Vancouver Hotel and Cab questions

[misha1]

I currently have a reservation at Days Inn downtown Vancouver for the end of our Alaskan cruise. I went with our TA advice and let her book this. Now, I am hearing about much lower prices being offered on Priceline for 4 star hotels. Is this hotel (Days Inn) a nice place? Are the 4 star hotels offered through Priceline nicer? Are they far away from any interesting sites? And, do cabs take US dollars or do I need to exchange for Canadian? Thanks

[DrKoob]

First, we are big time Vancouver visitors (living in Seattle) and you don't say what you are paying for the Day's Inn. We have done very well using Hotwire. com. I have a real problem with Priceline because their geographic areas are so big. For instance, in Seattle they include the airport as part of downtown when in reality is 25 miles south. Try Hotwire and check the hotels in the entertainment district. You should be able to get the Sheraton Wall Center or the Sutton Place Hotel (both 5 stars) for less than $150 Canadian. (Which right now is about par.)

 

The Day's Inn in downtown Vancouver is blocks from the cruise terminal, so it is in a nice area with plenty to see and do. From there you can walk to Gastown (where Vancouver was founded) and to the Robson shopping district. Lots to see and do. Take a cab (for less than $10) to Granville Island and Stanley Park. You will love it.

[Leela]

I don't know if cabs take US dollars...I kind of doubt it but I can't say for sure. A cab from Vancouver airport to the Four Seasons (and Crowne Plaza, because they are across the street from each other) cost us $32 CDN including tip. Obviously other hotels in other locations might cost more or less. If you got $40 CDN you'd be covered for a one-way trip to places near the pier (Canada Place).

[DrKoob]

Never had a problem getting Vancouver cabs to take US dollars. They always do. And since we are almost at par it should be no problem at all. We were there last weekend and everyone took US money just like it was Canadian.

[gratefulguy]

A reminder that there are two different pier areas--check to see if your particular sailing uses Canada Place (the most convenient, IMO), or Ballantyne. Although Ballantyne isn't but a few miles from Canada Place, it's in the middle of an industrial area and not close to most of the hotels. I had a $12.CDN cab ride from Ballantyne to a hotel on Davie--not a lot, but took 30 minutes to get to the front of the cab line after debarkation at the pier. Hope you get to spend a few days in the Vancouver area--lots to see and do.

[jb_yvr]

And, do cabs take US dollars or do I need to exchange for Canadian? Thanks

 

You can always pay for your cab using your Visa card. Some cab companies ask that you tell them that you want to pay by visa when you get in.

 

Also keep in mind, just about every shop will take US cash, just don't expect your change to be in US - it will be in Canadian cash.

 

If you want to get Candian cash, then withdraw from a bank ATM in Canada using your regular US bank ATM card - that will give you the best possible rate at the least possible cost.

[B-May]

I see the Days Inn from my office window and have frequented the restaurants downstairs in the hotel. I have not seen the rooms at the Days Inn but personally I would not stay there, nor book any of our guests in there (we use the Renaissance Harbourside because of its costs and the view of the harbour). Yes it is in a good location but it doesn't look the nicest compared to all the other hotels in the area. I know their prices get high in the summer but definitely NOT worth spending over $100 Cdn. for! If you do stay there and need a meal, don't eat there, opt for Moose's Down Under across the street. It's a restaurant/pub with great food, even open for breakfast.

[Cruise Junky]

I see the Days Inn from my office window.

 

Hey neighbour....I also overlook the Days Inn. I wonder if we're in the same building.

[ASUWife]

I see the Days Inn from my office window and have frequented the restaurants downstairs in the hotel. I have not seen the rooms at the Days Inn but personally I would not stay there, nor book any of our guests in there (we use the Renaissance Harbourside because of its costs and the view of the harbour). Yes it is in a good location but it doesn't look the nicest compared to all the other hotels in the area. I know their prices get high in the summer but definitely NOT worth spending over $100 Cdn. for! If you do stay there and need a meal, don't eat there, opt for Moose's Down Under across the street. It's a restaurant/pub with great food, even open for breakfast.

