Travel Accommodation: Choosing a Hotel or Motel
There are a number of considerations in selecting accommodations that can
make the difference between an enjoyable stay and a major headache, whether
your trip to Vancouver is for business or pleasure. You can select a hotel
based on its name, features,
price range, or its location.
By Name
Most of the major hotel chains have properties in the Vancouver marketplace.
If you are familiar with and happy with a chain, or just want its frequent flyer
miles, then you will like their hotel in Vancouver.
Some chains focus on business travellers, in the upper-middle
price range. In Vancouver you'll find: CP Hotels, Coast Hotels, Delta, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Meridien, Radisson, Ramada,
Sheraton, and Westin chains. Some chains target families and budget
concious business travellers. These chains are: Best Western, Comfort Inn, Howard Johnson,
Quality Inn, and Travellodge.
Vancouver has many fine hotels and motels that do not belong to a chain. Some of these have real character, like the
Wedgewood Hotel, the Granville Island Hotel, and the Sylvia Hotel.
By Features
A traveller may need to rely on a specific features in a hotel. It may be a hotel-wide capability like airport shuttle or business centre, it may be an in-room feature like Internet access or a whirlpool bath (and vary from room to room), it may relate to fitness to stay in shape on theroad or to entertain the children, or you may require special suites. We have tried to catalogue them all in the FoundLocally database.
The range of features will vary from hotel to hotel, and sometimes from room to room. If there
is a feature that is critical to your stay (ie wheelchair access or coach
parking)request it in the Search screen, to display only to those establishments. Be sure to request this feature when making your room reservation.
Price Range
There is acommodation in Vancouver to suit any budget. You can stay at the YWCA Hotel Housing , UBC conference housing (in the summers) or the Youth Hostel for only dollars a day, or you can stay in hotel suites that were good enough for visiting royalty during the Expo 86 world's fair, like the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place.
Pricing is seasonal. Summer is high season in Vancouver and Whistler. Whistler hotels are also more expensive over holidays and long weekends, and during the ski season (January to March). Fall (September to December) and spring (April to June) are definitely the less expensive times to visit. Each hotel's dates for high, low, and shoulder seasons differ a bit so watch your timing or your hotel.
Our pricing guidelines (exclusive of taxes) are as follows:
| Price | Low Season | Peak Season | $ | <50 | <60 |
$$ | 50-79 | 60-99 | $$$ | 80-119 | 100-149 | $$$$ | 120+ | 150+ |
Location
The desired location of the hotel depends on the purpose of your visit. We have grouped the hotels by "Area" to assist you with selecting appropriate accommodation. The Area is in most cases, the city in which a hotel is located. Inside the City of Vancouver, we also list the part of town.
If you are in Vancouver on business, you would want a hotel in the Downtown core, between the Burrard Inlet and False Creek, and west of Main Street. All hotels are within walking distance (or a $4 to$8 cab ride) of downtown shopping, the many restaurants and the nightlife. These hotels are also relatively close ($20 taxi) to the airport. There are some value-concious hotels in the Downtown area. You can walk to downtown or to Stanley Park from most downtown hotels, though Vancouver's hills may make a ride in a car or taxi welcome.
If you are here for power-shopping for the family, there are plenty of hotels close to the magnificent Metrotown Centre in Burnaby. There are also several other large malls along nearby Kingsway, plus several of the "category killer" stores, and all of the fast food chains. These hotels are also close to the recreational possibilities of Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake.
If you are travelling across Canada along the TransCanada Highway (Which winds through the Lower Mainland in a southeasterly direction from Horseshoe Bay, through Burnaby, Surrey, and Langley), we have specifically identified that for you. If you are travelling up from the U.S. on Highway 99, you may want to stay in White Rock, Delta, Richmond, or Vancouver. You'll have a selection of dozens of motels, in every price range.
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