Hotel in Vancouver pre cruise

[maplo]

My Alaska cruise is 14 months away but I have been researching hotels for some time now. Just wondering how far in advance do most hotels book. I have been trying to see about Pan Pacific but so far it has said no available for our date. I have been trying for 6 months and always says not available. Checked again today and still says not available. I can't imagine it being full over a year in advance. Well, almost a year and a half since I have been checking. So, I was thinking maybe it is like the airlines and doesn't book this far out?? Right now there are only 6 or 7 hotels near Canada Place showing up. Does anyone know if this is just because it is still 14 months in advance?

 

Any suggestions on other hotels near Canada Place. Also, how to get to the hotel from the airport. I read something about a walk up limo? Does this mean we don't book it in advance and some are available by just showing up?

 

I appreciate any help anyone can give me.

Thanks

Pam

[Earl Rosebery]

You can always phone the hotel direct.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Try hotel web sites direct for bookings more than a year away.

 

Marriott is several blocks away and absolutely first rate. Use points if you've got them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[GlendaleCruiser]

I was surprised that the schedules were open this early for next May, since some airlines aren't. Did find Delta open and booked the air. Found a hotel but it's really kind of a crapshoot when you read the reviews and some are good and some not so much. Anyway, life is an adventure.

 

Sure your hotels will open up their schedule soon, but like someone said, Call the hotel directly and you may be able to do it.

[Rambler5678]

http://aerocar.ca/faq/

 

Limo is $65 plus tip. No reservation needed.

[chrismakris]

Most hotels can't be booked more than a year out. The Pan Pacific is a great hotel. It would be a great choice.

 

You can always take the Skytrain from YVR. If your flight arrives before 8 am or between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm this would be a quick option compared to the limo or taxi. Those are rush hour times and it could take up to an hour to get downtown to your hotel, where Skytrain will be 25-30 minutes to Waterfront Station. The Pan Pacific is just a short walk from there.

[BCHappyGal]

The Pan Pacific is a wonderful hotel and my absolute favorite - this from a local who has stayed in many of our downtown hotels... Another excellent option is the Fairmont Waterfront which is directly accross the street from the Pan Pacific and the crusie ship terminal...

 

below is a list of fun things to do and see in Vancouver ... if you want a private guide tourguys.ca will provide one for a fee....

 

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 over the Capilano Gorge, 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, petting zoo, 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) 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.

8) 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.

9) 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!

10) 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

11) 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

12) 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.

13) 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

14) 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.

15) 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

16) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many 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. Check out the Fraser Valley Wine Association web site for a map of winery locations and a brief description of each winery http://www.fvwa.ca

17) If you are a real animal lover than don’t miss “Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre” It is located in Fort Langley about an hour drive from downtown Vancouver. Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre is a leading non-profit Canadian facility that breeds endangered species in family groups for re-introduction back into their natural habitat in Canada and around the world. This facility is not a zoo their goal is to breed rare and endangered wildlife and re-introduce these animals back into their natural habitats. Presently Mountainview hosts over 50 species of the world’s most threatened animals and birds. See animals such as the spotted dog from Africa, Giraffes, and much much more. Here you do not wonder around as in a zoo rather you are given a guided tour with commentary on each animal group. Check it out at http://www.mtnviewconservation.org

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

20) Enjoy a FREE walking tour of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11am. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island. Check these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….

21) A new addition I have just found for the FOODIES in the gang! Check out http://www.offtheeatentrack.com this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. I did the Railtown Urban Eats tour and it was Fabulous! This tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour and then meet up with this tour company for this tour for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave this tour hungry!

 

 

 

 

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/

[dolfans0704]

Hi BChappygal

Thanks for all the info. Do you know if the hatchery is by the bridge? Is it accessible by foot or is transportation needed?

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

[tlcoke]

BCHappyGirl:

 

You might want to take #17 off your list:

 

From their facebook page from the link provided in your list: "Regretfully, The Society will no longer be operating wildlife conservation & breeding programs, nor our guided educational tours. We continue to offer support to the Northern Spotted Owl Program, that is now managed by the B.C. Ministry of Lands & Forests. The Vancouver Island Marmot program will conclude this year, after 15 years of successful breeding at Mountain View.

More information on how you can continue supporting wildlife conservation programs will be posted here soon, or you can register your support now at info@mtnviewconservation.org

Thank you."

[Earl Rosebery]

Dolfans: The hatchery is at 49.355188,123.109753 on google earth or google maps. The bridge is at 49.342732,123.113940

 

They are a mile apart but its up and down hill. We live here and I think the hatchery is so much nicer and better value. It's free, uncrowded and there are pleasant , cool trails along the river.

