Vancouver - transporting 13 people

[newzandile]

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Our group of 13 people is staying at Greenbrier Hotel on Robson St. We have reservations the night before our cruise at 8:00 p.m. at The Teahouse in Stanley Park. I was originally going to make reservations for Cardero's cause that is easily walkable but they could only take us at 5:30 and that will be too early.

 

So, how to best move 13 people (who will have been on their feet all day) from Greenbrier to the Teahouse arriving by 7:50 and returning after dark?

 

Some walking is OK if it will be safe for the return but I know some in our group will not be up for a significant walk.

 

If two or three taxis are the best option can someone recommend a company? Or should we just let the hotel point us in the right direction?

 

Thanks!!!

[martincath]

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Our group of 13 people is staying at Greenbrier Hotel on Robson St. We have reservations the night before our cruise at 8:00 p.m. at The Teahouse in Stanley Park. I was originally going to make reservations for Cardero's cause that is easily walkable but they could only take us at 5:30 and that will be too early.

 

So, how to best move 13 people (who will have been on their feet all day) from Greenbrier to the Teahouse arriving by 7:50 and returning after dark?

 

Some walking is OK if it will be safe for the return but I know some in our group will not be up for a significant walk.

 

If two or three taxis are the best option can someone recommend a company? Or should we just let the hotel point us in the right direction?

 

Thanks!!!

Due to the legal minimum charges for all non-taxi-licensed car services, nobody can possibly give you a legal quote for less than it will cost to just jump in a few cabs. You simply don't have enough distance to cover to make the $75/hour, min 1 full hour charge a viable option. That's the going rate for towncar size limos - larger limos and minibuses cost more (and frankly I'd be surprised if you could get someone to arrange transport there and back without wanting wait time for the whole of dinner too!)

 

Prebook 3 cabs using their websites or apps or simply by calling in advance- we've had most success with timeliness using Vancouver Taxi, the orange fleet, but really there's not much to choose between them, MacLeans, Yellowcab etc and pricing is identical with all.

 

Minivan cabs are primarily set up for wheelchair users but there's normally a fold-down seat in the back, so they can take 5 pax each without luggage to worry about. All regular cabs will seat 4 - so 1 minivan and 2 regular cabs will do the job. From Greenbrier you're looking at about $16 per cab on the meter going, but only $12 on the way back (the one way road system in Stanley Park is problematic for the Teahouse). Roughly CAD$110 all in including tips for 3 cabs.

 

Personally I'd try for a resto closer to the hotel - your group size is problematic, but far from impossible to arrange a wide variety of restos for, provided you're willing to pay upfront for a minimum spend/deposit. Since it sounds like you're a group traveling together instead of a bunch of 'meet & greet' folks who don't know each other that shouldn't be too traumatic, and will open frankly better quality and/or better value restos than the Teahouse to you. They've been resting on their laurels for years, and the location drives up pricing despite comparatively few of their seats actually having views of anything beyond the bowling green and some trees - the sunset views they charge for in every dish are restricted to pretty much just the western window seats...

 

If you're set on getting a view and a fancy meal, try Cactus Club Cafe - their English bay location is easier to get to than Teahouse and was designed with sunset views in mind (split level, narrow, lots of glass), and Coal Harbour has views equivalent to Carderos across to the North Shore. They do take resos for groups. Superb bang for your buck - not cheap, but you can see every dollar on the plate (same pricing as their other branches without views).

 

Lift offers better food, a significantly better wine list by the glass for local wines, and again similar views to Carderos. higher pricepoint than CCC, but a bit classier. Again, they'll take group bookings - my wife used to have to go to Teahouse with a large client group every year (it was a decades-old tradition), finally persuaded them to swap to Lift once and literally every person agreed they would be rebooking Lift and never returning to Teahouse - despite them all detesting the Lift iPad menu system!

