Need help with lodging in Vancouver
 

We will be in vancouver in late July for 3 nights. Where would be a good area to stay (we have a car)? Is staying at Stanley park a better option than downtown? Need hotel recommendations $120 to $180 range.

Stanley Park is near downtown and you cannot stay in the park, sooo with a cat, your options might be limited. Try the Sylvia Hotel on English Bay. Great location, great rates but often booked up. Try it soon. So popular, they do not advertise, but google them for info.

We stayed at O'Cananda House and loved it. We have also stayed at the Westin Bayshore which was also very good but not the small charm of the OC House. Both are within walking distance to Stanley Park.

Geez, who said they had a cat ???

Anyway, if I were staying in Vancouver, and had a budget of $120-$180 U.S. per night...

I'd use PRICELINE.COM and snag something that would save money, and put you in a random spot in the "downtown" sector.

Start bidding at somewhere near to $60 for a 4-star accommodation in the downtown section, and read www.biddingfortravel.com to find out about "free rebids" and how to use them.

You're likely to land a NICE hotel for a base bid of perhaps $80-$90 per night... and that hotel is likely to add on a $20 per night PARKING CHARGE (which sucks)... but it still undercuts your budget considerably, and you'd still have to pay PARKING anyway, Priceline or not.

PS - I go to Vancouver 15-25 times per year, so I am familiar with the downtown area.

re Priceline et al-I am <b><i>astounded</i></b> at some of the deals people are able to obtain by using those sites.((B))

What is REALLY astounding is the amount of obvious mark-up on a hotel room when you DON'T use Priceline, etc.

Try the Sylvia Hotel

http://www.sylviahotel.com/

We stayed there 3 years ago and were very pleased. The room was very clean and comfortable and service was excellent. They even heated up leftover food we had brought back from a restaurant! It's near Stanley Park on English Bay and within walking distance of shopping. It also has easy access to buses.

Apparently, the word car spells like cat on my screen. : )