Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite (part 2)

[fl.princess]

No need to tread on UTs toes repeating his answers, but here are my notes on your other points:

 

Other stuff to do? What do YOU like to do? In general Stanley Park and the Seawall are no-brainer, everybody-loves-them attractions as the price is right at free! But everything else... I love many of our local museums and breweries, but if you're tee-totaler history-haters then my reccos would be dreadful for you! Tell us more about you & folks traveling with you and we can steer you to the attractions most likely to make YOU agree that Vancouver is awesome... ditto with restaurants, we have pretty much any kind you can imagine and I'm happy to suggest some - but my idea of the best meal in the city might be wildly different from yours, so $ budget and type(s) of food you love/hate really help narrow the field!

 

Thank you so much! I will read and re-read your points!

As far as things to do...it is just my husband and myself in our early 50's and active. We would enjoy most outdoor activities. We have never visited Vancouver and we want to make the best of of our time. As far as restaurants, we will have just come off the ship and most likely aren't looking for any large meals. Most likely will eat light and something on the quick side for the 2 days we are in town.

 

Hotel budget - looking to spend $150 or less (US dollars). Any recommendations? Or should we be looking at a higher cost?

[martincath]

Thank you so much! I will read and re-read your points!

As far as things to do...it is just my husband and myself in our early 50's and active. We would enjoy most outdoor activities. We have never visited Vancouver and we want to make the best of of our time. As far as restaurants, we will have just come off the ship and most likely aren't looking for any large meals. Most likely will eat light and something on the quick side for the 2 days we are in town.

 

Hotel budget - looking to spend $150 or less (US dollars). Any recommendations? Or should we be looking at a higher cost?

Assuming you book the hotel now, or exchange rate doesn't change much, that gives you a ballpark CAD$200 per night. I think it's safe to assume that none of the fancy hotels already mentioned above will have rates that low, unless you're willing to go for travel club memberships or bid sight-unseen on Priceline/Hotwire type sites.

 

That said, you should be able to find multiple 3* or better downtown hotels well within that range - and right off the bat I'll recommend the YWCA again, as they have the lowest rack rates in the city (a private double room in May is only CAD$117 a night, ~USD$96 including taxes).

 

For other hotels where you want to book the specific hotel rather than bid, I like Tripadvisor as a first go-to site - enter your dates and it'll give you prices, but also has a decent quality rating system. Find the hotels you like the sound of at the right price, then stick them into Google Maps to find out exactly where they are (this is crucial in Vancouver, as there are three cities who share a name - West, North, and the original and best!) plus of course other hotels with Vancouver in their names even though they are in Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby etc. our other neighbouring municipalities.

 

Nothing beats using a map to see where the hotel actually is, and Google is also fully-linked-in to our local transit system so you can see how long and how much hassle (transfers of straight shot) it is to get from the hotel to the airport, tourist sites etc. The further from the downtown core, generally the cheaper the hotel - but there are exceptions like the YWCA that is dirt-cheap and superbly located.

 

Since you're active, consider bike rentals - pootling around Stanley Park and the Seawall on bikes means you can get to anywhere you could reach on foot but considerably faster. We have an excellent network of real bike lanes, separated from traffic, as well as many more dedicated-but-painted-only (if you aren't familiar with riding bikes in urban environments you may want to stick to obvious park areas as local drivers run the gamut from considerate to a**holes like most cities).

 

With a short stay, time is your enemy - a cheap hotel that takes an hour to get anywhere from eats into those valuable sightseeing hours! You basically have two mornings, two afternoons, and one evening - if you're not looking for foodie experiences, you'll have plenty of options around any downtown hotel for quick bites in bars, fastfood, and casual restos. Out and about, look for our food trucks for lunches - there are quite a lot these days, with locations tracked on the streetfood app quite well (if you have smartphones, check live otherwise many trucks have regular spots so you can plan in advance even without a live connection).

