If any of you are familiar with the Vancouver area, I would be interested in finding out about neighborhoods outside of the downtown and kitsilano area that have decent access to public transport.

I am having trouble finding lodging in the obvious places and would like to find nice areas to stay in, even if they are away from the hustle and bustle, high prices and unavailable lodgings of the most popular areas. Our problem is that I waited too long to make arrangements for our mid August trip.

I'm looking at at a B&B in the Shaughnessy district, across from the botanical garden, that looks promising, for example.

My partner and I do not mind taking public transport at all. Our hope is to just find a pleasant place to stay. So any suggestions about neighborhoods in the Vancouver area would be greatly appreciated.

--Chris

P.S. I have already followed several leads in previous Vancouver threads here. All you people are great.

You might try looking on the North Shore - either North or West Vancouver.

http://www.bbvancouverbc.com/

We've stayed at the Thistledown Inn on our anniversary every year for the past 5 years and love it, it can be a bit pricey but the gourmet breakfasts make it worth it.
http://www.thistle-down.com/

I've often stayed at the 2400 Motel at 2400 Kingsway. There is a bus stop within a block and the Skytrain is about a 10 minute walk. It is old fashioned but clean and reasonable.It has been used for location shoots on the X-Files, and the Commish.
Ask for a room at the back, away from the traffic on Kingsway.

Some more B & B listings which might appeal. The Lighthouse Retreat looks lovely, is in a beautiful area and is right on a bus route.

www.lighthouseretreat.com/

www.vancouver-bc.com/Accommodations/BB.html

Have you given priceline.com a try yet?

I know August is peak tourism season but it has to be worth a roll of the dice to take a shot on Priceline for downtown lodging (if that is REALLY where you wish to be).

If you're not going to have a car, then you don't have the only drawback to downtown Vancouver Priceline affiliates. (the daily parking fee at some of those hotels is $20 or so)

I sooooooooooo recommend using Priceline if you haven't attempted that already.

Go to www.biddingfortravel.com and find the hotel lists, and look for Vancouver and see what others are getting for nightly rates near the time you'll be in town. It can't hurt to look, and if you're unsure about Priceline, I or someone else here would be happy to coach you through it.

With that said, I am quite familiar with the Vancouver area, and yet I don't generally know of a spot I'd stay, in the suburbs, if I didn't have a vehicle with me.

If you went to Priceline itself, before making any commitments (to Priceline) you could get a sense of the various "regions" in which you might stay in the area.

Hope this helps.

Not sure what your budget is. I think a great area (because I live here much of the year) is in the West End, West of Denman Street (adjacent to Stanley Park). If you don't mind sharing a bathroom, try the Buchan Hotel (or see if any of the rooms with private bathrooms are still available in August). If you read the boards, you'll see generations plumping for the Sylvia Hotel but August reservations in that venerable (if rather run-down yet tarted up) establishment pass in peoples' wills.

There are a number of B&B's in the West End. I've sent happy visitors to the West End B&B (although it isn't cheap). Post your findings. I'm motivated to keep you out of some of the dives along Robson Street (below about Jervis Street).

Just a suggestion, we stayed at the University of BC in their apts a few years ago and it was great! We paid $139.00 per night for a one bedroom apt. ready for use.

The 2400 motel on Kingsway is crime central. Avoid it.