xanthippe

We want to stay two nights in Vancouver prior to taking our Princess cruise to Alaska. Can any of you kind and helpful Fodor's folk suggest a good hotel for our family of five (parents, two young boys, and grandma)? We don't need a fancy place. We want to stay all in one room to save money. We will have a rented car and will need parking. Being close to the Princess dock would be a plus. Thank you!

amygirl

The Pan Pacific and Fairmont Waterfront are within walking distance of the cruise ship terminal, but if you have a car I would heartily recommend the Sylvia hotel which is in the west end. Another of my favorites is the Sandman hotel which isn't close to the cruise ship terminal, but is a good, clean, affordable hotel

xanthippe

Thanks, Amygirl. That is just what I wanted, several choices to look at. The car is a rental. We are driving up from Portland and will probably turn the car in the night before our departure.

Any more suggestions, anyone?

BC_Robyn

Parking is really expensive in downtown Vancouver, but downtown Vancouver (which includes the West End) is where you'll want to be as that's where all the hotels are predominantly located, and it's where you can walk around to restaurants, shops, the beach, Stanley Park, take water taxis to Granville Island, etc. It's a real pleasure to stay there, but the issue is that parking is expensive and hotel rooms are more than if you were to stay out in the suburbs... so it's a tradeoff.

The Sylvia is a heritage hotel - nothing fancy but the location is spectacular. The Sandman Suites on Davie might be another option. I'd also look into the Best Western Downtown or the Blue Horizon on Robson. The Hampton Inn on Robson is also popular amongst families.

BC_Robyn

I should also elaborate...

Any hotel downtown will be within a $10 cab ride to Canada Place - the main cruise ship terminal. So you don't really have to be side by side (which is a boring area to stay in, anyway). It's worth being downtown in a more interesting area like the West End, or on Robson Street, or in Yaletown, or along False Creek.

Also, hotel parking in downtown Vancouver often costs $25+ per night, sometimes up to $40 a night more. Expect hotel rates to begin at $150 a night downtown. Summer/cruise ship season is peak season - 3 star hotels going for $200+ is not unheard of.

Another option I completely forgot about - the Burrard Inn. It's a newly renovated motor inn on Burrard Street just south of Robson which has excellent reviews online. It's a bit of a hipster hotel right now but is one of the best deals in Vancouver - they seem to exceed everyone's expectations and the price is a lot lower than average. I'd seriously look them up and consider them as an option.

queenmandy85

I stay at the Sunset Inn and Suites, near Davie and Burrard. It has free parking and a complimentary continental breakfast.Lots of restuarants nearby. There are several transit bus stops near by.

SMac

The Sandman, as mentioned previously, is only a block from the Skytrain station. You could jump on that to get to Waterfront (3 stops). Also, consider the YWCA on Beatty, just around the corner from the Sandman. I see a lot of tourists staying there. And then there's the Georgian Court and the Hampton Inn all within the same square block area.

Keep in mind that Vancouver is not a big city. It's quite walkable. Hotels listed above are all about 4-5 blocks from Burrard and Robson. You could wander from your hotel on Beatty down to Yaletown (5 blocks) and jump on the False Creek Ferry. Bus service is close by.

Street parking is expensive in Vancouver. We have the highest rates in North America, and you'll be paying to park from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. So make sure you look at a hotel that includes parking or can offer parking close by. Do not leave valuables in your car.