 

Aside from Stanley park, you can use the Seawall to go all the way around False Creek right into Kitsilano - taking in English Bay, Yaletown, Athlete's Village, Granville Island and Vanier Park (the Maritime Museum, MoV, and Space Centre are all here as well as great views across to downtown). At the end it connects with the bike route all the way up to the UBC Campus, Pacific Spirit regional park, and the many attractions around that area (lots of museums and gardens are part of UBC, there's even a nude beach if you want to work on an all-over tan!)

 

Take one of the ferries that ply the creek (even with your bikes, there are RORO 'cyquabus' models) to cut out the ride/walk in one direction if you're feeling lazy or just want another mini-cruise.

 

Queen Elizabeth Park (free!) and VanDusen Botanical Gardens offer a variety of different formal and informal garden spaces, a tropical conservatory chock-full of birds, and the best views in Vancouver (QEP is the highest point in the city). There are some pleasant bike routes up the hill, but unless you are frequent bikers I'd take transit, it gets a bit steep.

 

Outdoors but covered and more somewhere to relax than be active is Dr Sun Yat-Sen garden in Chinatown - unless you visit Suzhou, China you simply will not find a better formal Chinese garden anywhere in the world. There's also a similar-style but with modern materials free park right nextdoor, sharing the same fishpond if you want some idea of what it's like without spending anything. Tons of light food options abound near here - Chinatown does retail many buildings, big gate etc. that make it look appropriate but has become very multicultural on the food front, with some excellent German Sausages, Southern food, Pies, Italian deli, etc etc etc in addition to lots of Chinese restos (these are worth a whole post of their own, as we have various regional, old-school, modern, tiny hole in the wall to massive banquet halls for 1000 - ask if you've got a particular craving!)

 

Hopefully that's enough to chew on for now - read up on these options, the many other sites recommended by others on this and the Canada/Pacific and Alaska boards about Vancouver, and get back to us with any more queries.

[Putterdude]

Just used my Capital One in California. Only the 2.5 percent surplus all bank cards charge on US Dollar transactions.

 

I expect that you used a Canadian Capital One card, I have spoken with them recently about it and their fees are completely different then Capital One (US) who claim they have no charge, I have both CDN and US cards.

[martincath]

You're right that the Canadian and US cards are totally different in fee structure PD, but since we've been in the market for a new US-based CC ourselves I've been hitting up a lot of comparison sites. There is a ton of evidence, right down to individuals posting pics of their transaction receipts in Euros etc. and looking at interbank rates the same day, that prove Capital One USA does indeed charge no FTF over the last few years at least.

 

The precise rates used by them and other providers do vary of course, otherwise there'd be issues with collusion/price fixing, but I haven't seen any evidence of C1 cards being more than 0.01% different than other Visa, MC, etc products on exchange rate (sometimes lower, sometime higher). Go through your own statements next time you're abroad - it's pretty easy to find exchange rate sites that confirm what the rates were on past dates, and e.g. Oanda has a simple and handy Interbank/typical CC incl a 2% charge comparison so you can really quickly see the difference.

 

Despite C1 proving to be FTF free, we eventually settled on an Amazon Canada Visa card, which is fee-free, with 1% cashback (well, 1% back in Amazon.ca credits - but who doesn't buy something from Amazon now & again!?) and entirely FTF free and means we don't have to worry about transferring funds to US to then transfer to credit card - at least until the exchange gets more favourable we're minimising USD expenses to absolutely-required things like condo fees & insurance.

[Putterdude]

Martin I have been around long enough and in biz long enough to know that none of the banks or c.c. companies do anything for free and that includes foreign exchange and that interbank rates are at best guides. Banks and c.c. companies trade millions of dollars hourly at completely different rates than are available to retail customers. I will say that my Capital One (US) card has become my card of choice here in the US. I also have a BofA, Chase and one other visa card issued by Synchrony bank. All of the cards are fee free and are cash back. Interestingly, I bank with Wells Fargo and they wont give me a card because I don't have a SCN and am not a permanent resident of the US....terribly backward banking system they have in the US.