 

We stayed at the Renaissance Harbourside both before and after our cruise to Alaska in 2001. We found it on Priceline, and believe it or not, got it for $60 a night!!! It is a wonderful hotel, and there are lots of great restaurants close by.

 

I love Vancouver!!! I went to college in Bellingham, WA, so was a frequent vistor...fell in love with it so much that we're going back this summer.

 

Becky

[B-May]

Cruise Junky, I'm in Bentall 1 and face Burrard Street - and you? small world eh?

 

Betty

[Cruise Junky]

Cruise Junky, I'm in Bentall 1 and face Burrard Street - and you? small world eh?

 

Betty

 

Across the street from you at 510 Burrard. The one with Scotiabank at the bottom. Very small world!!

[elena7seas]

I see the Days Inn from my office window and have frequented the restaurants downstairs in the hotel. I have not seen the rooms at the Days Inn but personally I would not stay there, nor book any of our guests in there (we use the Renaissance Harbourside because of its costs and the view of the harbour). Yes it is in a good location but it doesn't look the nicest compared to all the other hotels in the area. I know their prices get high in the summer but definitely NOT worth spending over $100 Cdn. for! If you do stay there and need a meal, don't eat there, opt for Moose's Down Under across the street. It's a restaurant/pub with great food, even open for breakfast.

 

I would have to agree with B-Day. I had to "rescue" a distressed collegue who had been booked into the Days Inn by her TA. My friend was very upset with her room, which she described as "airless and grim" and with the overall feeling in the hotel. She was very happy when I moved her over to the Renaissance Harbourside...a couple of blocks west, but still close to Canada Place. You might want to take a look at the comments on Tripadvisor for the Days Inn Vancouver Downtown before making your final decision.

 

Wherever you decide to stay, I hope you have a lovely time in our city.

[cechase]

Interesting thread. We do not book on priceline or hotels.com, because we wish to know where we are staying and in what kind of room. Hell, it is our vacation.

 

For our cruise on Infinity for 10 nights to Alaska embarking on 9/3/2006, we have a Alaska Cruise Package at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel. From what I have read here and else where, we can just walk from our hotel and check in with Celebrity. The package includes a late checkout, breakfast for two, transfer to Ballentye Pier [ugg - Infinity is supposed to dock at Canada Place], and luggage transfer to Canada Place Pier.

 

Any comments on Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel? Sure, we are paying more, but what better way to start a great cruise.

[DrKoob]

Well you are right, you paid a pretty penny. I have never heard of a single night at the Pan Pacific for less than $300 a night. You will love it. It is a very classy hotel.

 

I do agree with you that I won't book on Priceline but I have no problem with Hotwire. If you tell me that I can get a 5 star hotel between certain streets, then if I (or someone else knows the city) then I can tell you exactly which hotel it is. So, if you book a five star hotel in the Entertainment district in Vancouver then I can tell you that you will either get the Sheraton Wall Center or Sutton Place. Both are wonderful. Not Pan Pacific level, but nice.

 

Hotwire, Priceline, etc. sell left over convention hotel rooms so you will never get a room at a place like the Pan Pacific.

 

And another note to an earlier poster. If you are sailing Infinity or Summit, they both go out of Canada Place so you won't going down to Ballantine pier.

[elena7seas]

The Pan Pacific is a lovely location for a cruise ship departure as it is located right at the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal. (If you are looking for the convenience factor of the hotel's location, be sure that you are not departing from the Ballantyre pier, which is very close to Canada Place as the crow flies, but a little further by cab...about 1.5 miles from the Pan Pacific). You can see the relationship of the two cruise ship terminals at the following:

 

http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/maps/mapPortVan.pdf

 

The Pan Pacific Hotel is very nice....take a look at the pictures on www.tripadvisor.com ... they reflect pretty well what things look like, and the travellers' candid photos have some shots of the hotel's cuisine. There are a lot of pictures on the hotel's website as well:

 

http://vancouver.panpacific.com/hotel/photo_01.html

 

The style of the Pan Pacific leans toward modern and simple, and uses the wonderful view as part of its design. Try to get a harbour/mountain view room if you can.

