Vancouver Info if needed

[Shadowdancer604]

How far is it from The Best Western Downtown hotel to Stanley Park ? Is it walkable or how would it be to ride a bike there ?

 

I work at a hotel just a block from there and you are about 1.5 km or about a mile to the south side of Stanley Park. Definitely walkable and their are a couple of place within a few blocks of the BWDT to rent bikes. You will be about 3.5 blocks up from the seawall which will stretch about 15 km from in either direction from that point. It's a great ride down to Stanley Park or a beautiful stroll with a lot to see. The BW has a great guest services team and will be able to assist you in arranging bike rentals.

[richfrommo]

I work at a hotel just a block from there and you are about 1.5 km or about a mile to the south side of Stanley Park. Definitely walkable and their are a couple of place within a few blocks of the BWDT to rent bikes. You will be about 3.5 blocks up from the seawall which will stretch about 15 km from in either direction from that point. It's a great ride down to Stanley Park or a beautiful stroll with a lot to see. The BW has a great guest services team and will be able to assist you in arranging bike rentals.

 

Thanks so much for the info !! :)

[Photojunkie_I_am]

Street food vendors-any favorites?

 

We've heard that Vancouver has great street food in the downtown area. Looking for recommendations.

 

Thanks,

Sharon

[Schropen]

We are in Vancouver from 6/20-6/24 till our cruise on the Wonder. We are staying at the Chateau Granville (hoping it's as nice as the photos). We are doing the Suspension Bridge/Grouse mountain tour & a whale watching tour. Can you give us some places to eat, and must see please. We will have an 11 year old daughter with us and have heard that Stanley Park and the Aqaurium are must sees. Do we do the trolley or the big bus (big bus stops in front of our hotel). Also where to avoid as a tourist and what to watch out for.

[ell52]

Street food vendors-any favorites?

 

We've heard that Vancouver has great street food in the downtown area. Looking for recommendations.

 

Thanks,

Sharon

 

Japadog is the big daddy of food trucks in Vancouver and definitely worth a try. Also The Kaboom Box and Roaming Dragon. You can download the mobile app, Street Food Vancouver from streetfoodapp.com

[Photojunkie_I_am]

Thanks ell52-

I have the mobile app ready to go, just wasn't sure which ones were not to be missed :)

 

Thanks again!

[Putterdude]

We are in Vancouver from 6/20-6/24 till our cruise on the Wonder. We are staying at the Chateau Granville (hoping it's as nice as the photos). We are doing the Suspension Bridge/Grouse mountain tour & a whale watching tour. Can you give us some places to eat, and must see please. We will have an 11 year old daughter with us and have heard that Stanley Park and the Aqaurium are must sees. Do we do the trolley or the big bus (big bus stops in front of our hotel). Also where to avoid as a tourist and what to watch out for.

 

Oops, you are staying in one of the areas I generally advise missing, the entertainment district which can be a bit rowdy at night and not an area that I would take my wife let alone an 11 year old daughter...the Château Granville also has a history. So if you are not 100% committed to this hotel you may want to consider something like the Best Western-Downtown on Drake or the Blue Horizon on Robson St. We can provide other hotel names if these don't work out for you. The only other part of the city to avoid is Hastings, Cordova and Water Sts. east of about Carrall St. Other than that Vancouver is a wonderfully safe city.

The HOHOs are a great way to see a lot of the city in a little time and I always think they are a good idea in a new city. While I prefer the Vancouver Trolley with its live narration I can see an 11 year old having a great time on a double decker or open bus that the Big Bus folks operate.

[Schropen]

Should I switch to the Fairmont waterfront or what would be the top places to stay for location, coolness (for the kid), safety and price?

[Putterdude]

Should I switch to the Fairmont waterfront or what would be the top places to stay for location, coolness (for the kid), safety and price?

 

Well its right across the street from Canada Place and if it's not number one hotel for a cruise...it's a very close second behind the Pan Pacific. If you want something a little less spendy then you may care to consider the Marriott Pinnacle, the Renaissance and the Hyatt Regency all of which are within about 6/7 blocks of Canada Place and very quiet and safe.

 

Here is what is at least a partial list of hotels within about 6 to 7 blocks of Canada Place:

 

The Pan Pacific (part of Canada Place)

Fairmont Waterfront (across the street from Canada Place)

Fairmont Pacific Rim

Marriott Pinnacle

Renaissance

Hyatt Regency

Fairmont Vancouver

Tower at the Terminal City Club

Coast Coal Harbour

Delta Suites

Metropolitan

Four Seasons

Rosewood Georgia

Sutton Place (about 8.5 blocks)

Sheraton at the Wall Centre (about 10 blocks)

le Soleil

The Wedgewood

[Schropen]

Anyone else care to chime in on this hotel? I have it booked but can change if needed. I need feedback about it's reputation please.

