It is a lovely place. I've also stayed there. However, it is not just a short ride to D.T.. It can be hellish getting across the Lions Gate bridge at times. It's nice if you don't mind driving. There are also many bed and breakfast options in the D.T. area. Barclay House, for instance, has little sitting rooms off the bedroom. You can find both of these bed and breakfasts (plus more) at the following web site.
http://www.wcbbia.com
Thats the site for the Western Canada Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Association. Quality accommodation all inspected and approved by Tourism BC btw.

Sorry, Andrew_John and ginocat, but "a short ride into downtown" totally turns me off. I like being in "the thick of things" and actually love cities more than country or suburbs when traveling. We like popping in and out a dozen times a day and night and doing a lot of walking. Going back and forth in a car and parking each time is not a option for us. In fact if we are there a week, I somewhat doubt we will move the car at all. Besides, if it is a B&B in someone's home, I'm not comfortable. I don't even like staying in a friend's house, yet alone a stranger's. Sorry, I know some people love B&B's, but they aren't for us. I'm happy coming into a place and going to my room, not being greeted with "HI, what did you do today" and making a lot of smalltalk. And "group breakfasts" before my coffee makes me human isn't a good thing for me.
Wow. Guess now I sound like an old grouch, don't I?

I wouldn't recommend staying anywhere across the Lions Gate bridge, unless someone is planning on devoting their time to mountain hiking. The traffic is hellish for about two or three hours in the morning and two or three hours in the evening.

Sounds like Patrick has found his rental for next summer, but for anyone else looking, here are a few more suggestions:

The Vacation Rental by Owner website (http://www.vrbo.com) has several apartment rentals in downtown Vancouver. I stayed at one earlier this month -- a privately owned rental in the Lord Stanley Suites (next to Stanley Park). It was pleasant, modern, functional, just a bit "compact" for my son and I (the sleeper sofa, when opened, took up every inch of the living room).

There is a separate bedroom as well as a small den with desk and phone. It's on the 2nd floor with an enclosed sunroom that looks out to the harbor and faces Georgia St., so there's a fair amount of traffic noise at night.

Also it's quite handy to several bike rental places, and a block from Robson St. If you visit during the international fireworks competition, as we did, it's within easy walking distance to viewpoints above English Bay.

It did get a little warm in the suite -- there is a standing air conditioner and fans, but not central air. Luckily it was only hot out the last day we were there. We felt the difference when we stepped out to the hallway and lobby -- those DO have central A/C!

The price was great: $120/night Can with all taxes and parking included. The listing for this suite on vrbo is at http://www.vrbo.com/27622

Another place I've stayed at a few times is Meridian at 910 Beach. http://www.910beach.com/ They have several different kinds of suites, from studios to 2-bedrooms. The rooms are pleasant and modern, most have a balcony or sunroom too. I especially like the location -- its just about a half-block up from where the foot ferry goes across to Granville Island, at the bottom of Hornby St., I think. Also close to the big aquatic center, which I've walked by but not been in. And about 5 or 6 blocks down from Robson.

Sometimes they have specials, and they do charge a lower rate for 7 nights or more. Parking is extra. A/C is fine there.

Shelley in Seattle

Here's another one I've noticed. I've only seen it from the outside, though. Its location is very close to the Times Square suites.

http://www.robsonsuitesvancouver.com/

Good Day Patrick. I just happened to be doing some website upgrades and happened to come across this thread so I thought I would pop in.

I am the sales & marketing director for the Ramada Inn & Suites Downtown Vancouver.

I have read the comments regarding the hotels, area and suggestions from everyone. Let me give you my take.

I have worked here for 5 years now. While we are a little bit older area of the city (Ask me for the heritage photos)we are actually very safe and being the entertainment district, you will find people out and around Granville till all hours. It is easy to see how a visitor would mistake our area for not being aesthetically pleasing but that is primarily due to 75% of the buildings being about 100 years old and boutique in nature.

