Vancouver Hotel

[ToUtahNow]

My wife and I are looking for a hotel for before and after our cruise in September. I was wondering if anyone has some insight or recommendations. We are also wondering about locations. Are we better off close to the port or close to the airport?

 

Thanks - Mark

[Arusha]

I can recommend the Pan Pacific Hotel, which sits right on top of the Canada Place cruise terminal. They have a cruise package that includes free full buffet breakfast (which ia awesome) and a bellhop to take your bags down the elevator to the cruise terminal:

http://www2.panpacific.com/en/Vancouver/offers/alaska_cruise_package.html

 

I stayed there for 2 nights this May. Wonderful location in downtown near Stanley Park (which is worth a day all by itself) and other areas of interest. You don't want to be near the airport both before and after your cruise.

[Gunner22aa]

A second vote for the Pan Pacific. Have stayed there many times and the wife and I are booked in again next May after our cruise. Couple of points. First it won't be cheap. Plan on $225 a night best case. Could be $300 plus depending on the time of the year and day of the week. Secondly don't wait till the 13th hour to book it if you plan to stay there. As well as the cruise terminal it sits atop one of Vancouvers largest conference centers (1000's of sq feet) and it is always in high demand. Right on the waterfront and very centrally located there is lots to see and do within walking distance or a $10 cab ride. For a great pub meal check out the Scottish Heather which is an easy 10 min walk. If you like scotch they have a special room with about 400 different types for you to sample.

You don't want to stay out at the airport. You can commute using the sky train but the good hotels out there can cost as much or more than downtown. Rooms at the Fairmount which is right in the YVR terminal are in the neighbourhood of $250 a night. I'm sure I paid at least that the night before our Asia trip when we stayed there. There is nothing to see out there other than planes as well.

I'm sure others will have their favourites to recommend as well

 

Nothing much in the way of good accomodation is cheap in Vancouver which is Canadas most expensive city to live in.

[mmadhatter]

Good info. We are not there until May 2014, but am interested in everyone's thoughts.

[Putterdude]

If I were choosing I would want to stay in downtown Vancouver close to most of the sights and attractions of Vancouver. Fortunately Vancouver's downtown is quite compact so all of the downtown hotels are pretty much within a mile of Canada Place. However, here is a list of many 3*+ hotels that are within 6 to 8 blocks of Canada Place:

 

The Pan Pacific (part of Canada Place)

Fairmont Waterfront (across the street from Canada Place)

Fairmont Pacific Rim

Marriott Pinnacle

Renaissance

Hyatt Regency

Fairmont Vancouver

Tower at the Terminal City Club

Coast Coal Harbour

Delta Suites

Metropolitan

Four Seasons

Rosewood Georgia

Sutton Place (about 8.5 blocks)

Sheraton at the Wall Centre (about 10 blocks)

le Soleil

The Wedgewood

[martincath]

<snip> For a great pub meal check out the Scottish Heather which is an easy 10 min walk. If you like scotch they have a special room with about 400 different types for you to sample.<snip>

No complaints about your hotel advice Gunner, but on behalf of my Celtic Cousins I have to quibble about your info on the *Irish* Heather:p They do have a grub a notch above the average pub, and it's a pleasant 10-15min stroll down Water Street passing the Steam Clock and the Gassy Jack statue, but anyone expecting 400+ scotches will be sorely disappointed - the Shebeen Whisk(e)y House at the back of the Heather does have a more-than-respectable ~100 Scotches, assuming you count blended and different ages of the same malt. Close to the same number again in Irish, American, Canadian etc. whiskies too.

 

Maybe you tried to sample all of them in one session last time and started seeing double... ;)

[tulsacubfan]

We stayed at the Residence Inn and found it to be one of the nicest Residence Inn's we have stayed in (disclaimer - we are Marriott Rewards members and rarely stay anywhere other than a Marriott property).

