Hotel recomendations Vancouver

Hi, I am looking at a California Coastal cruise in April 2017, which leaves from Vancouver. I was just wondering if anyone can give any pointers on best area/hotel recco's. We have will be travelling with 2 children and would prefer a 4 or 5 star hotel. Not sure if there are any "areas" to avoid or that are "better" with kids. With children, it would be handy to be close to places to eat.

Thanks in advance.

We stayed at the Blue Horizon in Aug for 3 nts pre Alaska cruise. Great location although away from pier. HiHo trolley stops in front. Lots of restaurants in area. Rooms clean and great views from higher floors. Glad I took recommendations for this hotel !

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The key thing to know about Vancouver as a tourist is that almost all downtown hotels sit in a very compact part of the city - have a look at this map. The little 'thumb' on the top, with Stanley park at the tip, running down to where it joins the palm of the hand at the end of False Creek, encompasses the entire downtown core. While there are a handful of hotels scattered around the area between here and the airport, there are none in the 4* bracket - if you search for 4* hotels in downtown, it's literally impossible to end up in a 'bad area.'

Likewise, while some hotels are nearer one end or the other of downtown, so closer to the park or Chinatown, the difference is only really noticeable if you plan to walk everywhere - in which case choosing a hotel that's near the places you think you'll spend most time in makes sense. Restaurants are all over the place, I can't think of any hotel that does not have literally dozens within a quarter mile walk.

Closer to the West End, like Blue Horizon mentioned above, or right at the pier if your budget can handle it (all hotels here are 4* and pricey) should do you fine. Both Westins, the Four Seasons, Georgia, Fairmont Vancouver, and almost any hotel on Robson Street should fit your needs too.

The Granville Island hotel might work very well - GI has the Kids Market and is generally both very kid-friendly and very popular with all ages. Cute little ferries run all along False Creek, which will take you to Science World (another very popular kid place, and indoors so with April weather a very good option to have on your list) and the Athlete's Village, and you can walk up into Chinatown from here without having to go through Gastown.

Lots of dining right on the 'island', a family of harbour seals hang out all year round, and whalewatching trips also run from here. More quirky independent shops than you can shake a stick at, and for the grownups two breweries (one right in the hotel), artisanal sake and distilling, several theatre and comedy club options if you arrange a babysitter for the evening.

Kids may colour your touring choices depending how old they are and where you live at the moment. Basically, how much have your kids already seen of the seedier side of life in a big city, and how comfortable you are with explaining things like addiction, homelessness, and sex work to them?

NB: that even the seediest part of Vancouver is very safe by US standards - property crime is our local issue rather than violence of any stripe - so safety is not a problem, but I do find that many visitors are disturbed by the very open nature of the drug and sex trade in our downtown eastside so whenever people ask about where to stay with kids I err on the side of caution and flag the risks.

If you have innocent little'uns and want to avoid anything that might make them raise uncomfortable questions, avoid anywhere north of Chinatown and east of Gastown (the really touristy Water Street is fine - the Steam Clock and Gassy Jack statue are very popular to walk to from the pier, but once you're at Gassy Jack go back the way you came. Even one block east or south of here brings you into areas where you're more likely than not to see things the tourist brochures tend to skip over).

Hi, I am looking at a California Coastal cruise in April 2017, which leaves from Vancouver. I was just wondering if anyone can give any pointers on best area/hotel recco's. We have will be travelling with 2 children and would prefer a 4 or 5 star hotel. Not sure if there are any "areas" to avoid or that are "better" with kids. With children, it would be handy to be close to places to eat.

Looking at booking.com in USD for availability....

• $64 Empire Landmark
  
• $65 YWCA
  
• $113 Rosedale on Robson Suite
  
• $113 Blue Horizon
  
• $183 Century Plaza
  
• $164 Delta
  
• $166 Metropolitan
  
• $170 Auberge
  
• $170 Residence Inn Marriott
  
• $173 Georgian Court
  
• $176 Pinnacle Harbourfront
  
• $181 Carmana Plaza
  
• $185 Sutton Place
  
• $201 Hotel BLU
  
• $204 Hampton Inn
  
• $209 Holiday Inn
  
• $219 Hyatt
  
• $219 Marriott Pinnacle downtown
  
• $226 Westin Bayshore
  
• $251 Sheraton Wall Centre
  
• $257 Westin Grand
  
• $294 Trump
  
• $397 Shangri-La
  
• $397 Four Seasons
  

Prices vary up or down as it gets closer to your departure day.

• For budget, I like Rosedale and Delta for the larger suite rooms for a family.
  
• If you demand 4/5 star... Georgian Court, Carmana, Sutton look good with prices.
  

Thank you all, that has helped me out alot. I do like to do plenty of research before I go to a new city, however it is always helpful to have expert advice from you guys on here. Appreciate it.

Rachael

For our April 2017 cruise, I just scored the Pinnacle Harbourfront hotel for 112 w/tax. I call that a win in my book.