Neighborhoods

Downtown & Yaletown

All downtown hotels are within 5 to 10 minutes' walking distance of shops, restaurants, and attractions. Hotels in this area lean more toward the luxurious than the modest, a state of affairs reflected in their prices.

The West End

A 10-minute walk from downtown, the West End's hotels are nestled amid the tree-lined, garden-filled residential streets bordering Stanley Park. Have no fear: You will not be out of the loop if you stay in the West End, though the area's relaxed, beachy ambience is very different from downtown. Within minutes you can be on Robson or Denman Street (both of them chockablock with shops and restaurants), at beautiful English Bay or Second Beach, or in Stanley Park. Though the area has fewer hotels than downtown, the choices are more diverse -- and so are the people who live here.

The West Side

Right across False Creek from downtown and the West End is Vancouver's West Side, where you'll find cozy B&Bs and hotels. It's the perfect location if your agenda includes Granville Island; exploration of the laid-back Kitsilano neighborhood and Kits Beach; the Museum of Anthropology and famed gardens on the University of British Columbia campus; the sunken garden at Queen Elizabeth Park; or if you require close proximity to the airport without staying in an "airport hotel."

The North Shore (North Vancouver & West Vancouver)

The North Shore cities of North and West Vancouver are pleasant, lush, and much less hurried than Vancouver. Staying here also offers easy access to the North Shore mountains, including hiking trails, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and the ski slopes on Mount Seymour, Grouse Mountain, and Cypress Bowl. The disadvantage is that if you want to take your car into Vancouver, there are only two bridges, and during rush hour they're painfully slow. The passenger-only SeaBus, however, is quick and scenic.