[Putterdude]

I sometimes wonder about these surveys but here is a link to a "Vancouver Sun" that list a couple of the best hotels in Vancouver.

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Vancouver+luxury+hotels+ranked+best+Canada+inaugural+list/8726354/story.html

[sept10dsm]

We just stayed in the Accent Inn in Burnaby. We booked on the advice received on these boards. The hotel was clean and very friendly! The room was large and very clean. We were ever so happy that we chose this inn. The cost of parking at the pier was ever so high for 14 days. We paid $173. Canadian and that included the night before as well as transfers to and from the pier. For about half the cost of what the parking fees for 14 days were, we had a hotel the night before as well as a safe place to park our car. The service that the hotel had for transportation was WONDERFUL as well. They were promt to pick us up and right there at the pier when the ship came in. We were on the ship (with transportation from the hotel to pier) inside of 40 minutes. Upon disembarking at 9:55 am, we were back at the hotel by 10:30. I couldn't believe it! WE WERE VERY HAPPY with the hotel, transportation as well as the safe area to keep our vehicle.

[Cop Chef]

I did a cruise out of Canada Place in July 28, 2013 - Days Inn Downtown Vancouver on Pender St. was alright for an over nights stay, paid $127 (reserved in Dec 2012) only four blocks from Cruise Terminal had some pros and cons. After the cruise I recommend Blue Horizon on Robson St. paid $179 (also reserved in Dec 2012), great location on a main st with lots of shopping and close to everything. $35 to Vancouver International including a $5 Tip.

[Kartgv]

Most of the major hotel chains have excellent hotels in the downtown area very near the pier, so if you belong to one of the hotel clubs and have points to use, check out what they have to offer. We stayed at the Westin Bayshore using Sheraton/Starwood points for 3 nights, had a lovely corner room with spectacular views of the bay, cruise ships and other vessels coming and going constantly, the mountains across the bay - a wonderful way to start our trip. It was about a mile from the pier - 10 minutes, less than $10 in a cab. It's also one of the stops for the hop-on-hop-off trolley tour that goes all over the area - one of the highlights of our trip.

[cheriemck]

We stayed at the Residence Inn and found it to be one of the nicest Residence Inn's we have stayed in (disclaimer - we are Marriott Rewards members and rarely stay anywhere other than a Marriott property).

 

We are Marriott Rewards members as well and are choosing between these 2 Marriott properties. Pinnacle seems to be a better location but costs more. We normally love the Residence Inn's because of the kitchen and living room.

So- how is the location for the Residence Inn? We plan to be there 2 days before our April 28th, 2014 cruise on the Carnival Miracle. If it matters we plan to see Stanley Park and North Vancouver and anything else we can squeeze in. I am planning to buy a faresaver.

Thank you in advance!

[Urban trekker]

As for attractions the Pinnacle or Renaissance which are across the street from each other are much closer to Stanley Park than the other location - if Granville Island is on your list of to sees then the Residence Inn is much closer.

 

Regardless downtown Vancouver is compact and all almost all the major hotels are within about a mile of each other.

 

Just a word of caution about Faresavers - they are being phased out as our transit system goes to a smart card called Compass for fare payment.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Keith1010]

I would highly recommend being close to the port so you can explore Vancouver.

 

I would consider the Pan Pacific Hotel as it is located right at the port.

 

Keith

[Putterdude]

We are Marriott Rewards members as well and are choosing between these 2 Marriott properties. Pinnacle seems to be a better location but costs more. We normally love the Residence Inn's because of the kitchen and living room.

So- how is the location for the Residence Inn? We plan to be there 2 days before our April 28th, 2014 cruise on the Carnival Miracle. If it matters we plan to see Stanley Park and North Vancouver and anything else we can squeeze in. I am planning to buy a faresaver.

Thank you in advance!

