Visiting Vancouver Oct 24 - 27th.

[MexiQuebecois]

Hello Vancouverites!

I had posted about this in the Tourism Thread (Canada Section), but I figured I'd get more responses by posting here.

I will be visiting your lovely city for the first time in October. It's our year end celebration at work and for Friday I'll be staying at the Shangri-La ( ) and I'll be busy most of the day, but I have Saturday and Sunday to explore at my heart's content. I'll be flying back to Montreal on Monday morning.

So I have a couple of questions:

1) Accommodation: I'm responsible for my hotel for the following two days. I don't really want to pay the corporate rate at the Shangri-La because it's only a couple of days and I honestly haven't planned nor set money aside for this trip. Now with that said..... Have any of you used sites such as hotwire.com? Apparently they section downtown into different areas and you get a good rate, but they don't tell you the name of your hotel until you've paid (not sure how I feel about this). Or if you guys now about a cool little hotel for around $100 a night then I'm fine, I'm not picky, I was also thinking about a hostel (there's one on Granville St). What do you guys recommend?

2) Things to do: Touristy stuff are fine with me. I'm not the outdoorsy type, so no trips out to Whistler or anything like that. I want to stay in Vancouver proper and see what the city has to offer.

3) FOOD! Sushi, classic Vancouver stuff, etc. You can't leave Montreal without trying a good poutine or a great smoked meat sandwich. What should I eat before I come back home?

And if any of you want to meet for a few drinks then I'm down with that too. I want to go bar hopping, but I'm not doing it alone and I don't think going with my boss/certain coworkers will be a good idea.

[memememe76]

Originally Posted by MexiQuebecois

Hello Vancouverites!

2) Things to do: Touristy stuff are fine with me. I'm not the outdoorsy type, so no trips out to Whistler or anything like that. I want to stay in Vancouver proper and see what the city has to offer.

3) FOOD! Sushi, classic Vancouver stuff, etc. You can't leave Montreal without trying a good poutine or a great smoked meat sandwich. What should I eat before I come back home?

Have a great time!

#2 Stanley Park. Granville Island. Seawall. Chinatown.

Do note, the Rock n Roll Half Marathon is taking that Sunday morning, so it'll be pretty packed in the morning.

#3 Japadog. Vij's for Indian. Go Fish for fish n chips. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka or Kintaro for Ramen. Ice Cream--La Casa Gelato or Bella Gelateria. Dim Sum--Dinesty, Kirin. Izakaya--Guu, Gyoza King, Hapa. Coffee--Revolver, Cafe Artigianno, JJ Bean, Cafe Elysian.

[jlousa]

Hotel wise unless it's over the thanksgiving weekend you should be able to score some low rates, shop around and do not pay the corporate listed rates. That said I do not have advice on which booking site to use but I'm sure others do. I like you would be hesitant on picking a room without knowing which hotel/exactly where it's located. I would not recommend a hostel but that's me, it might work for you. There are lots to choose from, all of which will not be quite up to Shangri-La standards.

Things to do, wait till closer to the date to ask and you'll get better answers, a lot can change depending on weather and what you might do on a sunny warm October day would be so different then a wet cold October day.

Food, there is so much you'll need to tell us what you like. Sushi is everywhere, most is good some is great and it's cheap here in comparison to lots of cities, food trucks if that's your thing are everywhere right now but come October will be more scarce. Let us know your budget as well as that will alter the answers you get.

Hope you enjoy your trip, please do not judge us though from an October experience, unless you have a good time.

[MexiQuebecois]

Originally Posted by memememe76

Have a great time!

#2 Stanley Park. Granville Island. Seawall. Chinatown.

Do note, the Rock n Roll Half Marathon is taking that Sunday morning, so it'll be pretty packed in the morning.

#3 Japadog. Vij's for Indian. Go Fish for fish n chips. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka or Kintaro for Ramen. Ice Cream--La Casa Gelato or Bella Gelateria. Dim Sum--Dinesty, Kirin. Izakaya--Guu, Gyoza King, Hapa. Coffee--Revolver, Cafe Artigianno, JJ Bean, Cafe Elysian.

Damn, that's a lot of food. I'll make sure I starve myself for a week to be able to eat all of that.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by jlousa

Hotel wise unless it's over the thanksgiving weekend you should be able to score some low rates, shop around and do not pay the corporate listed rates. That said I do not have advice on which booking site to use but I'm sure others do. I like you would be hesitant on picking a room without knowing which hotel/exactly where it's located. I would not recommend a hostel but that's me, it might work for you. There are lots to choose from, all of which will not be quite up to Shangri-La standards.

Things to do, wait till closer to the date to ask and you'll get better answers, a lot can change depending on weather and what you might do on a sunny warm October day would be so different then a wet cold October day.

Food, there is so much you'll need to tell us what you like. Sushi is everywhere, most is good some is great and it's cheap here in comparison to lots of cities, food trucks if that's your thing are everywhere right now but come October will be more scarce. Let us know your budget as well as that will alter the answers you get.