 

In any event I don't want this to become a debate on which card is best to use however I know from experience that it is bad advice to suggest that anyone should use their US c.c in Canada or anywhere other then the US without investigating what the card issuer may charge by way of foreign transaction fees. I have even been charged a foreign transaction fee by BofA when I used their card on St. Thomas last January.:eek:

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by Putterdude

[3Fluffies]

Any recommendations for souvenir hunting as far as small, local craft/trinket sellers? I like picking up small, inexpensive (costume) pieces of jewelry as keepsakes for myself, and local small crafts to bring back as gifts for family.

 

I'll be staying at Westin Bayshore, planning to visit Stanley Park the day before the cruise, but if there are recommendations for vendors/shops in the vicinity that I should seek out (or avoid!) I'd love to know them in advance!

[martincath]

Bad timing missing your post 3F - so I'll edit this one to keep it more on topic!

 

There's a gift shop in Stanley park, right next to the Totem Poles, which has quite a but of native art including jewelry, small carvings and the like. Water Street is chock-full of souvenir stores that sell even more. Price them all up before buying though, as it's outrageous how incosistent poricing is along that street for identical items. There are some real galleries selling high quality native arts, but it sounds like it's more the 'something that says Vancouver' rather than a 'fit for display' kind of piece you're after so the regular souvenir stores are going to get you much better bang for your buck.

 

If you want something nicer, but without breaking the bank, try Taraxca on Granville Island - it's a small jewelry store with mostly silver pieces, but they added a few shelves from specific local artists using various materials. My wife really likes a lot of their stuff, and many friends visiting us have also bought gifts here - they even have an occasional Group deal for about $40 of merchandise for $25...

 

Absolutely agree PD - never use any CC anywhere without knowing the fee structure lest ye get an unpleasant surprise.

 

Ditto on oddities with US financial and other systems - we operate in three countries with the same bank, and the we've had to get Canadian/UK folks to intervene on our behalf with the US organization more than once because they don't believe we exist without US SSNs. We were even threatened with having our power cut off because several layers of PGE phone minions refused to believe Canadians were allowed to own property in the US and their online tools required a SSN!!! Took a personal visit with local lawyers letter, purchase paperwork, passports and DLs before they finally agreed we could give them money for electricity...

 

But as you wisely say, none of this is really helping directly with cruisers getting info on Vancouver so I'll cut the chat now!

Edited February 18, 2016 by martincath
add reply to oher post

[3Fluffies]

Bad timing missing your post 3F - so I'll edit this one to keep it more on topic!

 

There's a gift shop in Stanley park, right next to the Totem Poles, which has quite a but of native art including jewelry, small carvings and the like. Water Street is chock-full of souvenir stores that sell even more. Price them all up before buying though, as it's outrageous how incosistent poricing is along that street for identical items. There are some real galleries selling high quality native arts, but it sounds like it's more the 'something that says Vancouver' rather than a 'fit for display' kind of piece you're after so the regular souvenir stores are going to get you much better bang for your buck.

 

If you want something nicer, but without breaking the bank, try Taraxca on Granville Island - it's a small jewelry store with mostly silver pieces, but they added a few shelves from specific local artists using various materials. My wife really likes a lot of their stuff, and many friends visiting us have also bought gifts here - they even have an occasional Group deal for about $40 of merchandise for $25...

 

Ooh, Taraxca is precisely the type of jewelry I tend to love, and the prices are in my budget! Thanks for the tip! Methinks I'll add it to my list of places to visit on the Sunday I arrive!

[fl.princess]

Assuming you book the hotel now, or exchange rate doesn't change much, that gives you a ballpark CAD$200 per night. I think it's safe to assume that none of the fancy hotels already mentioned above will have rates that low, unless you're willing to go for travel club memberships or bid sight-unseen on Priceline/Hotwire type sites.

 

That said, you should be able to find multiple 3* or better downtown hotels well within that range - and right off the bat I'll recommend the YWCA again, as they have the lowest rack rates in the city (a private double room in May is only CAD$117 a night, ~USD$96 including taxes).