 

Me thinks we have a little confusion between the Marriott Pinnacle, the Renaissance and the Marriott Residence Inn. The Pinnacle and the Renaissance are pretty much across the street from one another and are about 4 blocks from Canada Place and Waterfront Station and really are a pick'em. The Residence is going to put you closer to Granville Island but about 13 blocks from Canada Place and Waterfront Station...that said you are only couple of blocks from bus routes on both Burrard St. and Granville St. While I would be inclined to go with the Pinnacle or Renaissance, the decision is really up to you.

[SeattleCruiselover]

If I were choosing I would want to stay in downtown Vancouver close to most of the sights and attractions of Vancouver. Fortunately Vancouver's downtown is quite compact so all of the downtown hotels are pretty much within a mile of Canada Place. However, here is a list of many 3*+ hotels that are within 6 to 8 blocks of Canada Place:

 

The Pan Pacific (part of Canada Place)

Fairmont Waterfront (across the street from Canada Place)

Fairmont Pacific Rim

Marriott Pinnacle

Renaissance

Hyatt Regency

Fairmont Vancouver

Tower at the Terminal City Club

Coast Coal Harbour

Delta Suites

Metropolitan

Four Seasons

Rosewood Georgia

Sutton Place (about 8.5 blocks)

Sheraton at the Wall Centre (about 10 blocks)

le Soleil

The Wedgewood

 

If only they weren't $CAN 300+ per night in September. So, this time, we are going to stay out at YVR and Canada Line it into the city, or take an accessible taxi, with the money that we save.

[Paccruise]

Most of the major hotel chains have excellent hotels in the downtown area very near the pier, so if you belong to one of the hotel clubs and have points to use, check out what they have to offer. We stayed at the Westin Bayshore using Sheraton/Starwood points for 3 nights, had a lovely corner room with spectacular views of the bay, cruise ships and other vessels coming and going constantly, the mountains across the bay - a wonderful way to start our trip. It was about a mile from the pier - 10 minutes, less than $10 in a cab. It's also one of the stops for the hop-on-hop-off trolley tour that goes all over the area - one of the highlights of our trip.

 

I have stayed at Westin Bayshore several times. I have used the Starwood points/cash a few times. I like that it is next to Stanley Park for walking around. The hotel is a short walk to shops. It is very quite area and yes the views are breathtaking.

[Kerry&LuAnn]

We had made a reservation for overnight accommodations at the Days Inn Vancouver Airport because we needed a convenient, comfortable, and inexpensive place to stay the night before our cruise. The hotel exceeded our expectations.

 

The Days Inn is located just over a mile (2 kilometers) from the Vancouver Airport (YVR), and a free shuttle is provided by phoning the hotel front desk. (The shuttle services a couple of other hotels in the area, too, so it may be necessary to wait a little while.)

 

When we walked in the front door, we were impressed with the attractive lobby area that included a leather couch and chair, complementary newspapers, an ATM, vending machines, and two computer stations for use by guests. We were greeted warmly by a friendly front desk attendant who handled our check-in promptly, efficiently, and courteously.

 

Our standard room was very spacious, clean, and beautifully decorated. Within the roomy closet were a safe, ironing board, and iron. Furnishings included a work desk with lamp (free high speed internet access), a mini-refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a 3-drawer dresser on top of which was a Sony flat screen TV. On the nightstand next to the bed were a telephone (free local calls) and a Magnavox AM/FM clock radio and CD player. The bed and pillows were especially comfortable.

 

The bathroom was also very attractive, with a stone tile floor and decorative tiles on the walls of the shower/tub. Above the sink and nice-sized vanity counter was a large well-lighted mirror. Along with a hair dryer, the bathroom came equipped with the usual amenities: bar soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower cap, and shoeshine cloth. The shower head was an Original Shower Massage with six settings; the strong flow of water heated up right away and maintained its temperature.

