I currently have the Bayshore reserved. It had the best rate I could find at the time I made my booking. Others I had looked at were the Westin Grand, Hyatt (sold out), Fairmont, Metropolitan and Sheraton.

I just found a decent rate for the Marriott Pinnacle down by the harbor. Has anyone stayed there or know anything about the property? I believe it's listed as a 4 diamond hotel by AAA and appears to be more centrally located. Thanks in advance for your help.

I am not familiar with the Marriott, but the Westin was a very nice hotel when I was there for Conferences.

Would someone be right in believing that the word "Vancouver" might help this thread a great deal?

About Vancouver in the title... yeah, but... since the only Westin Bayshore in Canada is in Vancouver, and since local knowledge is required, it's a pretty safe bet that anyone qualified to answer will understand this is a Vancouver thread.

So...

I know nothing aboutthe Pinnacle, but do know that the Bayshore is either in a great location -- down by the harbor, close to Stanley Park -- or a poor location -- long walk to anywhere except the barbour and Stanley Park.

I think of The Bayshore as a great hotel when you have a car.

BAK

Nah, a 10 min walk along the waterfront to the Pan Pacific, add another 5 min to more-downtown Vancouver locations, a few mins to Denman Street. I've walked from the Bayshore across the Burrard St bridge to Granville Island but I like walking.

Yeah, BowenLinda makes a great point. I'll emphasize it though that the distances in downtown Vancouver are all walkable. We're talking trivial distances between the Westin Bayshore and the Pinnacle. You could walk between the two hotels in 10-15 minutes if you had to. They're both in the Coal Harbour area of Vancouver, meaning that they're by the water in the north-west corner of the downtown peninsula. The Westin Bayshore is in a park-like environment literally on the water overlooking the harbour (and mountains, and yachts, and fancy restaurants, etc) while the Pinnacle is set back across the street from the water, but its view of the water is partially obstructed by the office towers across the street.

Having been inside both (but never stayed in either), I can say that if you're looking for sleek and modern, stay at the Pinnacle. The Westin Bayshore is more dated, as in, the lobby and halls (ie: not the rooms) would fit very nicely inside the pages of a 1960's-70's modernist architecture book, but it's possibly the best location scenery-wise in the city... and the views are unobstructed.

While the Pinnacle is located further into the centre of the downtown peninsula, as I said, we're talking minimal distances. You may be a 10 minute walk closer to the main shopping on Robson Street by staying at the Pinnacle, but you're then a 10 minute walk further away from Stanley Park and English Bay. So it's all relative, in my opinion.

Thanks for all your responses. I decided on the Marriott Pinnacle for our visit, since it is slightly closer to the downtown area.

I've gone by the Bayshore a number of times and while I love its scenic location near Stanley Park, as BAK mentions that could be good or bad. The Marriott is a bit more convenient for us and the daily rate is less than the Westin, so that was the deciding factor. Hoping for some fresh snow up in Whistler for the skiers in my family during Spring Break.