[dolfans0704]

Dolfans: The hatchery is at 49.355188,123.109753 on google earth or google maps. The bridge is at 49.342732,123.113940

 

 

 

They are a mile apart but its up and down hill. We live here and I think the hatchery is so much nicer and better value. It's free, uncrowded and there are pleasant , cool trails along the river.

 

 

Thank you so much for the info, Earl. Sounds wonderful! Unfortanetly, we will not be renting a car and were planning on doing the free shuttle to the bridge from the Hyatt. It may be a little difficult to walk if it is hilly. Is there any cabs available at the bridge or public transportation that would go there from the bridge that you know of? Would love to visit if workable. Thanks!

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

[scottbee]

Thank you so much for the info, Earl. Sounds wonderful! Unfortanetly, we will not be renting a car and were planning on doing the free shuttle to the bridge from the Hyatt. It may be a little difficult to walk if it is hilly. Is there any cabs available at the bridge or public transportation that would go there from the bridge that you know of? Would love to visit if workable. Thanks!

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

 

 

Public transport is relatively easy. From waterfront station you take Seabus across Burrard Inlet and then (on the same ticket) then #236 bus from Lonsdale Quay (where the seabus docks) towards Grouse Mountain.

 

http://translink.ca for all the details.

[Earl Rosebery]

Thank you so much for the info, Earl. Sounds wonderful! Unfortanetly, we will not be renting a car and were planning on doing the free shuttle to the bridge from the Hyatt. It may be a little difficult to walk if it is hilly. Is there any cabs available at the bridge or public transportation that would go there from the bridge that you know of? Would love to visit if workable. Thanks!

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

 

The hatchery is about 0.9 mile from the bus route. The elevation drop is 130 feet. Roughly 3% grade. Cabs are certainly available at the suspension bridge. You could then arrange to be picked up some time later.

Or walk down and call a cab to go back up. http://vancouversnorthshore.com/what-to-do-outdoors/attractions/capilano-salmon-hatchery/

[dolfans0704]

Perfect! Thanks everyone for the info! We will take a cab to/from the bridge to the hatchery and utilize the free shuttle to/from the bridge from the Hyatt.

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

[umpy10]

Will be going to Alaska Sept. 21 / 2015 and have been considering staying @ the Best Western Chateau Granville for 2 nights prior to our cruise. Any thoughts from anyone that has stayed or knowledge from someone who has stayed there?

There will be 4 (adults) of us going and we plan on using the HoHo bus for touring the city as I understand that there is a stop for the HoHo near this Hotel. Not to concerned about getting to the cruise port as this Hotel as a "snooze & cruise" offer.

Any help on this subject, or any other type of hotels would be appreciated.

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

[Urban trekker]

One of the regular posters on these boards has nothing nice to say about the area around that hotel - it is located in our entertainment district and that attracts crowds and some of the city's lower lifes - I personally and I live about four blocks from it don't find anything wrong with it and the area around it is typical of what you will find in most large downtown cores - the hotel itself has been upgraded - the outside painted and a restaurant/bar called the Edge added the past couple of years.

 

There is another Best Western Downtown on Drake - two blocks further up Granville that gets consistently good reviews that also has a snooze and cruise offer as well as a White Spot restaurant http://www.whitespot.ca.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[pokerpro5]

The Hampton Inn is pretty well reviewed. Not fancy but good location in downtown Vancouver and fairly close to the port.

 

A little known trick to get 20% off is to use the MVP Code.

 

The MVP Code is for the Hilton MVP Program. If you have a HHonors account (which is free for anyone to get), you are eligible to use the code.

 

Use corporate code 0560041604 when booking.

 

This WORKS and is completely legal (you are NOT using a corporate code belonging to another company).

[surebeatssailing]

We are cruising out of Vancouver on 9/23/14. Arriving late 9/21 & staying at the Delta Suites. Due to the lateness of our flight [ 2130 ] we are planning on a taxi to the hotel.

 

On 9/22 we are planning on seeing some of the beautiful sites I have been reading about. Stanley Park is at the top of our list but I think we would also like Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens. Would we be able to walk to Stanley Park from The Delta Suites? Are the Chinese Gardens a walkable distance from Stanley Park ? We hope to go to Gas Town too. Are we expecting too much in one day?

 

Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!

[martincath]

We are cruising out of Vancouver on 9/23/14. Arriving late 9/21 & staying at the Delta Suites. Due to the lateness of our flight [ 2130 ] we are planning on a taxi to the hotel.

 

On 9/22 we are planning on seeing some of the beautiful sites I have been reading about. Stanley Park is at the top of our list but I think we would also like Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens. Would we be able to walk to Stanley Park from The Delta Suites? Are the Chinese Gardens a walkable distance from Stanley Park ? We hope to go to Gas Town too. Are we expecting too much in one day?

