Hi,
I am planning my first trip to Vancouver and could really use some help. My daughter, six years old, and I will be joining my husband for part of his business trip. We are arriving two days early to take advantage of the weekend and are own for lodging for Saturday and Sunday night. Monday we will move to the Westin Bayshore for two more nights.

After reading all the posts and doing some web research, the Listel and the Opus look like they might work for us. We would have a standard room at the Opus (unless they have a winder special?) but would be able to stay in a Museum floor room at the Listel.

Could anyone offer some advice on these two hotels and the areas that they are in? What is Yaletown like? Do they have browsable shops; is it a nice place to walk? Is the area around the Listel similar to Union Square in San Francisco?

We are interested in shopping for vintage clothing, high-end designer (Chanel is a must) and mid-century modern furniture, visiting Chinatown and the Museum of Anthropology. Oh, and if anyone knows good spots to purchase Sanrio/ Hello Kitty items my daughter will be very excited.

I have not reserved a rental car and wondered if we will need one.

One more question, please, what is the weather typically like during the second week of November?

Thank you so much (in advance)!!
Gem

I can only comment on the Westin where I stayed. It is located on the water with walking paths and great views and a short walk to Stanley Park. We liked the location better than being downtown. The roods are plenty large for up to 2 adults and 2 children. You will need a rental car if you plan on going to Gastown, Granville Island, Chinatown (which did not strike me as anything special) , or across the bridge to the gondola and the mountains. If you are going to Robson ST, where high end shopping is located, you can walk or catch a cab,

I think a rental car for at least part of the time, but if money is not all that limnited, get a car for the whole visit.

The girl will enjoy visiting Granville Island, and she'll enjoy taking the Seatrain ferry from Vancouver proper over to North Vancouver.

She'll enjoy the totem poles in Stanley Park, and she'll enjoy visiting the beaches, just to play ont he sand and the big logs.

It will probably be chilly and probably rainy, so bing waterproof shoes, sweaters and rain jackets, and then go outside and just ignore the rain because you have the right clothes.

Hi we stayed at the Listel last month and I can highly recommend it. It is situated in the middle of the shopping district with lots of nice restaurants within walking distance and you can walk easily to the harbour and enjoy the walk along that area. The rooms are lovely we too stayed on the Museum floor, the staff was very helpful. You'll really enjoy the Museum and don't miss Stanley Park...the bus system in town is wonderful for $2.00 you get a transfer that is good for 1 1/2 hrs so allows for on and off shopping...don't miss Granville Island you can bus or take ferry
enjoy it's a great city.

In answer to your weather question - November is considered the worst month of the year by most Vancouverites. There are colder months, (January), and wetter months, (December), but somehow November depresses us terribly - perhaps because it is the beginning of winter here. Daylight saving times ends a few days before November begins so the onset of early darkness combined with the full onset of the monsoon season which we know will last through to early February is enough to really dampen one's spirits. There have been Novembers where it has rained every day and if by chance we're lucky enough to get a sunny spell it usually means we are getting cold air from the Interior.

Last year was a great rarity here in that we had a sunny and mild November. It won't happen two years in a row so be prepared for grey, cool and showery if not rainy weather. Sorry but thems are the facts. You couldn't pick a worse month to visit.

Your daughter would probably enjoy the aquarium in Stanley Park. The Listel is close to that (though I am not sure a 6 year old would want to walk), and is right on Robson, where the upscale shopping is. Also, though Yaletown has some great restaurants, many are upscale and trendy and did not seem really child-friendly; there are many restaurants around the Listel that might be a better choice.

The Anthropology Museum is a car ride from either hotel. And take a look at a guide book or talk to the concierge before you walk around Chinatown; there are just a couple of undesirable streets that you can avoid.

