What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Vancouver & Victoria

December 2004 -- Vancouver's kudos just keep on coming. Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Vancouver the "Best City in the Americas" at their annual Readers' Choice Awards ceremony held October 2004, in New York. Vancouver won the top spot over Victoria and Quebec City. The poll divides cities into five specific geographical divisions including the Americas, which covers Canada, Central America and South America. Cities are scored on ambience, friendliness, culture and sites, restaurants, lodging, and shopping, to give a final ranking. Also recognized at the ceremony was Vancouver Island, which won the "Best North American Island" category over Nantucket and Prince Edward Island. Featured in the November issue of the magazine, the 2004 Readers' Choice Awards list the world's top cities, airlines, car rental agencies, cruise lines, hotels and resorts, and islands.

Vancouver

Preparations are well underway for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver (skating events) and Whistler Resort (skiing and sledding events). Prices for restaurants and hotels are sure to go up, but right now, fabulous restaurants and accommodations remain a steal in Vancouver, compared to Toronto, Montreal, or most big cities in the U.S.

The number of passengers handled by Vancouver International Airport (YVR) through June 2004 showed an increase of 11.7 per cent over 2003 figures. Passenger volumes from Asia Pacific increased by an astounding 30.1 per cent, U.S. passenger volume increased by 4.9 per cent, and the growth in passengers from Europe was 5.2 per cent.

To help ease congestion and wait times, YVR has initiated FasTrack, a series of programs designed to get passengers quickly and efficiently through the airport by using state-of-the-art biometric iris recognition technology. The CANPASS Air program allows pre-screened, low-risk travelers entering Canada from anywhere in the world to pass quickly through Customs and Immigration at major Canadian airports, including Vancouver. Members of the CANPASS program bypass border line-ups by inserting a membership card in designated automated kiosks with touch screens to answer questions similar to those an inspection officer would ask. A camera on the kiosk takes a snapshot of the user's iris to verify identity. Members also have access to the priority lane at YVR's pre-board screening checkpoints, giving them faster access to the security screening process for domestic or international departures. Applications are available now at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel/canpass. YVR is the first airport in North America to offer NEXUS Air, which makes flying to and from the United States more efficient for pre-screened, low-risk travelers. Developed by the Canada Border Services Agency, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and United States Customs and Border Protection, NEXUS Air complements the CANPASS Air program and works the same way. You can apply for NEXUS Air starting November 30, 2004. Applications are available on-line at www.nexus.gc.ca.

So many visitors come to Vancouver to board a cruise ship and end up wishing they'd spent more time in the city, that Tourism Vancouver has added a full-service air and cruise travel desk to their main Touristinfo Centre, 200 Burrard Street (tel. 604/683-2000; www.tourismvancouver.com), allowing visitors to change their travel arrangements on the spot. The need for the new service was based on feedback from visitors who, once they'd arrived, found it difficult to change flight reservations because most airlines have closed their downtown offices. Visitors to the Burrard Street Touristinfo Centre, located opposite the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre at Canada Place, will now be able to change flights and make last minute cruise reservations in addition to the current range of services offered, such as currency exchange, hotel room bookings, tickets to attractions and tours, and the Tickets Tonight booth, Vancouver's exclusive outlet for half-price show tickets.

In an official ceremony on November 8th, 2004, British Columbia's Premier Gordon Campbell broke ground on the new convention centre expansion, an addition that will triple the capacity of the existing facility. Located at Canada Place, which also serves as the terminal for Alaska-bound cruise ships, the expansion will add 359,000 square feet of functional waterfront meeting space, to give a total of 492,000 square feet of space in the combined facilities. The centre, to be completed by 2008, will be the media headquarters during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Vancouver's acclaimed restaurants rank right at the top of the international food chain, and foodies might want to consider a winter trip to Vancouver just to try out the incredible array of great restaurants participating in Dine Out Vancouver 2005. One of the city's tastiest and most eagerly anticipated events, Dine Out will take place from Friday, January 21 to Thursday, February 3, 2005. For two delicious weeks, locals and visitors can sample amazing three-course prix-fixe dinners at Vancouver's hottest restaurants for C$15 (US$11), C$25 (US$19) or C$35 (US$26), exclusive of tax and gratuity. With an impressive selection of well over 100 Greater Vancouver's eateries, food lovers can visit hot new wine bars, taste test a top fine-dining establishment, slide into a comfy brew pub or sample some award-winning ethnic fare, all at unbelievable prices. The full list of participating Dine Out Vancouver 2005 restaurants, complete with menus and reservation information, will be available online on January 1, 2005, at www.tourismvancouver.com.

Victoria

With flu vaccine in short supply in the US, Victoria made news this year by offering flu "vaccination packages." Through December 18, 2004, for instance, visitors can book the "Flu Shot Special" on the high-speed Victoria Clipper passenger ferry (www.victoriaclipper.com) between Seattle and Victoria; the US$105 fare includes roundtrip Seattle-Victoria ferry service and a flu shot.