 

Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!

Weird - someone else asked about doing the exact same thing (Delta, Sun Yat Sen, Stanley Park) just a few days ago. I'll tell you the same as I did them - yes, but even if you're fit and enjoy walking I feel it's less than optimal to walk between these attractions. Here's a Google walking map, just covering the gardens to the entrance of the park - as you can see the most direct route is still a good 40minutes, and that doesn't really take in much of Vancouvers highlights (i.e. the Seawall, views of the mountains or English Bay). To actually walk along the Seawall will add at least a kilometre/10 minutes - and that's just getting you to the entrance of the park itself, which is a thousand acres packed with walking trails...

 

Walking to Sun Yat Sen is easy - see route here, less than a kilometre (NB: the official address is on Carrall, but the entrance is in an alley/square between Pender & Carrall - walking between the lions into the square from Pender is a little easier, and you'll see the statue of the eponymous doctor this way too). You may as well cut through Gastown en route as it's efficient - I'd suggest this way to maxmise the big hits (Gassy Jack statue, Steam Clock, pretty historic buildings) and minimise skeeviness (drugs & sex & fenced goods for sale). Victory Square was the heart of old Downtown and has a couple of fabulous buildings, and walking through Woodwards you see IMO the best example of 'historic building partially saved by retaining facades and building new stuff inside and above' in town. Also handy to pick up drinks & snacks in the Nesters market of pharmacy inside here - you also walk past the original W sign on the pathway out to Cordova.

 

Bus (Number 19 goes from just outside the Garden to inside the Park, $2.75pp) or Cab (~$10) from the Garden to the Park is quick & easy. But since cycling is probably the most efficient way to see Stanley Park (there's basically nowhere you cannot get to in the park by bike), and a ton of people hire them, why not get your bikes for less money downtown and use them to see both sights? We have a very extensive system of bike lanes, navigable by up-to-date GPS or Google Maps, and many of them are completely separated from vehicle traffic rather than just painted lines.

 

Looping the whole seawall at a leisurely pace, including crossing the 'neck' of the park to see Lost Lagoon, would be about 90 minutes by bike (from Gardens around False Creek etc. then around the park and back along to Canada Place then your hotel - like so). You'd be on separated bike lanes almost 100% of the route.

 

Unfortunately you're too late for the Park Shuttle to be running (ends Sep 1st), so if biking isn't your thing then you're stuck walking or paying $$$ for a loop in a horse-drawn carriage inside the park. Other options would be driving - cabbies would fall over themselves to give you a tour of the park with the meter running (though how much they could tell you about what you're seeing is going to vary a lot), hiring a car (parking in the park is actually very reasonable, $11 for all day and you can move around any of the parking areas during that time), private guide, using a HOHO (they all stop at Sun Yat Sen and loop the big hit sights in the Park), or a city tour that includes park highlights.

[surebeatssailing]

Martincath-

I need to go back & read the posts to see who asked the same questions. Maybe we are going to be there at the same time & can hook up with them.

Thanks for your advice. It is a shame we are too late for the park shuttle but after reading your response we may just use the HOHO. We really want to see as much as we can . I will look under a Vancouver tourism site for the schedule of the HOHO.

Info much appreciated

[martincath]

Vancouver Trolley Schedule, Map etc. (others go basically to the same places, but you need to get off their buses inside Stanley Park and transfer to a different bus for the in-park sights - Groupons are available sometimes for Big Bus that does this though, so you may find a cheaper rate is worth the inconvenience of transferring).

[dolfans0704]

Vancouver Trolley Schedule, Map etc. (others go basically to the same places, but you need to get off their buses inside Stanley Park and transfer to a different bus for the in-park sights - Groupons are available sometimes for Big Bus that does this though, so you may find a cheaper rate is worth the inconvenience of transferring).

 

 

Thank you for the info. One question...even though the trolley does not offer their dedicated Stanley Park route after September 1st, does the regular route offered all year still travel through the park and make a few stops? I am hoping to use it during our visit mid September and go to the aquarium and see the totem poles. Greatly appreciate your help! :)

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

Edited July 15, 2014 by dolfans0704
rrr

[martincath]

Thank you for the info. One question...even though the trolley does not offer their dedicated Stanley Park route after September 1st, does the regular route offered all year still travel through the park and make a few stops? I am hoping to use it during our visit mid September and go to the aquarium and see the totem poles. Greatly appreciate your help! :)

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

Short answer: yes.

 

Long answer: check the map on the link above and you'll see exactly where the stops are around the park (and everywhere else in town).

[jayally1968]

Subscribing

 

 

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