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Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
#58962 - 04/11/06 10:02 am
Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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BrumbyJack
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I'm a bit over trying to find somewhere decent AND resonably priced in Downtown Vancouver, but I've found some really nice and cheap places on the Northshore!!!
We want to go to Capilano Bridge and Grouse Mountain, so it seems pretty convenient, only a few blocks away.
Has anyone else stayed on the Northshore??
My previous visits to the North Shore were limited to Lonsdale Quay, but the hotel there is $$$$$ 
We can still checkout downtown during the day.
EDIT: I have booked a place on the road to Capilano/Grouse. Still only 2 blocks from the beach, looks fantastic.
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#58963 - 04/11/06 12:39 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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Crystal
I so have my ski legs now ...and an ass like steel
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personally I like downtown, close to everything and eating is a little cheaper. however if you have scored cheap accom on the northshore go for it.
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#58964 - 04/11/06 12:58 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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Karen97
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North shore should be great! Just get a day tripper on the ferry
_________________________
It's all fun and games till someone gets deported.
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#58965 - 04/11/06 01:10 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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Mark102
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My Dad and I sussed out a couple of the cheap places in downtown Vancouver and they were noisy, stank and looked dodgy so we ended up at the Best Western which was nice. I don't think it was very cheap but we definitely weren't staying at those other places. Dodgy dodgy dodgy!
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#58966 - 04/11/06 04:16 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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bigturtle
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We've stayed at Century PLaza on Burrard Street a few times (downtown) and for a downtown hotel it's pretty reasonably priced with huge rooms and good location. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a downtown hotel for around 100 bucks a night or a little less.
We've got a friend we've stayed with who owns a house in North Vancouver, right on the waterfront. Unbelievable view to wake up to in the morning.
I Vancouver!
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#58967 - 04/11/06 04:21 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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BrumbyJack
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We are planning on going to Grouse Mountain in the afternoon and either going night skiing or just having dinner.
Sunset over Vancouver will be awesome, hopefully the weather is good 
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#58968 - 04/11/06 07:42 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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**Princess**
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We've booked into Empire Landmark Hotel on Robson Street. Twin room CAD$89 plus taxes per night.
Revolving restaurant, airport shuttle picks up and drops off at the door, short walk to Stanley Park, and in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
As long as the beds are clean and warm, and the shower pressure good and water hot, I don't really care... only sleeping there. But from photos looks very good for the price and location.
_________________________
Nothing Good Ever Happens After 2am.
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#58969 - 04/11/06 07:44 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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BrumbyJack
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I got concerned when I kept reading things about "dont walk at night" and "we needed security to get to our rooms" on some of the downtown motel client comments.
I'm travelling with my two young children, so I don't want any **** like that going on. I know just being out by one block can make all the difference in the world 
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#58970 - 04/11/06 08:05 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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minnie
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I'll second BT's recommendation of Century Plaza - we've stayed there 4 times with 4 kids - kitchenettes avail in most rooms(great for kids)and although two blocks from the main dept stores it's only 5mins walk - the odd tramp sleeping out but you get this everywhere in Vancouver. It's straight across the street from Sheraton which has all its trees covered in Xmas lights and the hospital a few doors up does a fantastic Xmas light display. Slightly older hotel but clean and safe with a generally older clientele. North Shore a bit isolated all the attractions (Aquarium, Science Museum, Stanley Park, Skytrain to Metro Shopping Town etc except for Grouse are on city side) I've always emailed Century Plaza direct re prices and have found they always quote a cheaper price than advertised by the so-called cheap travel sites. Hope this helps!
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#58971 - 04/11/06 08:07 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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Harper11
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vancouver is hardly crack ally
theres one dodgy kinda area on the way out of town on granville maybe
but overall downtown is fine
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#58972 - 04/11/06 08:09 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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Harper11
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Originally posted by minnie:
I'll second BT's recommendation of Century Plaza - we've stayed there 4 times with 4 kids - kitchenettes avail in most rooms(great for kids)and although two blocks from the main dept stores it's only 5mins walk - the odd tramp sleeping out but you get this everywhere in Vancouver. It's straight across the street from Sheraton which has all its trees covered in Xmas lights and the hospital a few doors up does a fantastic Xmas light display. Slightly older hotel but clean and safe with a generally older clientele. North Shore a bit isolated all the attractions (Aquarium, Science Museum, Stanley Park, Skytrain to Metro Shopping Town etc except for Grouse are on city side) I've always emailed Century Plaza direct re prices and have found they always quote a cheaper price than advertised by the so-called cheap travel sites. Hope this helps!