[Shadowdancer604]

Oops, you are staying in one of the areas I generally advise missing, the entertainment district which can be a bit rowdy at night and not an area that I would take my wife let alone an 11 year old daughter...the Château Granville also has a history. So if you are not 100% committed to this hotel you may want to consider something like the Best Western-Downtown on Drake or the Blue Horizon on Robson St. We can provide other hotel names if these don't work out for you. The only other part of the city to avoid is Hastings, Cordova and Water Sts. east of about Carrall St. Other than that Vancouver is a wonderfully safe city.

 

That's funny. I work in a hotel on Granville Street (Not the Chateau Granville) and I have no problem letting my wife and children wander the area. It's a very eclectic mix of people and you will definitely run into your fair share of pan handlers and street kids but you can also expect that on Robson street and near the piers. I had lunch at the Chateau Granville yesterday and did a site inspection walk through a month ago and I know you will be quite happy with your choice of hotel. If you want to skip the walk down Granville wander a block over to Howe street.

 

You will definitely find Granville to be wall to wall people in the evening Thursday to Saturday and while the club goers can be annoying, it will still be a safe place to be and the local police keep a great handle on the party goers.

[Schropen]

TY very much as I was second guessing my hotel choice at first. Ecclectic is cool, we are ok with that as long as the hotel is clean and well cared for. I like the idea of being in the center of night life. Also is it better to pre-pay for Big bus/Trolley tickets or wait till you get there to get a better price? Any food ideas other than Nananimo Bars?

[Putterdude]

That's funny. I work in a hotel on Granville Street (Not the Chateau Granville) and I have no problem letting my wife and children wander the area. It's a very eclectic mix of people and you will definitely run into your fair share of pan handlers and street kids but you can also expect that on Robson street and near the piers. I had lunch at the Chateau Granville yesterday and did a site inspection walk through a month ago and I know you will be quite happy with your choice of hotel. If you want to skip the walk down Granville wander a block over to Howe street.

 

You will definitely find Granville to be wall to wall people in the evening Thursday to Saturday and while the club goers can be annoying, it will still be a safe place to be and the local police keep a great handle on the party goers.

 

What you allow your children to do is obviously your own business. However when you knew a young man who was killed in a dust-up on Granville St. and when your own son and pregnant wife were accosted on Granville St. you will excuse my opinion of the neighborhood. I worked at Georgia and Granville for 25 years, oversaw the remodel and had an interest in one of the Entertainment District's hotels a block away from the Château Granville. I know the hotel's history and no, I would not stay there or in the neighborhood and particularly not with my wife and 11 year old daughter. There are a lot nicer places and areas to stay in downtown Vancouver.

[Shadowdancer604]

TY very much as I was second guessing my hotel choice at first. Ecclectic is cool, we are ok with that as long as the hotel is clean and well cared for. I like the idea of being in the center of night life. Also is it better to pre-pay for Big bus/Trolley tickets or wait till you get there to get a better price? Any food ideas other than Nananimo Bars?

 

I would wait on the HOHO tickets. Most hotels have a sales portal which provides the most up to date promotions available and quite often let us offer specials below the pricing on the brochure. You won't pay more than the brochure price but could save.

 

For restaurants Vancouver is a gem. Everything from Street Food (see a link above for a map of trucks and locations to high end steak houses. Your hotel is just a few blocks from some of the best dining in the city located in YALETOWN. One of my personal favorites is http://www.glowbalgroup.com/glowbalgrill/

 

They have a number of good quality restaurants around town serving up amazing food. You will find Global 4 short blocks from your hotel on Mainland. They have daily specials including a family night.

 

Other Vancouver specific options will include Cactus Club, Milestones, Joey's to name a few.

 

On Granville you will find a wide variety of pizza by the slice places, donair stores, poutinerie, fast food favorites.

 

You will be just 3 blocks down from Robson Street and Pacific Centre Mall if shopping is your pleasure.

 

Do the hop on and hop off right away and then venture out to see places like Grouse Mountain, Capillano Suspsension Bridge (or Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge - The free option but harder to get to). Rent some bikes by the Westin Bayshore and enjoy miles of beautiful seawall around Stanley Park and False Creek.

[Schropen]

I have 2 extremely opposite reviews of the Chateau Granville Hotel and area. Can I get some more feedback good or bad please. Not sure whether to roll the dice or pull the trigger. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!

[Shadowdancer604]

What you allow your children to do is obviously your own business. However when you knew a young man who was killed in a dust-up on Granville St. and when your own son and pregnant wife were accosted on Granville St. you will excuse my opinion of the neighborhood. I worked at Georgia and Granville for 25 years, oversaw the remodel and had an interest in one of the Entertainment District's hotels a block away from the Château Granville. I know the hotel's history and no, I would not stay there or in the neighborhood and particularly not with my wife and 11 year old daughter. There are a lot nicer places and areas to stay in downtown Vancouver.

