My family and my sister's family are going to spend a week in Vancouver in June or July - eight of us - ranging in ages from 21 to 58. We want access to good walks, shopping, restaurants, and places for the younger folks to go in the evenings.

When my wife and I have stayed in Vancouver before, we stayed in a friend's condominium on Pacific. Friends of ours stayed in the Metropolitan Hotel downtown. It was lovely.

Does anyone recommend the Metropolitan for a group like ours? Anyone recommend instead the Fairmont? The Four Seasons? The Wedgewood? Or some place else?

Can you tell us more about the younger travellers?

My son, when he was 21, would have fgfound the Wedgewood really dull, for instane. And my daughter, when she was 21, would have relaly caught on to the spirit of the Four Seasons.

But my son would have been really impressed with the whole idea of the Fairmont Vancouver, and loved being down by the water at the hotels there.

BAK

The young ones: three girls ages 21, 23, and 26; and one young man who is 24. The girls like shopping and going out some at night. The guy likes being active and being outside. He'll like Stanley Park and a trip to Whistler. They all like being somewhere sort of hip - if there were a W in Vancouver, we'd probably stay there.

And, BAK, thanks for your help.

The Opus Hotel is generally considered the hippest hotel in the city.

http://www.opushotel.com/

The four seasons is actually attached to Pacific Centre Mall, and its very centrally located for access to the water and the clubs along Granville. It may be a good choice. The food there is also very good.

I agree with Jamikins - the Four Seasons is pretty central for Vancouver and perfect for the girls - attached to one of the higher-end malls in the lower mainland and close to all the clubs.

Thanks, Jamikins and BikerScott. I think the girls would like the Four Seasons and like the shopping. But other folks recommend Opus. Have either of you stayed there? Any thoughts about being located in Yaletown?

And in the summer, do you recommend a day trip to Whistler or spending a night there?

I've never stayed there (because I live in Vancouver hehe). Yaletown is great, but I dont find it as convenient as the Four Seasons location. You are not near a skytrain - its about a 15-20 min walk to the nearest one. There is a stop in the Pacific Centre (and you can hop on to get to Metrotown, the other big mall).

Yaletown has a great atmosphere though, I just find it a bit of a walk to everywhere I would want to go.

I've never stayed at the 4 seasons but we LOVE the Metropolitan. It's about 2 streets away from Robson and we walked to Yaletown from the hotel. The Metropolitan has frete(?) robes and Molton Brown amenities. The rooms are clean and the mall is across the street. We''ve also stayed at the Fairmont which was also very convenient. The Fairmont is a little older and not as up to date. Both have very friendly service and are convenient to both Robson and Yaletown

Anyone stayed at the Hampton Inn on Robson?

ttt