Hope you enjoy your trip, please do not judge us though from an October experience, unless you have a good time.

Thanks!

For my hotel, I'm only going there to sleep so as long as it's in the downtown peninsula then I'm fine. Are there any shady areas within the peninsula? I mean, this is Canada after all, so I'm not really too worried. The website divides the peninsula in three parts: Stanley area, so everything west (north? that shit is diagonal) of Nelson park, the Entertainment district, so everything East of that same park, or Coal Harbour/Convention centre area, so everything North (East?) of Robson. Which area would you choose out of those three?

Our office is in the Marine building on Burrard street, but I don't think I'll be in the office more than an hour throughout my whole trip, so it doesn't really make a difference.

I eat pretty much anything other than peppers/extremely spicy food, so anything is fine. I'm willing to try anything. I don't have a specific budget, but I'm thinking I'll spend around $300 - $400 or so. I only have two days to enjoy the city, after all

I won't judge if the weather is shitty, so no worries there

[Pinion]

I just used priceline.com in Seattle and it gave me the dumpiest "three star" hotel I've ever seen (Coast Bellevue). Would not recommend that type of site.

The western end of downtown has the nice hotels and they get horribad towards the eastern end around Main St. South isn't great either. I wouldn't risk it.

Consider the Pinnacle hotel in North Vancouver. $170 gets you a nice new oceanfront hotel with an amazing view (get harbour view, not mountain) and a fun 15 minute boat ride to downtown/skytrain.

[logan5]

It's in the DTES, but the Patricia Hotel in is by far the best deal for downtown. I'm seeing 40 bucks a night with private bathroom and the hotel is apparently very clean. I mean, if you're really trying to save money. Not even hostel's can beat that price.

[Bcasey25raptor]

Go to Queen Elizabeth park, it's beautiful in fall with the colours.

Take the Canada line skytrain to king Edward station and it's a short 5 minute walk from there.

Don't go to the capilano suspension bridge, it'll cost you $20, go to the lynn valley suspension bridge, it's more wild and it's free, however it is much harder to get to.

If you enjoy shopping I'd check out metropolis at metro town, it's the second largest mall in the country.

For sushi restaurants I recommend kadoya on denman street, they have a nice patio over looking English bay.

If you like asian cuisine I'd recommend going to no 3 road in richmond.

If you have time, check out the aquarium and watch the dolphin and beluga shows.

Check out Harbour centre, on a clear day you can see as far as the olympic mountains in Washington state, however it'll cost you $16 to go up there.

Sun sets at english bay are gorgeous, find a log and enjoy the event. It's beautiful all seasons.

and lastly, just for the hell of it, take the skytrain loop (VCC millenium line), you'll get some amazing views of the different skylines of metro Vancouver, in particular Metrotown.

If you want to visit a small town like atmosphere in the heart of a big city, visit steveston.

Check out grouse mountain, there might not be much to do in october but on a clear day you can see most of the salish sea spanning all the way half way to seattle and victoria.

Bring a good camera, this city is very photogenic.

[SpongeG]

the YWCA hotel can be cheap if you are looking for a cheap stay thats better than a hostel

its located just off robson across the street from BC place.

[Steveston]

If you want to see a game at BC Place Stadium, the Whitecaps are playing Colorado on the 25th.

Living here, I can't recommend much for hotels, but budget-wise, you might want to consider a B&B, especially if you can find one close to a Skytrain station. You're basically just looking for a place to crash, plus something to eat in the morning -- I've found that B&Bs fit that bill perfectly, without the extra costs of a hotel.

You've got great food recommendations, to which I can only add Salade de Fruits (a great little French bistro in South Granville).

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by logan5

It's in the DTES, but the Patricia Hotel in is by far the best deal for downtown. I'm seeing 40 bucks a night with private bathroom and the hotel is apparently very clean. I mean, if you're really trying to save money. Not even hostel's can beat that price.

Yikes, you'd really recommend someone stay there?

If the OP wants to use Hotwire I'd suggest not going for anything less than 4 star, otherwise it's hit and miss. You can also go to betterbidding.com where people list what mystery hotel they got in any given city.

[logan5]

Not everybody is a millionaire. Clean room, own bathroom at 40 bucks a night. I'd take that over 60 a night to sleep in a dorm in a better area. But that's just me.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by whatnext

If the OP wants to use Hotwire I'd suggest not going for anything less than 4 star, otherwise it's hit and miss.

I use Hotwire.com almost exclusively when staying in bigger cities. One just has to set the search criteria high enough with "90% recommends" and go for at least 3 stars, and you won't go wrong. I have been pleasantly surprised with all bookings I have made with the service and can highly recommend it. Many times the prices you end up getting through the system are tens of percents cheaper than the regular prices through other websites.

It doesn't work as well in small towns, where you are better off selecting a hotel you know before buying.

If overnighting in Shangri-La Vancouver, one thing to know is that although the tower is the tallest building in Vancouver, the hotel itself only extends the first 18 floors and has no views due to tall buildings around it. It might be an exclusive place to stay with good location, but it is not great with views.