 

I'm sorry for your experiences over the past 25 years. I suppose everyone has their own opinions of Granville and mine stem from my daily life here over the past 15 year. At the end of the day one may be accosted by another individual on any street in any city. Dust Ups and death can occur in even the most beautiful of areas and hotels as we've seen over the past year in the Sheraton Wall Center restaurant, last year at Gotham Steak House and of course in gastown. Hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents visit all neighborhoods of Vancouver yearly and each will have their own stories to tell. I would have agreed with your opinion of Granville before the Olympics and the Granville Street redesign but not anymore.

 

A recent cruise visitor from New York was telling us just a week ago of how Times square was once a dangerous, seedy location that people avoided because of daily events there but how the city worked hard to make the area safe for tourists and good legitimate business's have flooded back in as have the tourists and residents by the millions each year.

 

My point being, areas change and a lot of times for the better. My every day working life on Granville provides me with a different view than yourself and one shared by the vast majority of visitors to the area and city. I'm sorry that your past history and work here has left you so very jaded. I'm just sorry that you use that to demean the great hospitality visitors can experience here and without recent experience drive business away from good quality mid-scale hotels. Take the time to visit some of the hotels you are defaming before offering advise on them. Many have made significant investments into improving their guest experiences.

 

I would definitely encourage visitors to get more than one opinion and not simply from the cruise forums here.

[LeftcoastBC]

I have 2 extremely opposite reviews of the Chateau Granville Hotel and area. Can I get some more feedback good or bad please. Not sure whether to roll the dice or pull the trigger. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!

 

Since you asked.

 

I do not stay often in Vancouver BUT when I do I never stay in the Granville area..

 

I have stayed in more than a few of those Hotels that PD listed.

 

I consider myself a tourist (Vancouver is 100 ks from here) and pretty familiar with the good and bad area's of the city.

 

"There are a lot nicer places and areas to stay in downtown Vancouver."

 

I suggest this line from PD's posts says it all.

[LeftcoastBC]

Street food vendors-any favorites?

 

We've heard that Vancouver has great street food in the downtown area. Looking for recommendations.

 

Thanks,

Sharon

 

Fresh Local Wild http://www.freshlocalwild.com/

 

The very best. Not around on the weekends however BUT just blocks from Canada Place. See if SAM is working.

I loved the Oyster Burger..... BUT apparently the seafood putine is the best. Fish and Chips ..great too.

Edited May 29, 2013 by LeftcoastBC

[Putterdude]

I'm sorry for your experiences over the past 25 years. I suppose everyone has their own opinions of Granville and mine stem from my daily life here over the past 15 year. At the end of the day one may be accosted by another individual on any street in any city. Dust Ups and death can occur in even the most beautiful of areas and hotels as we've seen over the past year in the Sheraton Wall Center restaurant, last year at Gotham Steak House and of course in gastown. Hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents visit all neighborhoods of Vancouver yearly and each will have their own stories to tell. I would have agreed with your opinion of Granville before the Olympics and the Granville Street redesign but not anymore.

 

A recent cruise visitor from New York was telling us just a week ago of how Times square was once a dangerous, seedy location that people avoided because of daily events there but how the city worked hard to make the area safe for tourists and good legitimate business's have flooded back in as have the tourists and residents by the millions each year.

 

My point being, areas change and a lot of times for the better. My every day working life on Granville provides me with a different view than yourself and one shared by the vast majority of visitors to the area and city. I'm sorry that your past history and work here has left you so very jaded. I'm just sorry that you use that to demean the great hospitality visitors can experience here and without recent experience drive business away from good quality mid-scale hotels. Take the time to visit some of the hotels you are defaming before offering advise on them. Many have made significant investments into improving their guest experiences.

 

I would definitely encourage visitors to get more than one opinion and not simply from the cruise forums here.

 

While I respect your view and agree it is improving, you sound like you have something to sell working in the Granville Entertainment District . I don't I am well out of it and I simply would not expose and 11 year old to that area, it is not necessary.

[martincath]

Street food vendors-any favorites?

 

We've heard that Vancouver has great street food in the downtown area. Looking for recommendations.

 

Thanks,

Sharon

Concur with all Ell52's suggs above, and would also submit Vij's Railway Express (overwhelmingly Vancouver's favourite Indian chef, his resto is notoriously difficult to get a seat in - the food truck is also super-popular, but as a tourist you can go visit outside the peak 12-2 working lunchtime).