 

Super-close to your hotel (one block) if views are not required, Forage has been doing hyper-seasonal and hyper-local food for about three years now. menu isn't as broad as the other two options above, but if people are all onboard with the kind of food it's a superb choice for a very Vancouvery restaurant - and being based in a hotel, offers plenty of seats so a group of barely over a dozen should not be problematic.

Edited June 2, 2016 by martincath

[newzandile]

Thanks!!!! I'll definitely check out Lift and CCC! You are so helpful, I really appreciate all you do to facilitate people visiting Vancouver!

[newzandile]

So Lift won't take reservations for parties larger than 8 during their busy summer season. Cardero's can only seat us at 5:30 which is way too early given our schedule that day. I haven't called Cactus Club yet, I'd rather go somewhere that is uniquely Vancouver if possible instead of a chain restaurant but maybe I'm wrong in that?

 

Any other suggestions for places that are easily walkable from 1293 Robson St. for 13 people to have dinner?

[xlxo]

Joe Fortes is not far to walk for some good seafood.

 

On the cheap Asian option..... I like Hon's on the same block as your hotel. 30 years ago.... it meant Vancouver.

[martincath]

So Lift won't take reservations for parties larger than 8 during their busy summer season. Cardero's can only seat us at 5:30 which is way too early given our schedule that day. I haven't called Cactus Club yet, I'd rather go somewhere that is uniquely Vancouver if possible instead of a chain restaurant but maybe I'm wrong in that?

 

Any other suggestions for places that are easily walkable from 1293 Robson St. for 13 people to have dinner?

Did you try Forage? That and other in-hotel restos are generally a safe bet for larger groups as they are pretty much always set up to be able to handle functions. While odds are slim it's available, Five Sails (inside Pan Pacific) has a very nice private dining room that optimally seats 15, with set group menus available from under $90pp incl tax & tip - if everyone planned to have three courses at Teahouse you'd be looking at a similar pricepoint.

 

Unique, and definitely accepts groups, and close to your hotel (and good!) is otherwise a stretch, but I can think of another couple of alternatives - though they might be a little too niche for some in your group:

Fat Badger has one of my favourite chefs in charge, Neil Taylor, offering Brit gastropub fare unlike anywhere else in the city (homemade black pudding is stellar). Their private room is more than big enough to handle your group. About 500 yards walk.

 

Guu is technically a chain, but a small and very Vancouver-focused one. Their original location is an even shorter walk away and does take resos for groups your size - on Opentable even. Izakayas are sort of Japanese Tapas Pubs - as well as the stuff everyone knows (sushi, noodles) they have a broader range of food - have a look at the menu, they're in English too, to see if this might suit your group

 

Joe Fortes, similar distance to Guu, is a 'one off' spot that accepts groups (even have some set menu options) - while I lump them in with Sequoia restos (somewhat-overpriced-because-they-are-famous) they have adapted better to changing tastes, especially to the pretty new Happy Hour concept (unfortunately you won't be able to take advantage of that great pricing when you make a reso). And given you were considering Teahouse, the pricing here is definitely within your budget and the location is a LOT more convenient.

 

If you can find a unique spot, great, but I would not write off CCC (or any other chain) purely because they are a chain.

[Urban trekker]

If you want a restaurant that is a Vancouver tradition albeit now a large chain then head to the White Spot on Georgia - the chain started back in 1928 and now has several generations of families eating at there various locations - the Georgia street location has a large dining area off to one side that should be able to accommodate your large group - here's a link to their website:

http://www.whitespot.ca

The also have the Pirate Packs for the youngsters and while they don't advertise it they have a few items for the 55 +crowd - regular items - just smaller portions.

 

Just one suggestion from a native Vancouver who spent many a day with friends sipping on a milkshake at one location or having legendary burger platter at another.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[martincath]

^Very true Dennis. I was pitching at a fancier level since the originally-mentioned restos were Teahouse and Carderos, but if OPs group don't need to go with higher-end grub then White Spot would definitely be a very good option for them.