“Great Hotel - Nice Staff - Near Public Transportation”
This modern looking hotel is conveniently located in the city within a 2-minute walk from the SkyTrain-Canada Line "Broadway-CityHall" stop, but do take a cab to it from Pacific Bus Station due to connections; use the SkyTrain if coming from the airport. Front desk staff very friendly and helpful on a few occasions, also allowed us to check in early as soon as we arrived (thank you). Room all good, large bathroom, clean, fridge, coffee machine, nice balcony, superb views. Not enough toiletries offered in the bathroom (almost at all) so bring your own or buy them at the mall across the street. Banks around within 3-minute walking distance exchange up to $300 to tourists. Otherwise, this is a perfect hotel for the cost. No issues. Go to Visitor Info Center in downtown to book some things with a discount. Go to Stanley Park bikes for a tour, Capillano Suspension Bridge visit (&free transportation to it from Canada Place), Grousse Mountain - if can afford to spend, go zip-lining (we saw all age groups doing it, so we ziplined too: do listen to every word when instructed how to do it). No complains about the hotel - it gives wonderful comfort and is not expensive. Do not worry it's not located in downtown Vancouver because it's a 5-minute ride from it; you'll need SkyTrain tickets anyway to get around the city if not driving. Use the Transit Map of Vancouver (Google it, as it was hard to find around) if using public transportation and print it to bring it along on your trip.
Area recommendations
*Cambie Street near the Hotel 500 Plaza - good food/market/shops around, near the hotel, banks are close by (note that they close around 5pm), lovely neighborhood - worth walking around to get the local feel
*Visitor Center by Waterfront - they make reservations and give you scoop on things
*Stanley Park by bike - bike rentals just outside the park
*Capilano Suspension Bridge - free transport from Visitor Center in downtown near Canada Place
*Grousse Mountain - all activities and events - Need one-day to cover Capilano and Grousse Mt.
*ChinaTown - go late afternoon, very prety, good food. Shops close early in the evening.
*Downtown Waterfront - definitely, for the restaurants and souvenirs
*Victoria - 1 day starting very early - wonderful trip via ferry (take a bus to it or drive) and superb city. See the Miniature Museum, Parliament building, Empress Hotel, etc.
*Museums
*Lots more
Getting around
Airplane to get here from anywhere - Greyhound from U.S. to Pacific Central Station, cab or SkyTrain to get to hotel. To get around the city, use SkyTrain (do buy tickets; one-day tickets worked best for us, think was $9/person) or cab or own car or rent a bike. To Victoria - direct Ferry from downtown; or SkyTrain then bus to Ferry; check with Visitor Center on times.
What to pack
Definitely toiletries not sufficiently offered at the hotel we stayed at.
Nightlife
*Restaurants in the downtown only - most others are closed late evenings past 8p.m. in other areas, we noticed.
*RiverRock casino - 20 minutes by SkyTrain from Downtown
*Yours to discover