[gardener718]

Here is a link to Priority Baggage Services, unfortunately the site is not up to date and is frustrating. However I have spoken with them in the past few weeks and have been assured that they are operating out of Canada Place and are doing luggage transfers to the airport...I did not ask about fees though...they are terrible about answering email. http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/services.html

 

As for transit buses, they can be a great way to get from point A to point B but they are not a tour, there is no narration and you are not likely that you are going to learn much about the city...they are what they are, transit. If you only want to see just a couple of things in the city they will be just fine but if you want to see a lot in a brief time they IMO are not the answer. As I read your posts, I could be wrong but I suspect you would be better off with the Princess HOHO excursion.

 

That's as far as I will take, I am certain someone will be along to extol the virtues of taking transit.

 

Thank you again. In this case I think you are right. For the few $$ difference and my ability to get on and off, and hear about the places we go, I will do the entire route (couple hours I think) and then get off at places where I think I would like to spend more time. I to think Princess's $69 combo is the best for me too. I do have to check to make sure what time I have to leave Canada Place to get to the airport, get my luggage and check into my flight. I do not know how far each of these things are from each other. My 11 p.m. flight is on United heading for Chicago with a connection.

I will however not pay $29 for a transfer to the port from the airport, I will use the train. Seems easy enough and my plane is due in about 10:30ish, so I will have plenty of time and then some to get there and maybe check out Canada Place a bit before boarding the ship. Hopefully sending my luggage on board ahead of me.

I will check back soon with more questions, lol, and looking for more information. CC is wonderful and this site offers the best information!!

[martincath]

Both PD & Sd make valid points above. It's better than it was, it's far from the worst part of town, but there are nicer alternatives. You already mentioned the Fairmont Waterfront - if you have the budget for it I'd say that's a no-brainer of a decision in comparison to the BW!

 

Even if you hadn't checked pricing at the Fairmont, I'd personally go for the Hampton Inn over the BW Granville - not because I'm concerned about safety on Granville Street, simply because it's party central so unless your hotel room has excellent soundproofing the odds of you being annoyed by the local nightlife are much higher on Granville than anywhere else.

 

If you do decide to stay there, bring some earplugs - but apart from the usual sensible advice re: travels in any strange city, I wouldn't be any more concerned about safety here than almost anywhere else nearby.

[Urban trekker]

I live three blocks from the Hotel in question - I walk that part of Granville daily - at different times of the day and other than pan handlers who thanks to the city fathers have free rein in the city and some of the locals who live in nearby special needs housing I have never felt threatened. The area is changing - Most of the previous " sex shops" are gone - A hotel a block away has one of the best Irish Pubs in the city.

 

A new fish restaurant called the Fish Shack is doing a roaring business a half a block away - their is a neat little bistro called the Twisted Fork that opened a couple of years ago almost across the street that has lineups most night.

 

Is it safe to stay at the Sheraton Wall Center - after all there was a gangland like shooting there a little over a year ago just as the US Women's Soccer team where checking in for a major tournament which I believe only recently was solved.

 

Ultimately you will have to make a decision - us locals can only offer our thoughts based on our experiences have been.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

I will however not pay $29 for a transfer to the port from the airport, I will use the train. Seems easy enough and my plane is due in about 10:30ish, so I will have plenty of time and then some to get there and maybe check out Canada Place a bit before boarding the ship. Hopefully sending my luggage on board ahead of me.

I will check back soon with more questions, lol, and looking for more information. CC is wonderful and this site offers the best information!!

 

By the time you get off your plane, clear customs, collect your luggage and get downtown it will likely be 11:30ish so you will have no problem leaving your luggage with the porters and spending an hour or so exploring.

[scottbee]

Thank you again. In this case I think you are right. For the few $$ difference and my ability to get on and off, and hear about the places we go, I will do the entire route (couple hours I think) and then get off at places where I think I would like to spend more time. I to think Princess's $69 combo is the best for me too. I do have to check to make sure what time I have to leave Canada Place to get to the airport, get my luggage and check into my flight. I do not know how far each of these things are from each other. My 11 p.m. flight is on United heading for Chicago with a connection.

I will however not pay $29 for a transfer to the port from the airport, I will use the train. Seems easy enough and my plane is due in about 10:30ish, so I will have plenty of time and then some to get there and maybe check out Canada Place a bit before boarding the ship. Hopefully sending my luggage on board ahead of me.

I will check back soon with more questions, lol, and looking for more information. CC is wonderful and this site offers the best information!!

 

Just to comment on the highlighted bit above

 

if you buy a $9 all day transit pass (which includes the final trip to the airport), you still have the ability to get on and off. Also, the local transit system is a lot more frequent, and goes to a lot more locations outside of downtown like Grouse Mt, Capilano Suspension Bridge, QE Park, UBC Museum of Anthropolgy etc etc, whereas the HoHo just run in the downtown core.

 

if you can live without the commentary, the price difference between the two things being suggested is quite significant ($40 vs $9)