 

For other hotels where you want to book the specific hotel rather than bid, I like Tripadvisor as a first go-to site - enter your dates and it'll give you prices, but also has a decent quality rating system. Find the hotels you like the sound of at the right price, then stick them into Google Maps to find out exactly where they are (this is crucial in Vancouver, as there are three cities who share a name - West, North, and the original and best!) plus of course other hotels with Vancouver in their names even though they are in Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby etc. our other neighbouring municipalities.

 

Nothing beats using a map to see where the hotel actually is, and Google is also fully-linked-in to our local transit system so you can see how long and how much hassle (transfers of straight shot) it is to get from the hotel to the airport, tourist sites etc. The further from the downtown core, generally the cheaper the hotel - but there are exceptions like the YWCA that is dirt-cheap and superbly located.

 

Since you're active, consider bike rentals - pootling around Stanley Park and the Seawall on bikes means you can get to anywhere you could reach on foot but considerably faster. We have an excellent network of real bike lanes, separated from traffic, as well as many more dedicated-but-painted-only (if you aren't familiar with riding bikes in urban environments you may want to stick to obvious park areas as local drivers run the gamut from considerate to a**holes like most cities).

 

With a short stay, time is your enemy - a cheap hotel that takes an hour to get anywhere from eats into those valuable sightseeing hours! You basically have two mornings, two afternoons, and one evening - if you're not looking for foodie experiences, you'll have plenty of options around any downtown hotel for quick bites in bars, fastfood, and casual restos. Out and about, look for our food trucks for lunches - there are quite a lot these days, with locations tracked on the streetfood app quite well (if you have smartphones, check live otherwise many trucks have regular spots so you can plan in advance even without a live connection).

 

Aside from Stanley park, you can use the Seawall to go all the way around False Creek right into Kitsilano - taking in English Bay, Yaletown, Athlete's Village, Granville Island and Vanier Park (the Maritime Museum, MoV, and Space Centre are all here as well as great views across to downtown). At the end it connects with the bike route all the way up to the UBC Campus, Pacific Spirit regional park, and the many attractions around that area (lots of museums and gardens are part of UBC, there's even a nude beach if you want to work on an all-over tan!)

 

Take one of the ferries that ply the creek (even with your bikes, there are RORO 'cyquabus' models) to cut out the ride/walk in one direction if you're feeling lazy or just want another mini-cruise.

 

Queen Elizabeth Park (free!) and VanDusen Botanical Gardens offer a variety of different formal and informal garden spaces, a tropical conservatory chock-full of birds, and the best views in Vancouver (QEP is the highest point in the city). There are some pleasant bike routes up the hill, but unless you are frequent bikers I'd take transit, it gets a bit steep.

 

Outdoors but covered and more somewhere to relax than be active is Dr Sun Yat-Sen garden in Chinatown - unless you visit Suzhou, China you simply will not find a better formal Chinese garden anywhere in the world. There's also a similar-style but with modern materials free park right nextdoor, sharing the same fishpond if you want some idea of what it's like without spending anything. Tons of light food options abound near here - Chinatown does retail many buildings, big gate etc. that make it look appropriate but has become very multicultural on the food front, with some excellent German Sausages, Southern food, Pies, Italian deli, etc etc etc in addition to lots of Chinese restos (these are worth a whole post of their own, as we have various regional, old-school, modern, tiny hole in the wall to massive banquet halls for 1000 - ask if you've got a particular craving!)

 

Hopefully that's enough to chew on for now - read up on these options, the many other sites recommended by others on this and the Canada/Pacific and Alaska boards about Vancouver, and get back to us with any more queries.

 

 

Thank you! I'll do some researching on the things you suggest!

[xlxo]

That is great info on the shuttle to the Cap Bridge. Do we need to buy tickets ahead of time in order to get on the shuttle?

 

That is great info on the Canada Line rapid transit to the airport. We will have 2 pieces of luggage plus a carryon. We would have no problem walking some with our luggage. Is this rapid transit close to all hotels?