The Opus looked like a super-cool hotel when I peeked in a month or so ago. I would guess it was probably built for terribly hip dotcommers (of whom there are many fewer now, of course) visiting Yaletown, and for glamorous people who want to hang out at the bar. I'm sure it would be fine, and undoubtedly it's a more "cool" hotel than the Listel. The Listel, on the other hand, is right on Robson Street and more convenient to Stanley Park. It's within about 4 blocks of the Westin Bayshore. So you wouldn't go wrong with either hotel - it all depends what you want.

weather 2nd week of November...after the summer we had and the fall we are experiencing...who knows!! It is still summerlike here, needed my air-conditioner yesterday. As Gary said, it may be cold and wet - just check the weather before you leave because anything could happen!

LISTEL!
I just got back (today) and REALLY enjoyed my stay there. Turn down service with oatmeal-raisin cookies left on your table, complementary coffee service delivered to your room in the morning (you let them know what time) along with a free newspaper, a very nice whirlpool in the fitness room, comfy rooms, great service and at the fun end of Robson street. (The Mundo Gelato is right there!! and an awesome fish and chips place)

See my "Vancouver trip report post"


PS- www.estays.com is where I found an incredible deal on the Listel. It cost me C$159 per night(3 nights) for the gallery floor, breakfast each morning and a $20 gift card to Chapters.

Hello, We just came back from our trip to Vancouver and stayed for 4 nights at the Listel Hotel. It is on the main shopping street closer to the medium end stores, but a few blocks further are your high end stores. The hotel is clean, good size rooms and not expensive. The service was perfect with a restaurant connected to the hotel that you can get a high quality breakfast or meal at. Also, across the street are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. restaurants.
Hope this helps.

Hello, We just came back from our trip to Vancouver and stayed for 4 nights at the Listel Hotel on the Museum Floor. It is on Robson Street where all the stores are located. The hotel is clean, good size rooms and not expensive. The service was perfect with a restaurant connected to the hotel that you can get a high quality breakfast or meal at. Also, across the street are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. restaurants.

We went to Chinatown, but found it tired looking and not busy at all. It seems most of the residents of Chinatown have moved out to the Richmond section of Vancouver. I would consider going to Chinatown a waste of time.

We went to Granville Island and was surprised at the good time we had and the market is a fun place to eat.

We rented a car the whole time we were in Vancouver and it was a great way to see more sights.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps.

There are no Sanrio stores like there are in San Francisco (I believe there is one at Metrotown), but go to Richmond to all the Asian malls if you're looking for cute Hello Kitty toys for your daughter. Richmond (directly south of Vancouver), along No 3 Rd has various Asian specialty-malls full of those stores.

Chinatown has those stores too, but Vancouver's Chinatown comes from a time in the late 1800's early 1900's when Vancouver's Chinese community lived along the margins of downtown, whereas, in modern Vancouver times, Vancouver's Chinese community thrives all over the city, and the better Chinese restaurants and stores are actually outside of Chinatown.

As for high end clothing, Vancouver's not known for its high end fashion, but there is the Leone store on W Hastings at Sinclair Centre, and Chanel is directly across the street. Yaletown also has many high end boutiques. West 4th, South Granville and Kerrisdale are also other neighbourhoods you might want to look in.

High end name brand shopping is probably most concentrated on Robson Street west of Burrard. All the major name brand stores are there and some like Roots which are strictly Canadian.

If you're really interested in Furniture the best selection is way out in the Eastern part of Greater Vancouver on United Boulevard but there are some very good places in Yaletown and Gastown. Unfortunately the bargains for Americans aern't nearly as great as a year ago since our dollar has gone from 61 cents US to almost 76 cents. Still, if you price things out before you get here I'm sure you'll find some bargains.

This post maybe too late still here's my thoughts. I stayed at the Westin Bayshore recently and loved it. We got a room in the tower and it was very spacious. I paid $US48 per night on Priceline for it. It is in a great location within walking distance to the aquarium as I embarrassingly found out after catching a trolley there and walking back - 10 minutes max with a child. Close to Denman Street with great restaurants and cafes. There is also a shuttle bus from the hotel to the downtown area, it drops you near Sears.

Hope this helps. Mac123