Feedback on 3 Vancouver hotel choices

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a downtown Vancouver hotel for 2 nights post-cruise (Sept. 8-10, 2017) and have already searched these forums. I'm trying to keep it under $150 US per night, and have narrowed it down to these three options.

Greenbrier Hotel - 1393 Robson St.

Kingston Hotel B&B - 757 Richards St.

Moda Hotel - 900 Seymour St.

I'm not looking for anything fancy, just a clean place in a safe and secure area. I don't want to go the hostel route, but did want to stay within budget. All of those three are comparable in price, with Kingston being the least expensive, and Greenbrier the highest.

Is there one that's in a nicer area? I am a late 40's woman, who will be traveling alone. I plan on renting a bike and exploring the area both days I am there. Not really into the night life, but would like restaurants in the area.

Finally, how do the neighborhoods for these hotels compare to the neighborhood for the YWCA hotel? That's also an option, and it is significantly cheaper.

Thanks in advance.

All of the areas around those hotels are safe - other than street people who are more of a sight than a threat Vancouver is a very safe city.

The Greenbrier is a little further away from the action and is more of a converted apartment building than a hotel.

The Kingston and the Moda are a couple blocks from each other - both are older properties and both are a block or two from the Granville Entertainment district. I live next door to the Modo.

The YWCA is in a different part of the downtown core - a very good area on the edge of Yaletown - close to rapid transit and surrounded by other quality hotels - only drawback is that it is close to both the football/soccer and hockey arenas/stadium - a little noisy on game nights but that usually dies down by 11 PM whereas if you are at the Kingston/Modo it can be noisy in the Entertainment district until the wee hours of the morning. The YWCA would be my recommendation.

Hope this helps - some of the other locals will likely post there thoughts at little later.

Cheers!

Dennis

Looking at Booking.com for Sept 10 on 2 nights in your price range....

• $167 YWCA
  
• $222 Kingston
  
• $249 Greenbrier
  
• $297 Moda
  
• $303 Day's Inn
  
• $336 Best Western Plus Sands
  
• $356 Blue Horizon
  

My vote goes to the Greenbrier for the Robson street ambience and restaurant choices for your stay. I have never stayed there.... but you will see less street people on Robson compared to the other two choices.

Most recommend the nearby Blue Horizon for budget travelers.... it does push your $150 nightly budget.

Hmm.... my fav suburb hotel is $261 at the Radisson Vancouver Airport. It's a 20 minute subway ride to downtown or the cruise terminal..... With a subway station across the street, it's where I would go on your dates. Under $150 US a night and great neighborhood... it feel's like you are travelling in China!

https://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Radisson-Hotel-Vancouver-Airport.h14039.Hotel-Information

The only thing I'd tweak in Dennis' note is the Kingston - it's now insulated by the huge Telus Gardens office buildings on two sides from street noise. While queues at Medina across the street still happen every morning 9am for brekky, there's not really much in the way of pub/club crowds walking outside the Kingston at night (except folks from their own bar of course).

Of those three, I'd also go for the 4th option - the YWCA. It's hands-down the best choice as a combo of convenient restos, sight-seeing, transit, safety and facilities even if it were the same price as the others, let alone being enough cheaper to pay for cab fare from the airport if you're not comfy taking transit solo. It's also close to Simon's bike shop, a cheaper rental spot than the tourist traps up at the park.

Although the rules changed so they lost their tax-free status on hotel operations, YWCA still uses some rooms as a first-shelter for spouses and kids fleeing domestic violence so there is ALWAYS security at the door and they do not mess around; it's quite possibly the safest hotel in the city. Bonus - full kitchens and laundries, so you can also save pennies (and guarantee your fave brekky) by picking up cereal/milk/bread/eggs/bacon/whatevs at local supermarket.

You simply cannot avoid beggars in Vancouver - folks looking for cash go where more affluent people pass through, so intersections all over downtown and outside Skytrain, tourist attractions etc. are prime spots. Avoid alleys in general and specifically in Gastown and you won't likely see anything scarier than beggars. Lock your bike whenever you leave it - free locks are included with reputable rentals - as casual property theft is endemic to the area and an unlocked bike will disappear anywhere around downtown, even the fancy parts.

