lovebug

Anyone know of reasonable parking near the Sheraton Wall Centre downtown? I believe hotel parking is $25-30 per day. In my research for parking downtown, I couldn't find prices for overnight parking on any of the public parking lots or if it was even allowed.

Thanks! Lovebug

fufujuice

There are definitely public parking lots in the area that are much more affordable. We stayed at a hostel about a year ago on Granville street and parked our car in a self-park lot that was probably around $11 for 24 hours (can't remember the exact price - but much more reasonable and might have been even cheaper than $11).

We're going to Vancouver again in August and are also staying at the Sheraton. I'm sure there are other parking lots around that area, so we plan on driving around a bit to look for one before succumbing to the outrageous parking rates at the Sheraton. They're actually not that hard to find - just plan on an additional 15 minutes or so of driving around the area to look for one that allows overnight parking (some of them don't specify anything about overnight parking).

Cat123

There is a public lot right across the street on Burrard and there is also another one the next block to the east from the hotel. As fufujuice notes, there are lots of them in the area.

I would caution you about parking your car in an unsecured garage, however. There is a good deal of vehicle theft and vandalism in that area. In some respects, the hotel parking may be a better option if it is well monitored and has a secure door.

lovebug

Thanks, fufujuice and Cat123 for the helpful information on parking downtown close to the Sheraton. I was beginning to wonder if I would hear from anyone on the subject

We'll be sure to look for something secure and that specifies overnight parking. Counting down the days now. Wheather forcast looks like it should be wonderful during at least the beginning of our time there. Keep you fingers crossed that it holds.

Thanks again!

sludick

lovebug, I would love to hear your report on the Wall Centre. We'll be staying there ourselves in September. Hope you have a really good time in Vancouver!

lovebug

sludick, I'll be happy to report in on the Wall Centre when we return. It's 95 degrees here today and humid. Hasn't rained in about a month. Can't wait to experience some of Vancouver's cooler weather and wouldn't even mind a bit of rain. We'll enjoy ourselves whatever the weather. Talk to you when we get back!

Carmanah

lovebug, please bring some of that 95 degree heat to Vancouver, please! Normally we get our rain and dreary weather in the winter and spring months, and then July and August is almost always sunny and hot... except for this year! This year things have been reversed - we had a strangely dry and sunny winter. It was so dry that the mountains lacked snow and there was little if any skiing! Now when we're expecting summer... a time for going to the beach, going boating, going camping... it's been raining and unseasonally cool, to the point where people are wearing *jackets* (which is something you rarely see in July). Basically, it has feeled like perpetual November, so please, do bring some of that sunshine and heat with you. We miss it!

lovebug

Ha! Isn't it funny how we're never satisfied with what we have. You've got cool weather and we've got hot weather and neither of us are happy. I'll bring hot weather with me on one condition.....that it stays cool up until we're getting on the plane for home. Then the heat and sun can take over for the rest of the season (or longer). I did see the 10 day forcast looks like mostly sunny and 75ish. The sunny must be ok, but 75ish not warm enough for you, eh?

sludick

That 75ish sounds terrific to me, too. We're down in Florida just west of Orlando. Searing heat, then as Dennis is passing by we have winds, rain, tornados, and still it is hot. Just looked at my flower bed...well, what's left of it. Seems like everything has just given up and is rotting away. I'll be looking forward to your trip report.

fufujuice

Just read a posting on tripadvisor that says you are able to park at the meters on the street for free after 8PM and until 9AM. So, this might be another option, although it's probably a bit more of a hassle since you'll need to re-park in the evening and morning.

lovebug

Saw that posting too on TripAdvisor. We had planned to check that option out.

On a trip to San Francisco a few years ago when we stayed at the Park Hyatt in the Financial district, we could park on the street using meters. It wasn't to much of a hassel and we save quite a bit on money by doing so. Thanks!

amkkia

Re: your question about the Sheraton Wall Centre... have no fear, it's a wonderful hotel with gorgeous, comfy rooms. Be sure to ask for one on a high floor with a sea/mountain view. Enjoy!

lovebug

Well, what can I say? We had the best time we've ever had on a vacation. Vancouver is as beautiful a city as everyone said. Green and clean with mountains and water surrounding. Every new view is prettier than the last. Downtown is greener than any other downtown I've seen considering the number of skyscrapers. Trees and planters everywhere and even grassy areas you wouldn't expect. The weather was wonderful, 75ish and sunny for the seven days we were there. While back home, the thermometer hovered (and still hovers) around 100. And I have to say, the people were nicer in Vancouver than anywhere we've traveled!
The Wall Centre was a convenient location and our room was very comfortable, but the best thing about our stay there was the view from our room. We were in the north tower on the 23rd floor and had a mesmerizing view of downtown, the mountains, and the water. Floor to ceiling windows spanned the entire width of the room. Daytime or nighttime, the view was wonderful!
Bathroom and bed were nice, with a barrel chair and side table, along with a desk and chair. Also, had a small fridge, but ours didn't work very well. Just barely kept our water cool. We tipped housekeeping $2 CAD each day and had great service (extra towles, etc).
We used the hotel parking the first night because we arrived at 1:00am. Parked on the street after that with no problems. Made sure to bring any thing of value with us back to the room. Probably saved $150 or more by parking on the street. We could usually see our car from our room which was comforting.
Loved Stanley Park! We spent much of two days there enjoying a walk around the sea wall, visiting the Totem poles, touring the Aquarium (sea lion, dolphin, and Buluga whales too)and had a lovely, relaxing lunch at the Fish House. Salmon and pasta were both delicious and beautifully presented. Also, spent a day at Granville Island and had a great time. Ate lunch at the Public Market, visited many of the galleries, and walked around the water there. Very peaceful. Tried to eat at the Culinary Arts School restaurant that evening since we were in the area, but their reservations were full. Hear the meals are wonderful at a very reasonable price.
Made a day trip to Whistler on Tuesday which ended up being a bit trying. Road work kept us stopped a couple of times for at least 20-30 minutes each time. Besides the road work, the drive there was beautiful! Horseshoe Bay is a charming little spot on the Howe Sound. Great place to grab a slice of pizza or a sandwich and sit outside enjoying the view. Shannon Falls was heaven right here on earth. Be sure to take time to walk to the lookout of the falls. Didn't spend as much time in Whistler as we would have liked because of the road delays. Our impression of Whistler Village was it's a very pretty area, but mostly a commercially developed ski area that doubles for summer vacationers who bike and hike. Plenty of hotels, shops, and restaurants in the maze of buildings. We ate dinner at Trattoira di Umberto before we headed home. Meal was ok...not as good as those we'd experienced in Vancouver and a bit pricier. Wish we'd had more time to investigate our dining options there.
Have to run for now, but I'll be back later with more details about the rest of our trip.

lovebug

One small correction to my last post, I meant we headed back to Vancouver after our day trip to Whisler

sludick

lovebug, thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences in Vancouver and how the Sheraton Wall Centre is. I'm looking forward to hearing more details...