B.C. Ferries (www.bcferries.ca), which offers passenger and car ferry service between the mainland and Vancouver Island, increased fares on November 1, 2004. The increases range from C.25 (US19¢) for most passenger fares to about C$1 (US75¢) for most vehicle fares. There is also a change to the current reservation fee effective January 4, 2005. Resevations booked a week or more in advance will not change in price, but reservations made less than one week prior to travel will be charged an additional C$17.50 (US$13). Also effecive January 4, 2005, the premium charge for "Assured Loading" tickets (this means your vehicle will be guaranteed a place on the ferry) will go up by C$10 (US$7.50) per ticket. If you're traveling to Victoria via ferry with a car, it's always wise to reserve ahead and to arrive at the ferry terminals early, especially on weekends.

Victoria has a rich maritime heritage dating back to the 1800s when tall ships frequented the port for international trade, and the Victoria Tall Ships Challenge 2005 promises to be the crown jewel in a summer of maritime events. This international event will bring more than 30 tall ships and an estimated 250,000 visitors to Victoria's Inner Harbour from June 23-26, 2005. Victoria will be the first port of call for the participating tall ships, followed by Tacoma, WA; Anacortes, WA; Port Alberni, BC; and Los Angeles, CA. The ships will participate in a series of races off the coast of BC and the US Pacific Northwest. For more information visit www.tallshipsvictoria.ca or www.sailtraining.org.

From March 4 to October 10, 2005, Tibet: Mountains and Valleys, Castles and Tents will be on display at the Royal British Columbia Museum, 675 Belleville St. (tel. 888/477-7977; www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca). Based on the Newark Museum's Tibetan collection, the finest in the western hemisphere, the exhibit will showcase the historical and archival treasures of Tibetan culture. Many of these objects are being shown outside the museum for the first time. The exhibit encompasses traditional Tibetan culture through secular artwork, sculpture, jewellery, clothing and other household and personal objects. The objects are shown in the context of rare photographs and films taken by some of the earliest foreign visitors to Tibet, documenting the rugged terrain and the traditional lifestyles of Tibet and its people in the first decades of the 20th century.

On December 13, 2004, the Bear Mountain Resort Hotel (www.bearmountaingolf.com) will open alongside Victoria's new Bear Mountain Golf Course, the first Nicklaus-designed golf course and community on Vancouver Island. Overlooking the golf course fairways and Mount Finlayson, the three-story hotel will include 65 guest rooms and suites featuring comfortable, west coast design including luxurious bathrooms with deep soaker tubs. In Summer 2005, Bear Mountain Resort will open a 10,000 sq. ft. pool pavilion and health and fitness center, and in August, 2006, a six-story, 160,000 sq. ft. clubhouse and an additional 91 guest rooms and suites, with all-service spa and wellness centre, fine dining restaurant, bar, lounge and conference facility.

Right in town, Swans Suite Hotel, 506 Pandora Ave. (tel. 800/668-7926; www.swanshotel.com), is undergoing extensive renovations to become an upscale boutique hotel scheduled to be complete by March 1, 2005. Swans currently includes 30 suites plus a luxurious penthouse in a 1913 heritage building. The hotel lobby and brewpub will be refurbished as will the guest rooms, including new king-size beds, high quality bedding and linens, new furnishings, bathrooms, carpets, lighting, flooring and amenities. The late Michael C. Williams, owner of Swans Suite Hotel, left one of the largest, privately-owned art collections in Western Canada. His tradition of filling the hotel with pieces from his extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture and antiques will be maintained.

Just 20 minutes north of downtown Victoria, overlooking a pristine fjord with old-growth forest all around and opposite Butchart Gardens, the new Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa, 849 Verdier Ave. (tel. 888/544-2079 or 250/544-2079; www.brentwoodbaylodge.com), opened in May 2004, and is already garnering raves. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, it features gorgeously styled rooms with handcrafted furniture, First Nations artwork, and spa-like bathrooms with deep soaker tubs and separate showers. The spa, called Essence of Life, is one of the finest on the West Coast.

The Temple, 525 Fort Street (tel. 250/383-2313; www.thetemple.ca), a recently opened restaurant, martini and wine bar, is housed in the historic Temple Building originally built in downtown Victoria in 1893. Although the name of the building suggests a place of worship, it actually refers to its architectural style. The chef is Sam Benedetto, formerly of Sooke Harbour House. The menu is great for small-plate nibbling, like a tapas bar, but has lots of surprises.

Hugo's, 625 Courtney Street (tel. 250/920-4844; www.hugoslounge.com), has the best DJs spinning the hottest wax: R&B, tech-house, deep house, funk, hip hop, soul, and all current hot tracks. Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square (tel. 250/385-5483; www.upstairscabaret.com), is Victoria's most exciting new Nightclub, featuring premium live acts as well as professionally selected music. The cabaret caters to a mature and lively crowd and serves premium liquors, wines and craft-brewed beers.