 

The Days Inn provided an extensive complimentary breakfast from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. in an attractive little nook just off the lobby. There was plenty of seating and a television in the corner. The breakfast offerings included malted waffles, pastries, bagels and cream cheese, bread for toasting with five flavors of jams, butter, and margarine. There were three varieties of dry cereal as well as packets of oatmeal mix. For fruit options there were whole apples and bananas as well as some chunks of mixed tropical fruit (probably from a can). Beverages included apple juice, orange juice, regular and decaf coffee, packets of Sanka, and packets of green and black tea. And this hotel provides “real” plates and silverware, not Styrofoam and plastic like at some other places. A very friendly employee assisted guests with making the waffles and kept the breakfast area stocked and tidy.

 

After checking out, we walked two or three blocks to the Sky Train Bridgeport Station for the Northbound Canada Line. It was a Saturday, so the trains were running about every 10 minutes and the fare was only $2.75 per person. The trip via the Canada Line to its terminus at Waterfront Station was about 20 minutes. Exiting the station, we turned right and walked down Cordova Street for 2 blocks, and then right on Howe Street for 1 block to the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place.

[bren61]

We are staying post cruise at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites next June for $119+tax near the airport (Richmond). Free breakfast & free shuttle to airport. We plan on taking our luggage to the hotel using the sky train $4pp and if the weather is decent we'll go back over to Stanley Park for the afternoon & evening (only $8pp RT), sure beats paying $300 per night. Does anyone know if you can keep your bags at the cruise port for the day and how much they charge per bag?

[martincath]

We are staying post cruise at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites next June for $119+tax near the airport (Richmond). Free breakfast & free shuttle to airport. We plan on taking our luggage to the hotel using the sky train $4pp and if the weather is decent we'll go back over to Stanley Park for the afternoon & evening (only $8pp RT), sure beats paying $300 per night. Does anyone know if you can keep your bags at the cruise port for the day and how much they charge per bag?

Priority Baggage will store items for you for $5-7.50 per bag depending on size. Their website has still not been fixed but they're definitely operating - you can call them on (604) 683-3696.

 

NB: $4 gets you unlimited travel within 2 zones for 90 minutes - you may just about have time to get to the airport and back on the same ticket if you are quick about dropping your bags. The hotel is about 15 mins walk from the nearest Skytrain station (Lansdowne, just over a kilometre away) - I'd call the hotel and ask if they'll pick you up from there in the shuttle rather than at the airport, it'll be quicker. Just make sure you get on the correct train - the line forks, so you want one going to Richmond-Brighouse not YVR if you want to get to Lansdowne.

[cathymermaid]

We are staying at Pan Pacific before our cruise that leaves Sept 6. We didn't buy the "cruise package" when we booked the hotel (somehow missed that), but are wondering if they will let us add it when we check in on September 5? Any ideas? We can board the ship around 11:30, so I'm hoping we'll be okay with checkout either way.

 

Any advice on getting from the airport to the hotel? We get in about 3:00 pm.

 

Thanks in advance!

[martincath]

Unless they let you add it for free I wouldn't bother (you can take the elevator down from the hotel straight to the cruise level of Canada Place, so the only convenience would be them taking your bags to the elevator and then across to the bag drop off which is only a handful of yards further than the back of the security queue anyway...)

 

Getting to your hotel - if you are mobile and can trundle your bags around, Canada Line Skytrain is very quick (<30 mins) & easy (the terminus at Waterfront is very close to the Pan Pacific). Tickets are $4 per person plus a $5pp Airport AddFare (so $9 per person total) as you arrive c. 3pm on a weekday. The AddFare can be avoided by picking up a pack of transit FareSaver tickets at the airport 7-11, total $31 for 10 tickets good for travel between any 2 Zones (e.g. if you wanted to visit Grouse Mountain via transit from downtown).

 

Depending how many of you are travelling together and whether you will ever use transit in town a pack of tickets may not save you anything. Buying 1 Zone tickets is even less ($21) but you'll have to add $1.25 per ticket at the airport to extend them to 2 zones on a weekday afternoon.