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#58973 - 04/11/06 08:27 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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BrumbyJack
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We might get the ferry over after we get home from Grouse Mountain, otherwise we will just go over in the morning...
I've got 3 of us, including breakfast and a kitchenette for $80. Walking distance from Capilano bridge. (mind you, to us, Stanley park is almost walking distance too )
A skytrain/bus/rail/ferry day pass is only $8.
We only have a day and a half in Vancouver and we'd rather see the natural sights than the manmade stuff.
We are planning on going to the Aquarium via Stanley Park, then checking out downtown before we fly out that night.
If we had a few days it would be the planetarium, science centre, Vancouver Island etc.
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#58974 - 04/11/06 11:30 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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chunky
Old and Crusty ;)
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That's a good price for the Landmark Princess. We couldn't get that adlibbing and rocking up at the spur of the moment.
The Aquarium was great when we went. They used to have a whale and when the show came on everyone but a few of us sat right at the front. Presenter asked if everyone was happy b/c they might get wet and no one moved. Sure enough the whale does this flop and the first few rows get slightly drenched (it is winter too). Should have seen them move
Another time +1 at the otter exhibit says those otters playing look like they're doing it. Guide nearby turns and says that's b/c they are and everyone started laughing. Probably one for the moment but that was funny and +1 was very embarrased.
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#58975 - 04/11/06 11:32 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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chunky
Old and Crusty ;)
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Oh and another one - they have a cane toad exhibit and when I started talking about how we kill them over here - dettol, golf clubs, cricket bats etc - you should have seen the horrified looks I got - like this toad was some sort of endangered species.
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#58976 - 05/11/06 01:29 am
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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sly_karma
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BJ the only thing against north shore is access from the airport if you don't have a car. If you are willing to heft the cab fare, fine, it's not much further than downtown. But the airport shuttle bus is cheap and it goes to all the major downtown hotels which is nice when you're dragging all that gear with you.
Princess got a hot price on the Landmark. Anything under $100 a night downtown is a great price. As Chunky said, no way could you get a rate like that coming in off the street.
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Procrastinate now!
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#58977 - 05/11/06 05:24 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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bigturtle
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Just a comment about the many homeless in Vancouver - I think the reason there are so many is not because Vancouver is a "bad" city or has any worse social problem than any other major city. It's more a case of Vancouver being one of the few cities in Canada which has mild enough winters that you can actually survive while living on the streets. We've certainly never had any trouble there and I've felt as safe there as anywhere in Oz.
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#58978 - 06/11/06 03:41 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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sly_karma
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BT, Vancouver's homeless are suffering badly from the city's growing prosperity. Western Canada has a raging economy with little or no unemployment. Vancouver land values are so high that many old hotels and boarding houses are being torn down for redevelopment to condos. The upcoming Olympics is also contributing. The end result is that the number of so-called 'affordable' housing units has halved in the past decade. Not a new problem; many cities have been through this, but as you say, the homeless are more visible in Vancouver and Victoria because the climate is mild enough that they can be out there most of the time. Go to the southern US to really see visible homelessness.
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#58979 - 06/11/06 03:52 pm
Re: Vancouver - Downtown or Northshore
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davethewave
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I went over to the Island a couple of weekends ago and the amount of people on the streets in Victoria is quite astounding, very sad. It seems much worse even than Vancouver, although Victoria has a very small downtown area in comparison. The provincial government has some real problems on their hands at the moment in this regard.
I have been here at UBC for 3 months now, and while the homeless are at first confronting I have not heard of anyone having any safety problems, although like any city it must happen. The beggars are astute, they definitely know where the tourists are. Outside Waterfront station, into Gastown and the nightclub/theatre/bar strip up Granville St are surefire spots to get asked for money. The only place to seriously avoid particularly with kids is East Hastings St in the downtown eastside, where drugs and street workers are pretty visible.
It also pays to be pro-active. If you wander around slowly like a tourist or make eye contact then you are a prime target. If you keep the head down and don't get stuck in a conversation then you can escape pretty easily.
dave.
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