Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

Putterdude,

Thank you VERY MUCH! I'll check them out.

Burtie

Just wanted to let you know what I found out--parking at Canada Place for 14 days was $347.21. Two rooms, parking, transfers for 4 to Canada Place and transfers for 4 back to hotel totaled $307.32. This is for a hotel at the airport and/or one in Burnaby.

Thanks again for the info.

Burtie

Well when you spread the cost over 4 people you don't save a ton and you have to weigh that against the convenience of having your car a Canada Place and being able to leave directly from the ship....but then again it depends whose $40 it is. Just grist for the mill.:)

Oops, just dawned on me coming from Spokane you were likely going to need two rooms anyway....so it was a bit like hitting the jackpot for you....I think.

Yes, it was a good savings, well over $100 THANKS to YOU!!!

Thanks again,

Burtie

:confused:Help ! can you tell me do you use american dollars in Vancouver or will i need to get Canadian dollars for using on the busses etc ?

In Vancouver we do not use $US as it is not legal currency in Canada however it is widely accepted by merchants and services as a courtesy to visitors. About the only place you can't use it is on transit. If you are going to be in the city for any length of time you would be advised to get some $CDN when you get here either by exchanging your $US at a Canadian bank or at one of their ATMs.

Putterdude:

We will be taking the coastal cruise from Vancouver on 9/29/12. We will be coming into town on the 27th and need information about possible hotels. We would like to be closer to town, but so far the amount is too much for us. I am looking for suggestions. Right now, we have booked an airport hotel (Best Western airport on Bridgeport Rd.) and plan to use the sky train for transportation downtown since we only have 1 day to spend in the downtown area. Does this sound feasible? Do you know what the cost for sky train is? Do you have any suggestions? We planned to ride the HOHO all day Fri. the 30th. It seems to go pretty many places. We have never spent time in Vancouver and have just begun to research. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sandy

We will be taking the coastal cruise from Vancouver on 9/29/12. We will be coming into town on the 27th and need information about possible hotels. We would like to be closer to town, but so far the amount is too much for us. I am looking for suggestions. Right now, we have booked an airport hotel (Best Western airport on Bridgeport Rd.) and plan to use the sky train for transportation downtown since we only have 1 day to spend in the downtown area. Does this sound feasible? Do you know what the cost for sky train is? Do you have any suggestions? We planned to ride the HOHO all day Fri. the 30th. It seems to go pretty many places. We have never spent time in Vancouver and have just begun to research. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Skytrain from Bridgeport station will be $3.75 into downtown (two zones). For not much more than a couple of rides, you could buy a day pass for $9 (good on Skytrain/Bus/Seabus), which would get you everywhere the HoHo goes, plus a lot more (like QE park, the UBC Grounds/Museums, and Capilano/Grouse Mountain).

Another area that's an option for hotels is listed as the 'city hall' area, Broadway and Cambie, just south of downtown, and also on the Canada Line Skytrain line from the airport.

Scottbee: Wow! Thanks for the tips. Those were good ideas. I'll get right on it.

Sandy

Putterdude:

 

We will be taking the coastal cruise from Vancouver on 9/29/12. We will be coming into town on the 27th and need information about possible hotels. We would like to be closer to town, but so far the amount is too much for us. I am looking for suggestions. Right now, we have booked an airport hotel (Best Western airport on Bridgeport Rd.) and plan to use the sky train for transportation downtown since we only have 1 day to spend in the downtown area. Does this sound feasible? Do you know what the cost for sky train is? Do you have any suggestions? We planned to ride the HOHO all day Fri. the 30th. It seems to go pretty many places. We have never spent time in Vancouver and have just begun to research. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Sandy

The River Rock Casino/Hotel is another one in Richmond right next to a Canada Line Station. Sometimes they have pretty good rates.

Putterdude:

 

We will be taking the coastal cruise from Vancouver on 9/29/12. We will be coming into town on the 27th and need information about possible hotels. We would like to be closer to town, but so far the amount is too much for us. I am looking for suggestions. Right now, we have booked an airport hotel (Best Western airport on Bridgeport Rd.) and plan to use the sky train for transportation downtown since we only have 1 day to spend in the downtown area. Does this sound feasible? Do you know what the cost for sky train is? Do you have any suggestions? We planned to ride the HOHO all day Fri. the 30th. It seems to go pretty many places. We have never spent time in Vancouver and have just begun to research. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Sandy

I have stayed at the Best Western on Bridgeport and it is just fine for a night or two. I certainly am a fan of the HOHOs and am inclined to recommend the Vancouver Trolley for its live narration...with the others its is canned. Your SkyTrain fare will be $3.75 each way.

Scottbee: Wow! Thanks for the tips. Those were good ideas. I'll get right on it.