 

We have eaten many times in the different venues at the hotel, and food has always been very good.

 

The area is safe and very "walkable". There is lots of shopping within easy walking distance.

 

Hope you have a wonderful vacation!

[cechase]

Elena7Seas, thank you very very much. While I have been to Vancouver before and stayed at the Sutton Place Hotel, my DW has never been there, and wanted her to have a marvelous experience. Showed her your post, and she just beamed!! :D

[cechase]

DrKoob, thanks for the response. Was pretty certain that Infinity would depart from Canada Place, but was uncertain after reading some posts.

 

We just have a different take on things from many others who post here, with both of us being retired, being comfortably off financially, and I love to surprise and pamper my DW whom I love so much. I ensure that she has a royal suite with a butler, and derive my pleasure from her always saying "wow". When we come back from cruises in Fort Lauderdale, we always spend a night in the tower at Hyatt's Pier 66, which has huge balconys from which you can see the Atlantic Ocean, and all of the waterways. It is priced around the same as the Pan Pacific. In fact, that will be where we are staying when we get back from our December cruise.

 

The smile you get is priceless!

[jaxon41]

We stayed at the Sheraton Wall Centre last fall, pre cruise. I thought it was very nice with the best bed I have ever had at a hotel. It's kind of a long story, but I didn't use hotwire or priceline because we booked far out, with friends in tow, and I wanted to be able to cancel without penalty. Booked on the Sheraton site, carefully reading the cancellation policy. As luck would have it, our friends got their flight arrangements messed up and couldn't use the reservation and the hotel wouldn't allow a cancellation -- over a month out -- contrary to their web site policy. Some wrangling later, the hotel finally relented for our friends, but we, hubby and I, were stuck with a room I could have gotten on hotwire at a fraction of the cost I paid. I would do the 5 star thing in the entertainment district, as suggested, on Hotwire, if I had to do it over.

[misha1]

Okay, I tried Hotwire and they don't tell you which hotel you are getting ahead of time just like Priceline. Am I missing something? They give me 2 hotel choices in the entertainment district. One is a 4 star for 196 dollars (I presume, as it does not say Canadian) and the other is a 2.5 star. I can get the Sheraton for 180 US on the internet but it is non-cancellable. Is the Sheraton very far from the "sites" of Vancouver?

[Cruise Junky]

Sheraton's in a pretty good location and if you get a high floor the view is amazing. It's only one block off Robson St.

[smvthecpa]

We took Royal Carribean from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver and stayed overnite in Vancover, but by the airport! We booked thru Priceline a 3 star hotel by the airport with free transfer from the hotel to the airport! saved lots of dough. Better still, at the Vancouver cruise terminal, the City had free luggage transfer from the terminal to our airport hotel.

Fantastic benefit. We immediately explored the city of Vancouver the entire day.

At the end of the day, we simply boarded a city bus for $2.00 from downtown Vancouver and was dropped off a block from our hotel by the airport. Our luggage was already at the hotel. Just awesome! Not having to schlep the luggage!

Better still, we were across the street from a fantastic chinese restaurant and ate dinner there, as we were exhausted.

The next morning we boarded our free hotel shuttle to the airport. Don't you love free?

 

Isn't it time you saved money? and the city bus ride for $2.00 to the hotel, an approximate 15 mile ride only cost $2.00 and spent out time meeting very friendly Vancouverians who couldn't stop talking to us.

It was a great way to see different parts of the City.

[DrKoob]

Okay, I tried Hotwire and they don't tell you which hotel you are getting ahead of time just like Priceline. Am I missing something? They give me 2 hotel choices in the entertainment district. One is a 4 star for 196 dollars (I presume, as it does not say Canadian) and the other is a 2.5 star. I can get the Sheraton for 180 US on the internet but it is non-cancellable. Is the Sheraton very far from the "sites" of Vancouver?

 

Yes, you don't get to see what hotel you get. I would not book anything (ever) under four stars. And $196 is too high for a non-refundable in my book. Vancouver prices jump dramatically on certain nights in the summer because of all the cruise business.