Info on Vancouver from a local!

My favorite must do attractions are

1) Grouse Mountain – http://www.grousemountain.com – this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://www.capbridge.com – this is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge originally erected in 1889 over the Capilano Gorge. This bridge stretches 450’ end to end and hovers 230’ above Capilano River. Wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.

3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park

4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car – that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.

10) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://www.granvilleisland.com – is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. Many artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios – making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com – is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.

14) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.

The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.

16) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many (23 Licensed) excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. http://www.bcwine.com (click on the Fraser Valley button)

18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown – a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown.

Due to Vancouver’s mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow – at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun.

19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy FREE guided walking tours of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11amCheck these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island.

21) For the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour!

http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver (tourist/hotel district)

while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual independently owned eateries in various areas of Vancouver! (Gastown, Main Street Area, Vancouver East)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. The brunch tour visits local establishments in East Vancouver while the dinner tour concentrates on the Main Street area and the Railtown Urban Eats tour is an area adjacent to GasTown. All are Fabulous! The Railtown Urban Eats tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour of GasTown and then meet up with this tour company for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave any of the tours hungry!

For the tourist in town you actually meet at Waterfront Station and the company drives you to the tour location and then of course back at the end. Just to give you a hint of what to expect - the Gems of Main Street tour started in a Chocolate Shoppe – how can it be anything but wonderful when one starts out with chocolate…. And of course we must mention the rum cocktail concoction at the Tiki Lounge paired with a pork slider & the Pizza Joint owned and run by a chef who actually worked at the Vatican making pizza for the Pope – now if it is good enough for the Pope it has to be good enough for us! After 5 great stops with the history of the area being shared by our guide Bonnie we were all absolutely stuffed! Great job Bonnie!

22) A new addition to the Vancouver scene. The Richmond Olympic Experience located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Visitors are welcomed by a sculpture paying tribute to the volunteers who made the 2010 Vancouver Games possible. You will then be whisked away on an interactive journey that celebrates the Olympic spirit. A multimedia theatre takes you to the heart of the Olympic dream through a series of multimedia galleries evoking the triumphs, tragedies, controversies and celebrations of Olympic history. Thrilling interactive sport simulations including a virtual ski jump will get your heart racing. Outside the Oval, you can follow the incredible journey of the Olympic torch across Canada via a commemorative torch relay trail through the outdoor plazas.

23) Rogers Arena Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in North America with a Rogers Arena tour. See where, for over 15 years, we’ve thrilled and entertained fans from all over the world, staged the best of the best in entertainment and sports, and welcomed over 25 million fans through our doors. Experience first-hand the “cathedral of hockey” that brings in millions of fans coming to see the Vancouver Canucks live (Hockey), and where history was made when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Stadium behind the scenes tours are Wed – Sat at 10;30am, 12 (noon) and 1:30pm!

24) BC Place is BC’s Premier multipurpose stadium, hosting sport, exhibitions and live entertainment, right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Home of the BC Lions Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Soccer) and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. This state of the art facility intrigues with its retractable roof, 800 WIFI ports and 1,100 digital screens. The 36’ façade is lit up by thousands of individually- addressable LED lights that create colour animations bringing life to the Vancouver skyline.

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

http://bigbus.ca/home/

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think I'm going to go with the YWCA. Beggars being around doesn't bother me as long as the area is otherwise safe...I've lived in DC and Chicago, they're everywhere.

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Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think I'm going to go with the YWCA. Beggars being around doesn't bother me as long as the area is otherwise safe...I've lived in DC and Chicago, they're everywhere.

 

Nothing at all wrong with the YWCA, and it's just over a block from the Stadium Skytrain station (however that's a different line than goes to the airport). So post-cruise walk out of Canada place, and right there on Howe street where there's a big taxi rank, is an entrance to the Expo Skytrain Line, go down, board any train and 3 stops later get off at Stadium. Exit UP from that station to street level and you're just over a block from the YWCA.