You can get tickets when you arrive at the entrance. The shuttle is free.... here's the schedule and pickup points...

https://capbridge-capilanosuspensi.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/May-2016-Shuttle-Pad-for-web.jpg

 

"close to hotels" is relative to the Canada Line subway to the airport. Ones that come to mind with a 5 to 10 minute walk to a station....

• Delta suites
  
• Pan Pacific
  
• Fairmont Waterfront
  
• Four Seasons
  
• Fairmont Vancouver
  

I would not limit myself to hotels close to the subway.... $35 taxi carload ($25 USD) is the way I want to go with luggage door to door service.

 

I would think all hotels will store your luggage before check-in and hold them for you until you are ready to leave for your flight.

[xlxo]

Hotel budget - looking to spend $150 or less (US dollars). Any recommendations? Or should we be looking at a higher cost?

If you share your hotel dates.... we can better respond to your question.

[fl.princess]

If you share your hotel dates.... we can better respond to your question.

 

Only one night - 5/6/16.

 

I did reserve a room at the YWCA Hotel as was suggested. If you have another suggestion, please let me know.

[xlxo]

The forum fav Blue Horizon is in your price range.

https://bluehorizonhotel.com/book-now

 

The Landmark across the street is in your price range on your date too when I looked on Expedia.

 

I like the neighborhoods further West of the YWCA for food choices and ambience.

[fl.princess]

The YWCA is about $73 (U.S) cheaper. At today's exchange rates, The Blue Horizon would be about $167 (U.S.) including taxes.

 

They are both about equal distance from Canada Place but in different directions. I'm not sure with either of them that walking almost a mile with suitcases would work as I'm not familiar with the streets. We physically could do it, but it could be cumbersome to roll suitcases and carryon luggage that far. Are there shuttles that could take us to either, and what would the cost be?

 

Also, is the YWCA in a safe area? Walking a mile up the street for food, etc, is not really a problem. It would, however, take us 30 minutes or so to walk to Stanley Park. Again, how is the transportation to and from Stanley Park from the YWCA?

 

Thank you.

[Kamloops50]

The YWCA is about $73 (U.S) cheaper. At today's exchange rates, The Blue Horizon would be about $167 (U.S.) including taxes.

 

They are both about equal distance from Canada Place but in different directions. I'm not sure with either of them that walking almost a mile with suitcases would work as I'm not familiar with the streets. We physically could do it, but it could be cumbersome to roll suitcases and carryon luggage that far. Are there shuttles that could take us to either, and what would the cost be?

 

Also, is the YWCA in a safe area? Walking a mile up the street for food, etc, is not really a problem. It would, however, take us 30 minutes or so to walk to Stanley Park. Again, how is the transportation to and from Stanley Park from the YWCA?

 

 

Your only option is a taxi (about $10 USD).

[Putterdude]

The YWCA is about $73 (U.S) cheaper. At today's exchange rates, The Blue Horizon would be about $167 (U.S.) including taxes.

 

They are both about equal distance from Canada Place but in different directions. I'm not sure with either of them that walking almost a mile with suitcases would work as I'm not familiar with the streets. We physically could do it, but it could be cumbersome to roll suitcases and carryon luggage that far. Are there shuttles that could take us to either, and what would the cost be?

 

Also, is the YWCA in a safe area? Walking a mile up the street for food, etc, is not really a problem. It would, however, take us 30 minutes or so to walk to Stanley Park. Again, how is the transportation to and from Stanley Park from the YWCA?

 

Thank you.

 

 

Yes, the Y is in a safe area, you will no concerns in that respect. You will find a number of eateries to the west on either Robson and on Georgia or if you want to stroll south into trendy Yaletown there are a ton of restaurants.