Sheraton Wall Centre has good views due to the location and rooms going all the way up to the 28th floor. So do many Coal Harbour area hotels nearby the waterfront, for example Marriott on Pender Street (not Renaissance).

[GMasterAres]

Soneone above mentioned Harbor center. Dont pay the $16 to go to the observation deck ifbthe weather is good. That is for tourists with kids.

Go to the restaurant above the deck and just have a drink. You can then sit and enjoy the hour it takes to go around. Great to end your day imo.

[spm2013]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yikes, you'd really recommend someone stay there?

If the OP wants to use Hotwire I'd suggest not going for anything less than 4 star, otherwise it's hit and miss. You can also go to betterbidding.com where people list what mystery hotel they got in any given city.

I guess you could always buy some crack and go up to your room to take the sting out of being stupid enough to take logan5's advice.

[MexiQuebecois]

Thank you all for the tips! That'll keep me busy for the weekend I'm sure.

This being SSP and all, I feel an obligation to ask the following: What are some good spots to take skyline pics and are they accessible by public transit?

I'll pass on the crack buying

Originally Posted by Klazu

I use Hotwire.com almost exclusively when staying in bigger cities. One just has to set the search criteria high enough with "90% recommends" and go for at least 3 stars, and you won't go wrong. I have been pleasantly surprised with all bookings I have made with the service and can highly recommend it. Many times the prices you end up getting through the system are tens of percents cheaper than the regular prices through other websites.

It doesn't work as well in small towns, where you are better off selecting a hotel you know before buying.

If overnighting in Shangri-La Vancouver, one thing to know is that although the tower is the tallest building in Vancouver, the hotel itself only extends the first 18 floors and has no views due to tall buildings around it. It might be an exclusive place to stay with good location, but it is not great with views.

Sheraton Wall Centre has good views due to the location and rooms going all the way up to the 28th floor. So do many Coal Harbour area hotels nearby the waterfront, for example Marriott on Pender Street (not Renaissance).

Thanks! This makes me feel more at ease using Hotwire. Yeah I hear you about Shangri-La, but then again my work is booking it, and it's free, so I won't complain I hear from my coworkers that the hotel of choice had always been the Marriott before that though (The big one close to the Marine building).

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by MexiQuebecois

This being SSP and all, I feel an obligation to ask the following: What are some good spots to take skyline pics and are they accessible by public transit?

The classic views are from:

- Seawall along Stanley Park (transit)
- North Vancouver Seabus terminal (transit)
- Lions Gate Bridge (transit + walk)
- Queen Elizabeth Park (transit + walk)
- Spanish Banks (not sure)
- Granville Bridge (walk)
- South East False Creek (transit + walk)
- my apartment

[logan5]

Originally Posted by spm2013

I guess you could always buy some crack and go up to your room to take the sting out of being stupid enough to take logan5's advice.

I wasn't advising, I just threw that out there as an option. Anyways, crack's the new pot, so go for it spm!

[LeftCoaster]

Great to see you getting out there and organizing this so early but in terms of things to do it's best to wait to see what the weather is going to be like as it has the capacity to greatly change what is worth doing in the city.

Best to either make your decision closer to the date, or make two plans just in case your preferred choice gets rained out. What's ironic is that for a city that gets as much rain as it does, there isn't a ton to do in Van when it's raining. Good food and some cool craft breweries/distilleries is about it.

Originally Posted by logan5

I wasn't advising, I just threw that out there as an option. Anyways, crack's the new pot, so go for it spm!

What are you running for Mayor of Toronto?

[Denscity]

The tallest hotel room in Vancouver is that one on Robson on the hill cant remember the name. Plus it has a revolving restaurant on top for some amazing views especially English Bay at sunset.
If not mentioned I'd sit under the palm trees at English Bay or on a log on the beach and stare out to the ocean and mountains. Sip on an indy coffee or have a locally made gelato. Very Vancouver.

[crazyjoeda]

Thought I'd through a few recommendations your way...

1) Check hotwire, if you've never used it before the site lets you search by area, hotel rating and price but doesn't show you the hotel names. If you search a downtown neighbourhood and choose a 3star+ hotel you should find something decent. I've never stayed in a bad hotel using hotwire.

2) Even-though you're "outdoorsy type" you'll be in vancouver, so it would be a shame not to at least take a short trip to grouse mountain, the capilano suspension bridge or if you have time the sea-to-sky gondola, which is awesome!

But if you must stay in the city don't miss stanley park and if the weather is good rent a bike and ride the whole sea wall from coal harbour to kits beach -the best way to see vancouver in my opinion. You should also explore chinatown and gastown and don't miss the dr sun yat sen park, which is free.

3) There's tons of food options. I guess vancouver is famous for asian food.. japadog. You probably wont got wrong choosing any busy restaurant.

If you're looking for a drink the alibi room in gastown is a good start, it has the best selection of bc/pnw craft beers. Vancouver has lots of small breweries but I think brassneck in mount pleasant stands out as the best.

Hope that helps