 

Sandy

Also, Skytrain is even cheaper evenings/weekends, $2.50 (it's all one zone)

and if you are over 65 our cashed strapped, highly subsidized, transit system graciously extends reduced fares to you...you don't even have to live here, we are very accommodating people.:D Lower fares are also extended to those children between 5 & 13 and those under 5 are free. Here is a link to the fare schedule:

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Single-Fares.aspx

Thanks, Putterdude. I'm soaking up all these tips. Looks like we have our airport hotel. Sky train and buses should do us the best. We will probably go the HOHO for the narration, since we know nothing about Vancouver. Getting more excited about the trip every day.

Sandy

We tried the Adonis restaurant, and loved it. I had the calamari dinner - it looked like a serving platter brought out & not a dinner plate. Absolutely delicious & reasonable. It could have easily served two. My son ordered a lamb dish & loved it as well.

Scottbee: Wow! Thanks for the tips. Those were good ideas. I'll get right on it.

You're more than welcome, enjoy your stay in Vancouver.

Thanks, Putterdude. I'm soaking up all these tips. Looks like we have our airport hotel. Sky train and buses should do us the best. We will probably go the HOHO for the narration, since we know nothing about Vancouver. Getting more excited about the trip every day.

 

Sandy

Your very welcome, we are getting excited about having you.:)

Ah the Adonis - a little Gem on Granville - the owner use to be a cook at Stepho's on Davie until he started his own restaurant - I don't get there enough but I usually have the Rack of lamb - I am a big eater but can hardly finish that meal and the pricing is great as well. My regular eating partner also likes calamari and rarely is able to finish the whole meal - most times doggy-bagging it.

Question - did you find it while walking along the street or did someone at the hotel recommend it.

Cheers

Dennis

Ah the Adonis - a little Gem on Granville - the owner use to be a cook at Stepho's on Davie until he started his own restaurant - I don't get there enough but I usually have the Rack of lamb - I am a big eater but can hardly finish that meal and the pricing is great as well. My regular eating partner also likes calamari and rarely is able to finish the whole meal - most times doggy-bagging it.

 

Question - did you find it while walking along the street or did someone at the hotel recommend it.

Several pages back I believe you recommended it, it wasn't open late enough for the evening we arrived but worked out great for the next day. But I didn't know where it was - navigation isn't my strong suit. I asked the staff in the lobby of the BW & they pointed which direction to go. Anyway thanks for the help!

Yes - now I remember making that reference and glad you enjoyed your meal there. This getting old brain of mine sometimes needs to be reminded.

In your review on the White Spot you sorta hinted about the curry and how it got the award winning label - a couple of years ago the head Chef for the White Spot chain got together with some of the leading chefs here in Vancouver and each created either a special dish for the White Spot or adapted one of their own restaurant meals to White Spot criteria - it had heavy TV exposure and was a big success - some of the items are now part of the regular menu. I asked a friend of mine and he says that dish was created by the chef and owner of Bishop's restaurant and that they have won some awards.

I haven't tried that dish as I am not into curry very much and I am not a foodie so I don't know if it that good or not.

Cheers

Dennis

I just wanted to pop back in and thank all of you for the wonderful information you have provided.

We just returned from our wonderful cruise to Hawaii ending in Vancouver. We stayed at the Hampton Inn on Robson Street and would recommend it to anyone. It was just a few blocks to the HOHO trolley, which we used.

Your city is absolutely breathtaking and we are really looking forward to returning.

Thank you all once again! :D

Thanks for the great words about our city - we here locals often take our beauty etc for granted so it is nice to here it from those who come a visiting - probably helped that the sun shone most of the weekend and the mountains still have most of there above normal snowpack on display.

Cheers

Dennis

We're planning a meet & greet on the forward balcony of the Island Princess as we leave Vancouver on May 23. It has been mentioned that we may want to wave to Putterdude for all his kind help - when & where do we need to look for you? Unless, of course, you are on your own cruise that day!:D

Not sure if any of the other Vancouver regulars are anywhere near the cruise ship route - let us know if you are (& where) and we'll wave to you also.

Virtual hugs to all of you for your kind help!

Our cruise is getting closer and closer. We arrive in Vancouver on the 13th of June and have included a Princess pre-cruise tour in Vancouver/Victoria.

Once checked in to the hotel, Westin Bayshore, we will no doubt be very hungry as we are arriving from the East Coast. So could all you fantastic Vancouverites give some great ideas for:

Dinner on the 13th - we enjoy seafood and chicken or steak type meals.

What to do for our free day on the 14th for breakfast, sightseeing, etc.:)

After that we head for Victoria with a day of sightseeing.

A few suggestions for dinner on the 15th near the Fairmont Princess in Victoria would be greatly appreciated.

Now we are Dunkin Donuts folks and I do not believe there are any in the areas we are staying, so Tim Hortons:) would be our coffee place of choice. Are there any near either of these hotels for morning wakeups? We are not big Starbucks fans at all.:D

We don't mind taking a taxi ride, if necessary for dinner at either location.

Thanks In Advance