 

It's a bit of a walk to Stanley Park but doable. You may want to walk down to Hastings St. and catch a #19 bus to the park. http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iItineraryDetail&.s=79d509dd&useGoogleMap=1&StartDisplay=BEATTY+ST+%40+W+GEORGIA+ST%2C+VANCOUVER&EndDisplay=STANLEY+PARK&ItinSummary=019&Start=BEATTY+ST+%40+W+GEORGIA+ST%2C+VANCOUVER&End=STANLEY+PARK&StartGeo=BEATTY+ST+%40+W+GEORGIA+ST%2C+VANCOUVER%3B-123112254%3B49278710&EndGeo=STANLEY+PARK%3B-123133966%3B49300568&Date=02-26-2016&TripDirection=DEP&Time=+9%3A20p&SortBy=&Fare=&Accessibility=&ItinIndex=1&MapWidth=500&MapHeight=500&Option=None&SB=View+Detail+

 

Again yes, if you are able bodied it's very possible to walk down to Canada Place if you have a single piece of roller luggage....ok, maybe even with a carry bag as well, it's all downhill, the sidewalks are good and there are let downs at intersections. Otherwise think of a cab which will be in the $10/$12 range.

 

 

 

 

[martincath]

Yup, what PD said.

 

Since you plan to walk around see how the sidewalks and slopes are while you're sightseeing - and if the weather sucks or you just don't feel up to walking with luggage, grab a cab. If you want specific resto recos - there are many less than 10 minutes walk of the Y - throw out some more info about preferred food types, dislikes, and budget. Personally I think that Yaletown/Gastown/Chinatown offer vastly superior dining than the West End in both quality and variety of restos, and they're all easily accessed from the Y on foot.

[fl.princess]

Thank you for the tips. We have reservations at both the YWCA and Blue Horizon, so now we will have to choose which one to cancel.

 

As far as restaurants, is there something unique to Vancouver within walking distance? We eat most things, so it would be what our mood is at the time. And as I mentioned earlier, we will have just come off the cruise, and probably aren't looking to get any big meals or spend a lot of $$ on dinners. Mainly looking for good food at a reasonable price.

Edited February 26, 2016 by fl.princess

[Putterdude]

You wont go hungry at the Y, just a few steps south on Beatty is Frankie's Italian Kitchen, around the corner on Robson is Bogart's continuing south on Beatty there is a Boston Pizza (franchised cookie cutter type restaurant), back on Robson a couple of blocks west is Original Joe's(pub grub) and around the corner and west on Georgia a block is Moxies (family food with an urban twist). There are many, many more within a couple of blocks of the Y.

 

I didn't realize that the Blue Horizon is still in play. There is certainly nothing wrong with the Y and particularly if budget is the underlying factor. However, budget aside, IMO the BH is in a much better location and superior accommodation.

 

 

http://www.frankiesitaliankitchen.ca/menu/

 

http://www.bogartsbar.ca/

 

https://bostonpizza.com/en

 

http://www.originaljoes.ca/robson

 

http://www.moxies.ca/restaurant-locations/bc/vancouver-west-georgia-street?utm_source=G&utm_medium=lpm&utm_campaign=moxies

[fl.princess]

You wont go hungry at the Y, just a few steps south on Beatty is Frankie's Italian Kitchen, around the corner on Robson is Bogart's continuing south on Beatty there is a Boston Pizza (franchised cookie cutter type restaurant), back on Robson a couple of blocks west is Original Joe's(pub grub) and around the corner and west on Georgia a block is Moxies (family food with an urban twist). There are many, many more within a couple of blocks of the Y.

 

I didn't realize that the Blue Horizon is still in play. There is certainly nothing wrong with the Y and particularly if budget is the underlying factor. However, budget aside, IMO the BH is in a much better location and superior accommodation.

 

 

http://www.frankiesitaliankitchen.ca/menu/

 

http://www.bogartsbar.ca/

 

https://bostonpizza.com/en

 

http://www.originaljoes.ca/robson

 

http://www.moxies.ca/restaurant-locations/bc/vancouver-west-georgia-street?utm_source=G&utm_medium=lpm&utm_campaign=moxies

 

 

Thank you for the restaurant tips! I'm sure we will find something to enjoy.