Thanks Scott!

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We will be arriving in Vancouver on May 1 via Amtrak. Both my husband and I will be using mobility scooters. I am looking for recommendations of where to stay that we can find plenty to do just using the scooters for transportation. Looking for under $200 USD. Also, does public transportation allow easy access for 2 scooters? How about HOHO is it accessible?

We leave May 5 on NCL Jewel, so we have several days to explore. Any suggestions of easily accessible sights. We are late 50's, not into nightlife, but love good original restaurants.

Any help is much appreciated.

Both my husband and I will be using mobility scooters. Also, does public transportation allow easy access for 2 scooters?

• Vancouver's public transit prides itself as being wheelchair friendly. Check out this video.
  
• You may choose to avoid travelling during peak periods (7 to 10am and 2pm to 7pm) on weekdays when public transit is super busy.
  
• The Expo line is a short ride from the Amtrak station to get you into the downtown core.
  
• Some taxi's can also take wheelchairs. Call ahead to have a cab ready for your scooter and luggage. Thinking it over.... Amtrak station to your hotel may be best with a taxi as you have luggage.
  

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We leave May 5 on NCL Jewel, so we have several days to explore. Any suggestions of easily accessible sights.

The only one I can think to avoid is the Capilano Suspension Bridge as 3/4 of the park activities is on the other side of the bridge that you will be unable to cross.

Hope you have your scooters fully charged with spare batteries.... you might need it!

This link may be of interest... https://www.tourismvancouver.com/plan-your-trip/accessible-vancouver/

I am looking for recommendations of where to stay that we can find plenty to do just using the scooters for transportation. Looking for under $200 USD.

• $676 Pinnacle Harbourfront » short ride from your hotel to the cruise terminal
  
• $692 Residence Inn by Marriot
  
• $724 Rosedale on Robson » Suites!
  
• $770 Delta » Suites!
  
• $784 Metropolitan
  
• $795 Empire Landmark » love the Robson neighborhood for restaurant choices and ambience. Check reviews
  
• $836 Holiday Inn
  

My vote goes to Empire for the neighborhood, Delta for the suites

I recommend calling the hotel to discuss your accessibility needs before committing.

While I concur with most of xlxo's points made above, some extra caveats:

Two scooters = two cabs. Even wheelchair minivans are set up only for one electric chair/scooter, so unless at least one of you has some kind of folding model and you can get in and out of the regular seats OK you'll need a cab each.

HOHO you will find tricky to use, at times impossible. There are some vehicles which kneel or have lifts to let scooters/wheelchairs get on, but both HOHO companies have limited numbers of them - lots of older models with stairs and even if you could manage to pull yourself up, nowhere to store a large scooter. I would reach out to both HOHO providers, Westcoast and the Trolley, and inquire as to how many vehicles they have that could handle your scooters before considering using their services.

Expo & Millennium Skytrains also have little room on them for large scooters - since you're almost at the end of the line if you board at Main Street, you may need to get in different carriages to find space (you're not allowed to just stop in the aisles, you have to be in a wheelchair/bike spot for safety and access for other passengers).

Other transit option is using our HandyDART, which is accessible to eligible visitors as well as locals with disabilities. The application form for visitors is here, and lists appropriate medical conditions that would make you eligible - be sure to send it in at least a couple of weeks before coming.

Any downtown hotel is very close to some tourist attractions - the entire downtown core is barely 2 miles by 1.5 across. With 4 days, I assume you'll be seeing all around downtown so exactly where downtown isn't really a big deal - I'd focus on getting a good-sized room that can fit both your scooters without you falling over each other or them moving around!

Delta or Rosedale Suites, or longer-stay hotels like the Residence Inn, are the ones I would guess would fit your needs most easily. All of these hotels are well-located for regular bus routes, with Delta having the edge for closeness to Skytrain.

Thanks for this thread! Lots of great info!