Best place to stay Vancouver -leaving on train early AM

[cruise.freak]

We are ending our cruise in Vancouver on a Friday and taking train to Seattle early am on Saturday. Want to see sights around Vancouver without car. Where is best place to stay on medium budget? Also what would be the easiest way to get from hotel to train station at 5:30 am?

[mapleleaves]

This is a frequent topic on the WEST COAST DEPARTURES forum so you might want to look over the first few pages there for responses.

 

If you decide to post on that forum, indicate how many people are travelling, how many beds you need and a dollar amount. Without knowing any of that, I'd still suggest Blue Horizon. $10-$15 cab ride to the train station or the pier.

https://bluehorizonhotel.com/

[Surfwench]

Hampton Inn Downtown is close to the train station and is a trolley stop for the Vancouver Trolley Service which runs continuously all through downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, etc..

[xlxo]

We are ending our cruise in Vancouver on a Friday and taking train to Seattle early am on Saturday. Want to see sights around Vancouver without car. Where is best place to stay on medium budget? Also what would be the easiest way to get from hotel to train station at 5:30 am?

Hotel location wise.... any downtown hotel will do as you are likely catching a cab to the train station. There are no practical hotels walking distance from the train station.

 

Activity wise.... there are free shuttles by the cruise terminal to Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension bridge. These are the top attractions in the City car free. You can also get yourself a transit day pass where you have unlimited transportation while being car free.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txO8VK4LaLQ
  
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Are you sure you don't want to spend extra days in Vancouver? It's much bigger than all the Alaska ports combined.

Edited February 12, 2015 by xlxo

[cruise.freak]

Took a chance and did priceline bid and won the Hyatt Regency Downtown. From everything I see looks pretty good!

[xlxo]

Just a warning.... some may suggest to you to ride the subway/Skytrain to the train station. The first subway is 6:22 or later.....too late for the early Amtrak to Seattle. Take a cab.

http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName=999&LineAbbr=999

[mapleleaves]

For the benefit of others, please post the price. At the top of the West Coast Departures forum there's a thread called ' WINNING BIDS ON PRICELINE.'

[Italy52]

Took a chance and did priceline bid and won the Hyatt Regency Downtown. From everything I see looks pretty good!

 

Have stayed at the Hyatt Regency on Burrard many times --- very nice hotel. You will definitely need a cab to get from the hotel to the train station.

[lovetochill]

Tip for the train. Going to seattle ask for the right hand side on train when you check in. That's the best views.

[Ontario cruise duo]

Took a taxi from our downtown Vancouver hotel last year very early in the morning like you are doing. The train station is NOT in the downtown area.

I think it cost no more than $25.00 for the taxi. At that time of the morning, a taxi will be available, no problem. Just ask your hotel or the bellman to call one for you. The traffic is nil at that time of the day and you will be at the train station in no time. As a previous poster had mentioned, get their early and ask for a seat on the right hand side.

[martincath]

Took a taxi from our downtown Vancouver hotel last year very early in the morning like you are doing. The train station is NOT in the downtown area.

I think it cost no more than $25.00 for the taxi. At that time of the morning, a taxi will be available, no problem. Just ask your hotel or the bellman to call one for you. The traffic is nil at that time of the day and you will be at the train station in no time. As a previous poster had mentioned, get their early and ask for a seat on the right hand side.

Even the furthest possible 'downtown' hotel, the Westin Bayshore, is only 3.5km away. Since our cabs use a set cost meter rate, you can predict the price very accurately for the early train as you're traveling around 5am with no traffic delays - that should have cost you $13 before tip. From somewhere right in the middle like the Four Seasons or Fairmont Vancouver, you should have been under $10 on the meter.

 

According to Vancouver tourism Pacific Central Station is downtown - well within the boundaries of the standard map they hand out all over. Technically by the definition of the municipal government though you're correct - downtown stops on the west side of Main Street, and the station is about 100 yards east of there...

 

Methinks your cabbie took you on a rather roundabout route which gave the impression the station is further away that it is - a quick jaunt through Gastown, down Clark and back on Terminal would certainly equate to about double the expected fare and you'd see a whole bunch of very industrial areas.

 

This is precisely why I always check Google Maps before I go to a new city, so that as I enter a cab I can say both my destination AND a specific via point or roadway. A cabbie who thinks you're familiar with the city you're in is not going to risk the fare-padding scenic route!