 

A cab will take about the same time as the Skytrain but will drop you right at the door for c. $35 total.

[cathymermaid]

Unless they let you add it for free I wouldn't bother (you can take the elevator down from the hotel straight to the cruise level of Canada Place, so the only convenience would be them taking your bags to the elevator and then across to the bag drop off which is only a handful of yards further than the back of the security queue anyway...)

 

Getting to your hotel - if you are mobile and can trundle your bags around, Canada Line Skytrain is very quick (<30 mins) & easy (the terminus at Waterfront is very close to the Pan Pacific). Tickets are $4 per person plus a $5pp Airport AddFare (so $9 per person total) as you arrive c. 3pm on a weekday. The AddFare can be avoided by picking up a pack of transit FareSaver tickets at the airport 7-11, total $31 for 10 tickets good for travel between any 2 Zones (e.g. if you wanted to visit Grouse Mountain via transit from downtown).

 

Depending how many of you are travelling together and whether you will ever use transit in town a pack of tickets may not save you anything. Buying 1 Zone tickets is even less ($21) but you'll have to add $1.25 per ticket at the airport to extend them to 2 zones on a weekday afternoon.

 

A cab will take about the same time as the Skytrain but will drop you right at the door for c. $35 total.

 

Thanks so much for the quick reply. We are definitely able to move our bags. I assume the airport 7-11 is quick and easy to find, as I see it mentioned on the boards quite often.

 

Couple of more questions, if I may.

1) We want to pick up some water and wine before cruising. Where would you recommend that would be close to the Pan Pacific?

2) What restaurant would you recommend for dinner the night we get in? We like all kinds of food, but probably aren't going to be interested in changing clothes/dressing up for the night, so some place casual would be great that would be close to the hotel.

3) We are staying at the Sutton Place post cruise. How would you recommend we get from the cruise terminal to the hotel?

 

Thanks in advance! :o

Cathy

[ToUtahNow]

Thank you for all of the great advice. While debating if I really wanted to spend $280 per night at the Pan Pacific when we were not getting in until after midnight the prices started skyrocketing. Now there is no room in the Inn and we are still 4-weeks out. I'm not sure if it is because of the Vancouver International Film Festival or what.

 

The final result, I used Priceline to bid and book the Delta Vancouver Airport for our pre and post cruise stay at $88 US per night. With the money we saved we booked a post tour excursion that will tour Vancouver and then take us to the airport where we can call for the hotel shuttle for the 5-minute ride to the hotel. The hotel is not as nice or as convenient as staying in Canada Place but it is hard to scoff at a $400-plus saving on the hotel.

 

Mark

[sunset seekers]

Thanks so much for the quick reply. We are definitely able to move our bags. I assume the airport 7-11 is quick and easy to find, as I see it mentioned on the boards quite often.

 

Couple of more questions, if I may.

1) We want to pick up some water and wine before cruising. Where would you recommend that would be close to the Pan Pacific?

2) What restaurant would you recommend for dinner the night we get in? We like all kinds of food, but probably aren't going to be interested in changing clothes/dressing up for the night, so some place casual would be great that would be close to the hotel.

3) We are staying at the Sutton Place post cruise. How would you recommend we get from the cruise terminal to the hotel?

 

Thanks in advance! :o

Cathy

 

Hi Cathy;

 

Your best bet for wine is the government liquor store at 555 W. Hastings St. at Harbour Centre about a 10 min. walk from Pan Pacific www.bcliquorstores.com Water there is a Urban Fare 305 Bute St. or Shoppers Drug Mart 1202 W. Pender St.

 

Restaurants; Cactus Club very close by the Olympic Torch also there is a couple of pubs there and Steamworks is not very far away all casual.

 

Post-hotel at the Sutton Place I would suggest a taxi.

 

If you need anymore help just ask me on the Radiance thread. :)