I'll be lettin' ya know!!

 

Murray

[Serious Cruisers]

Earlier this week there was a story in the news about Seymour St. (the street corner that The Regis is on) the stores on that street are moving out - due to the fact that the drug dealers have now made this there new home!

They were showing them selling drugs during the day - this is a popular street during the day -downtown core with lots of office people. Would not want to be there after the offices close.

[Yukon]

The position of the St. Regis is no different than many hotels in Anchorage, including the Historic Anchorage Hotel, the Holiday Inn or the Sheraton, all of which I stay at regularly.

 

Murray

[Starbuck1]

Yukon - If you're comfortable staying there, that's great. If you drove a cab for 40 years in Vancouver, you probably aren't afraid of anything!

 

But for others - especially those not familiar with the city - I could not in good concience tell anyone to stay downtown near Dunsmuir and Seymour. During the day Gastown/Downtown may not be too bad... but there are just so many better locations to be in. DirtyDad didn't say if he was travelling with kids.

 

I'm all for getting a good deal - but for $89CDN/night - that's IMHO considered pretty cheap accomodation in the city... perhaps you need to ask why?

 

:cool: Starbuck

[rerepunim]

The Westin is lovely.........

[BCHappyGal]

Being a local I also would not stay at the Regis - if you like historic hotels try the Sylvia - to get a good deal try Priceline.com

[Yukon]

>>...to get a good deal try Priceline.com<<

 

Only Americans can use Priceline :(

 

"You do not have to reside in the U.S. to make a reservation; however, the debit or credit card you use to make your reservation must have a U.S. billing address."

[Urban trekker]

The Salvation army has moved out of there Dunsmuir place location - it is now a hostel for international travellers.

 

Dennis

[Pugdog007]

I'm worried now because we're staying at The Hyatt and it is near Gastown too. I got $75/night on Priceline so I can't change it :(

[GloriaF]

We got Sheraton Wall Center on priceline as well. I'm hoping the downtown area where the major hotels are is not a problem. And I doubt it is. Sometimes a block can make all the difference in the world in cities -- so close to Gastown isn't in Gastown. Fodor's or Frommer's (can't recall which) warned against being in Gastown after the stores/offices closed, but didn't have any such warnings for downtown.

[LovinCruisn]

Any comments about the Comfort Inn/Downtown Vancouver? I'm staying there with my hubby & 4 teenagers the night before our cruise. Was told by TA that they would pick us up at airport and take us to ship. Won't arrive until 8:45 pm, so probably not much time to do anything that evening. ROS 7/15/05

[Dirtyoldad]

OK, this may be a dumb question, but how do you know before giving your charge number just which hotel you are going to get?? It seems to me that they want you to kind of bid blindly- Just offering a star rateing and neighborhood... Advice??

 

Thanks

[jbrecalde]

Bidding blind is exactly what you have to do. I have used priceline quite a few times, and I've never been unhappy with the results. I always go 4 stars. I have never recieved a bad hotel or one that I havn't heard of. A few times they have bumped me up to 5 star hotels even though I only bid on 4 stars. So far, I've stayed at a hilton, four seasons, westin, and 2 sheratons through priceline. I'll be staying at the Sheraton in downtown vancouver for $80.00 purchased on priceline.

 

The other nice thing about staying there is that the airporter has a stop there, so I can take the airporter bus instead of paying for a cab from the airport.

 

Good Luck

[GloriaF]

Priceline does have a new feature now where hotel names and prices are shown so you can shop and compare -- but it isn't as cheap as the bidding blind concept.

 

We, too, have used PL for 2 years and always came up with a nice hotel. It's kind of scary and fun at the same time :)

[Guest enjoycruises]

We are staying at the Hampton Inn (on Robson) for 2 nites pre-cruise and found out some others who will be sailing with us will be there too.