Seattle & Vancouver Hotels

[spirit317]

I need all the help I can get. I love planning for our cruises and drive my DH crazy. We're flying into Seattle from Philly Thursday (won't arrive in Seattle until 9:00 PM) and then taking the train early Friday to Vancouver. Heard about this great train from the boards! Would it be easier to stay near the airport and arrange transportation to Amtrack for the next morning or stay in town that evening?

 

Next on the agenda! I'm really excited about Vancouver. We were going to stay at the Renaissance but I checked on the website I use and found a great price for the Sutton and the Metropolitan. I need to decide quickly because I'm afraid they will book up!

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated. I have been lurking on CC for over a year now and finally joined. I don't know what took me so long!

[love2cruiseseattle]

I would suggest since you do arrive into Seattle in the evening, stay at a hotel near the airport. Many of them have airport shuttle service so you won't have to pay for a taxi. In the AM you will need to catch a taxi to the Amtrak station which is just south of DT Seattle, next to the stadium that the Seahawks won their conference;) . If the train leaves in the AM make sure you allow enough time to get there, our traffic gets bad during the weekday commute.

 

As for the Renaissance hotel in Vancouver, I have never stayed there, but know people who have and they did think it was nice. I have stayed at the Sutton a few times and it is a very nice hotel with excellent service.

I believe the Renaissance is closer to the train station and the cruise terminal. Both hotels are within walking distance of the main shopping areas.

 

Hope this info helps.

[cruisenk]

Next on the agenda! I'm really excited about Vancouver. We were going to stay at the Renaissance but I checked on the website I use and found a great price for the Sutton and the Metropolitan. I need to decide quickly because I'm afraid they will book up!

 

Have you looked into the Pan Pacific? We stayed there a couple of years ago and had a fantastic experience. It could not have been any easier or more convenient to get to the cruise ship. The hotel bellman took our bags from our room and we didn't have to touch them until they were delivered to our cabin. It was a great experience.

 

Good luck!

 

Kari

[NAHA]

My vote goes for Sutton Place...it is a beautiful hotel with great service and a wonderful restaurant, if you choose to eat at the hotel. We would stay there again in a minute.

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

We stayed at the Renaissance before our HAL sailing 2 years ago. The hotel is within walking distance to everything including Canada Place. The only thing, is that their was construction in the area as they were building a number of new offices (which I think it was going to hamper the "view" of the harbor) The pool/deck area was nice. Pool was an inside pool but had a nice outside deck overlooking the city.

 

The Sutton Place is also very nice, this hotel seems more "stately" than the Renaissance. One thing about the Renaissance is at that time had a business center with FREE internet, which was great when trying to do last minute communication home.

 

Hope you enjoy your visit to Vancouver. If you have time, take the on/off bus (picks up at Canada Place...about $21/pp adult) we really enjoyed it and visited some very nice locations.

[B-May]

I work d/t Vancouver and our company uses the Renaissance Harbourside as a corporate hotel for our out of town guests. The prices are reasonable (harbour view rooms during cruiseship season are at a high point of $209 Cdn) and the view is great (altho they are still building the new trade centre in front, as well as a condo there). They still have views. Not sure when you are coming up to Vancouver but you will find that the Sutton Place Hotel, the Metropolitan and Pan Pacific are expensive. Also the Fairmont Waterfront. None are near the train terminal and you'd have to taxi or take the skytrain to the d/t core. If you need more info on anything Vancouver let me know. There are plenty of hotels in the d/t core that are easily accessible to Canada Post terminal.

 

Betty

[spirit317]

DH told me to stop reading the boards and go for it. I chickened out with using priceline. I'll try it next time! I ended up using my American Express points towards the Sutton Place and got a really good deal. I'm as excited about seeing Vancouver as I am Alaska!

 

As for Seattle, our flight was moved and we won't be arriving until close to 11:00 PM. I lost this one! I wanted to stay in town because we catch the train at 7:45 AM. DH just wants to get a place close to the airport and then get up very early and go to the station.

 

I'll keep you posted and thanks for all your help!

[alwayscoldmom]

I work d/t Vancouver and our company uses the Renaissance Harbourside as a corporate hotel for our out of town guests. The prices are reasonable (harbour view rooms during cruiseship season are at a high point of $209 Cdn) and the view is great (altho they are still building the new trade centre in front, as well as a condo there). They still have views. Not sure when you are coming up to Vancouver but you will find that the Sutton Place Hotel, the Metropolitan and Pan Pacific are expensive. Also the Fairmont Waterfront. None are near the train terminal and you'd have to taxi or take the skytrain to the d/t core. If you need more info on anything Vancouver let me know. There are plenty of hotels in the d/t core that are easily accessible to Canada Post terminal.

 

Betty

 

 

Betty,

Where would you recomend someone stay who has kids? I would like one of the rooms to be able to sleep 5 but all the hotels that I have checked can only sleep 4. Is this normal in Canada? Or do I just need to do a more extensive search? We would really like to stay somewhere that we could walk around and do things. We are really excited about our stay, and any help that you could give would be so appricated!

 

Tonya

[sailboater1]

How do you go about using the amex points. I tried twice to get flights with my miles and this time I asked in January and was told there were no flights to Seattle on ANY DAY from May through September! How many points needed?

[love2cruiseseattle]

How do you go about using the amex points. I tried twice to get flights with my miles and this time I asked in January and was told there were no flights to Seattle on ANY DAY from May through September! How many points needed?

 

I made my reservation through Delta and found out the number of points that I was short. I used 50,000 for a ticket, the 25,000 point tickets are very hard to find. I then phoned Amex and transfered the points over to my Delta program, it took maybe 5 minutes and the fee based on the # of points you transfer, this will appear on your next Amex stmt. I then phoned Delta and cashed in my Delta points for the ticket, Delta charged a $20 fee per ticket.

[love2cruiseseattle]

Betty,

Where would you recomend someone stay who has kids? I would like one of the rooms to be able to sleep 5 but all the hotels that I have checked can only sleep 4. Is this normal in Canada? Or do I just need to do a more extensive search? We would really like to stay somewhere that we could walk around and do things. We are really excited about our stay, and any help that you could give would be so appricated!

 

Tonya

 

Check with the Sutton Place, they use to have apts. that would sleep families. Not sure if you have to stay a certain amount of nights. The hotel is right off of the main shopping street (Robson).

[sailboater1]

Do you know how to use Delta points on line for a hotel?

[love2cruiseseattle]

Do you know how to use Delta points on line for a hotel?

 

No, but I sure it says on your statement or you can phone into Delta and find out, using the miles for airlines tickets was easy.

[alwayscoldmom]

Thanks for the info love2cruiseseattle! I plan to check it out right away. Thanks again.