 

Regarding the Blue Horizon, I agree the location may be better considering we are only there one night. We will have to decide and cancel one of the reservations.

[martincath]

Thank you for the tips. We have reservations at both the YWCA and Blue Horizon, so now we will have to choose which one to cancel.

 

As far as restaurants, is there something unique to Vancouver within walking distance? We eat most things, so it would be what our mood is at the time. And as I mentioned earlier, we will have just come off the cruise, and probably aren't looking to get any big meals or spend a lot of $$ on dinners. Mainly looking for good food at a reasonable price.

By Floridian standards you'll likely find a lot of different restos; there is a huge independent restaurant scene so in terms of unique spots many options; truly unique to Vancouver types of food rather than more broadly typical of the PNW is rarer, but one of the very few totally unique options is very close to the Y - Japadog's sitdown resto on Robson. Technically they've expanded into the US a little now, but it started here and remains very popular. It certainly fits the reasonable price criteria too, but I'd say it's more of a lunch than a dinner spot.

 

Other things to look for that are high value, different, and local would include our Izakayas (some local independents, and the Guu and Hapa chains - you'll find them near both hotel options); Phnom Penh (Vietnamese/Cambodian); Bao Bei or Bambudda (both modern Chinese 'tapas' & cocktail joints); Bestie (German sausages); Campagnolo Upstairs (a speakeasy behind a not-really-very-well-hidden door next to the main entrance - THE best burgers in the city - and downstairs is one of the better Italians in town too); Pazzo Chow or Harvest Community Foods for lunch.

 

All of these are walkable from the Y - the furthest are the ones on Main or Union, about 3/4mile away. Regardless of where you stay, you will want to spend time in Gastown and Chinatown if you want to experience Vancouver at all - so you'll be right on top of most of these.

 

Frankly with a short stay, IMO your only time in hotel rooms should be sleeping & showering - while BH deserves the love it gets, especially their View rooms compared to other pricier options like Pan Pacific/Fairmont Waterfront, unless you're planning to sit in your room looking out the window... well, let's just say that the price difference would pay for a cab to Stanley Park at least three tim

Edited February 26, 2016 by martincath

[martincath]

Sorry for double post - CC keeps crashing out on my while trying to edit my post. It's supposed to end with:

 

pay for a cab to Stanley Park at least three times over.

 

Noodles! Can't believe I forgot... Ramen Jinya, my fave in the coity, is within a couple of blocks of the Y on Robson. Kintaro at the other end of Robson (v convenient for Stanley Park) is the pick of most of my noodle-loving friends, but for me Jinya's premium pork broth - limited supply each day - is the single best bowl you can get.

[fl.princess]

All of the restaurant suggestions look great for our tastes! Thank you for posting and providing the links to each.

[pick266]

I have read part 1 & part 2. Thanks to all for the information. We're arriving at YVR on Wed. May 4, 8:43 am. Take cab ($35) to Hampton downtown on Robson. Drop off luggage and have lunch then explore the city - Stanley Park and Chinatown. Still figuring out other areas. In the morning if the hotel does not have transportation to Canada Place pier we'll use a cab ($10). Around 10 am.

 

Our ship Norwegian Pearl will end the cruise in Seattle, but Vancouver is now on our list of cities to return to and explore.

[martincath]

I have read part 1 & part 2. Thanks to all for the information. We're arriving at YVR on Wed. May 4, 8:43 am. Take cab ($35) to Hampton downtown on Robson. Drop off luggage and have lunch then explore the city - Stanley Park and Chinatown. Still figuring out other areas. In the morning if the hotel does not have transportation to Canada Place pier we'll use a cab ($10). Around 10 am.

 

Our ship Norwegian Pearl will end the cruise in Seattle, but Vancouver is now on our list of cities to return to and explore.

All of part 1!? I think you may be the only person ever to do so;-)

 

BTW, you now have $4 extra to spend - Hampton is far enough from the pier that it's in the $31 fixed rate cab zone. Spend it on a couple of apple tarts at the New Town Bakery in Chinatown for a mid-morning snack!