Holiday Inn D'town Vancouver?

[mocro]

We're looking forward to 2 days of pre-cruise fun in August. My husband stays at a "nice" Holiday Inn for business in Seattle and has offered to try to get us a good rate at the d'town Vancouver Holiday Inn + Tower on Howe Street. Has anyone stayed there? We're sailing out of Ballantyne so that'll be a cab ride, but I'd like the hotel to be in a nice area and walking distance to some sights. I'm also considering trying Priceline for the first time in an effort to secure a 4*. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[sweetcruiser106]

I didn't stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown but we caught the Quick Shuttle down to Seattle there. The hotel lobby was very nice and the staff was excellent (very nice to us and we didn't even stay there). It is very well located. Sorry I can't give you more info. Hope this helps a little.:o

Anne

[weathermom]

I've never stayed there either but I drive past it on my way home every day. It always looks clean & well cared for. It's quite close to the granville street bridge. easy walking distance to the trendy "yaletown" part of town.

also, for a fun outing that most tourist don't know about.. you could easily walk to either of 2 false creek ferry dock son the north side of false creek & hop the ferries to Granville island... or to other places like the maritime museum, gorgeous kits beach, or scienceworld. http://www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca/map.html

 

have fun... we're having great weather right now... take a look at

http://www.katkam.ca/

[bayview97]

I'm also considering trying Priceline for the first time in an effort to secure a 4*. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

We will be in Vancouver Sunday night. After hearing about $60/night 4* downtown hotels last year thru Priceline, we tried for months to get a similar deal but no luck. We went ahead and booked the Hampton on Robson for about $155/night. It is away from the downtown area but gets great ratings on TripAdvisor. Then, yesterday one of our fellow cruisers posted in our rollcall her successful bid of $110 thru Priceline which was the Marriott Pinnacle downtown. So, I also bid last night and got the same hotel for $101. This is cutting it close but were within the Hampton's 24 hr cancellation window. Because there are only 2 zones in Vancouver with 4* hotels, you can use a free rebid strategy to get extra bids to get to your price. Good luck with your search.

[mocro]

Thanks so much for our advice and for the great webcam. What a beautiful city! My husband has been and loves Vancouver and I can't wait.

 

I'm thinking we might go w/the Holiday Inn as it seems central and my husband in their hyper-elite program - whatever it's called - I bet we'll get a great room. I'd like to try PriceLine but we're thinking that for only 2 nights, why not pay the extra $200 (figuring we'd get a $100 PriceLine rate instead of the $200ish Holiday Inn rate) and not stress?

 

But we definitely plan to try PriceLine when it's just the 2 of us instead of this trip when our teen's w/us. I'm a bit concerned about the PriceLine policy that you are only guaranteed a room for 2. I know we can call the hotel and ask for 2 beds but I'm all about no stressing. Thanks again. I'll be watching the webcam!

[Kallen]

Have just returned from a 5 day business trip to Vancouver and we stayed at the Holiday Inn. The rooms are neat and clean, the staff is excellent and they take good care of the building. They have a small indoor pool and his and hers saunas and an exercise area, but no hot tub (bummer!). The restaurant is a bit pricy but they have a breakfast buffet for $13 (say hi to Jessie, the best waiter in the place). It is approx. 7 blocks from the downtown part of the harbour front, certainly walkable (did it twice per day) but not while carrying suitcases. Speak to the ladies at the concierge booth in the lobby and they will make arrangements for all kinds of tours, dinner reservations, taxis, etc. for free and are worth their weight in gold as they made our lives much easier and made several last minute arrangements for us. The Grey line buses pick you up at the hotel door. Take the two hour harbour cruise or catch the Grey Line tour to the fish hatchery, suspension bridge and up Grouse Mountain if you want a half day trip definitely worth the time and money. Make sure you have your camera for that one! Avoid Gastown and Chinatown right now as there is a lot of construction and it is a rough area in the evenings and late in the afternoon and not a place to go walking.