I would be pleased to look at the dates you need for next year and see what kind of a special rate we can come up with. I will quote on a suite and I will add breakfast in at no additional charge. Our hotel is AAA 3 diamond and Canad Select 3.5 star and recieved an outstanding housekeeping award of excellence from the BC/YUKON hotel association. We are at the top of the class in our Quality Assurance with our brand and I am sure you would feel not only quite safe here but very satisfied with your decsion to stay. If your not, I will pick up the phone and get you the best possible deal at the Meridian which, for your needs, was the best suggestion I saw in the thread.

In any case, thank you all for your feedback as I always strive to improve our property and the area around us. Your feedback is essential to that improvement.

[email protected]

Isn't this an interesting development. I'm thinking of emailing Scott and seeing what they offer, but I'm still concerned.
WillTravel, ginocat, and AnselmAdorne all mentioned how bad the area was. WillTravel, do you live in Vancouver? These didn't appear to be remarks by casual tourists who were just commenting on the age of the buildings. I know that we walked from the Wedgewood to Granville Island and don't recall it being bad, but again that's been a long time ago. And is the location of the above mentioned Meridian any better?
Times Square Suites still looks pretty good.

The area of the Ramada Inn is on Granville Street along the southern end of downtown which has been getting better over the past few years.

The area isn't what I'd call a "bad" neighbourhood - I've lived here all my life - but the neighbouring buildings are a mixture of older porn/pawn shops, top 40 night clubs and big chain hotels. There are 2-3 blocks that I'd call seedy, but even those are being renovated and turned into coffee shops and popular pubs.

One block to the east is the trendy Yaletown - skyscraping glass residential towers, boutiques, great restaurants and a new waterfront.

One block to the west and you're in the downtown business district - the court house and office towers, but soon it turns into the residential West End.

If you can stomach the occasional porn shop and panhandler on that block of Granville, that's as bad as the area's going to get. Reastically, the seedy block is getting smaller all the time.

Thanks, carmanah.

The porn shops sound interesting, but unfortunately I wasn't planning on taking along a pornograph to play it on.

Yes, I live in Vancouver and I work downtown. I associate the area around that Ramada hotel with porn shops, people hiding in doorways to shoot up heroin, and nasty-acting street kids (these are nastier than the ones you see elsewhere). It's true that it's much nicer a couple blocks away, but that particular block is one of my least favorite blocks in Vancouver (besides most of the downtown east side). As a woman, I am not at all terrified to walk through there and have many times, but knowing that someone appreciates aesthetically pleasing surroundings while on holiday, I wouldn't recommend staying there.

Thanks for the added input. I must confess it's easier to believe a resident than the manager of a hotel sitting in that area.

I'm still focusing on Times Square Suites. Jogging through Stanley Park in the early morning sounds a bit more inviting than strolling amongst the porn and druggies.

I won't get into an arguement over one's perception of our area but I will say that it's over a block to the nearest Porn Shop and we have 2 High Income condo's in our block, various restaurants and coffee shops, a used bookstore, musical instrument stores, a beer/wine making store, pharmacy and medical clinic along with a couple of higher end restaurants and lounges. I haven't seen a pan handler in my block in a couple of years and being here almost every day, I haven't seen anyone seedy hiding in a doorway or shooting up in my block in years.

With that said, the Meridian is a beautiful building mixed residential and condo rental right down on False Creek and while it's an uphill walk to most attractions downtown, you will be quite comfortable there and only a short ferry bus ride across the creek to Granville Island.

I'm sorry you have been given such a bad impression of my immediate area by a select few and would invite you, during your stay, to pop in for coffee and see for yourself. I'm sure your impression will be quite different from those read here.

topping...

and a little curious about which neighborhoods have gotten sketchy? I stayed in Vancouver in 95 and 97 and never saw a single panhandler or homeless person and always felt very safe. I suppose everything changes.