Hotels in Vancouver

This 31-story high-rise built in the 1960s towers above the rest from its lofty position on a rise. It has some pretty terrific views, especially from the upper floors. It’s also a pretty sweet-looking hotel on the inside, thanks to a major reno in 2011 that included new windows and…

It’s rumored that Errol Flynn died here. Mind you, it’s also been said that he died at the Sylvia, the Georgia, and aboard a boat in the harbor; also, that he died in the arms of a young girl—or, perhaps, a young boy. No matter. The point is, this place has history. It was built in…

Great location, great value. This cool, comfortable, contemporary hotel opened in 2010 just in time for the Olympic Winter Games. It’s steps away from Stanley Park, and not much further from most of the attractions you’ll want to experience. All the guest rooms feature…

The building is nearly a century old and has been a hotel since it opened in 1918; unfortunately, most of that historic charm has been lost amid the many updates over time. The decor is pretty much just a bland, beige, middle-of-the-road hotel style—but it’s clean and functional, the…

If you’re looking for a great place to stay while you’re in town for a conference or business meeting, this is exactly what you’re looking for. Terrific location near Gastown, the Waterfront Centre transportation hub, and the convention center. Beautiful all-suites guest rooms with…

Every city’s got to have its revolving restaurant, and Vancouver’s is located here at the Empire, a 42-story tower with an uninterrupted panorama of city, sea, and mountains. Predictably, the food at Cloud 9 isn’t actually all that great, but it’s a good place for a drink while you…

Where most Vancouver hotels are going for the clean, contemporary look, Le Soleil is all ornate, over-the-top opulence. Think luxuriously swagged draperies, gilt-edged furniture, and plush, velvety, satiny upholstery, all in rich colors of red and gold. And patterns! You might find…

In 2014, Vancouver’s grande dame is undergoing a much-needed facelift, a C$12-million renovation that will update the lobby and 900 West Restaurant, and replace the beloved Griffins restaurant with luxury retailers. It’s expected to be complete by November 2014, but it’s also just…

Fairmont has five properties around Vancouver, including one in Whistler and another at the airport. Of them, this is the newest, the smallest, and the most coolly beautiful. It has an enviable setting right across from the convention center, with spectacular views of the harbor and…

Just down the street from the Fairmont Pacific Rim is its slightly older and somewhat overshadowed sister. It, too, has an enviable location, right across the street from the convention center and the cruise ship terminal. In 2014, it has seen some significant (and much-needed)…

If you are in town for an event at one of the two sports stadiums, the Vancouver Public Library, or the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, then this is a great destination for you. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the hotel was designed to evoke the grace and elegance of the…

Just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, this great little boutique hotel underwent a renovation that saw it become a sleek, chic, modern place to stay. Certainly, its location is a good one—right on Granville Island, overlooking a marina and False Creek. It’s steps from…

Traveling on a budget often means staying in dodgy, dirty, unsafe places, or in locations far away from the action. Not so with this great hostel. It is, believe it or not, a converted nunnery, located just a few blocks from the beach and most of downtown’s main attractions. It’s not…

Want to stay at the beach? For next to nothing? Then this is the place for you. This hostel is located in a former military barracks, and admittedly, the decor isn’t much fancier than it was back in the days when soldiers bunked here. Most of the rooms are dorms, with simple pine…

The Loden is a luxurious little treasure of a boutique hotel just slightly off the beaten path. It’s located on a side street near Coal Harbour and a short stroll from Robson Street, the West End, and the financial district. This place is all about chic comfort—the guest rooms have…

It would be worth staying here just for the complimentary downtown shuttle service in the hotel Jaguar. But the central location, great meeting facilities, and fine restaurant are also pretty swell. The hotel has been around since the early 1990s, and still retains some of the look…

It’s hard to believe this stylish, century-old building was once the notorious Dufferin Hotel, a rough, run-down, and rowdy place famous in the 1980s for its gay bars, drag shows, and male strippers, hence the popular slogan: “Go buff at the Duff.” Things have certainly changed in…

For sheer, vibrant, grown-up fun, you cannot beat the Opus. It’s the only place to stay right in Yaletown, which means it can be a bit noisy, what with all the bars, clubs, and restaurants outside. All the rooms feature spa bathrooms, in-room iPads, Frette bathrobes, Herman Miller…

Few locations can beat the one at the Pan: It’s situated above the sails of Canada Place, right between the cruise ship terminal and the convention center. At 23 stories and 503 guest rooms, the hotel is large (for Vancouver, at least), yet somehow cozy, intimate, and comfortable at…

It’s not fancy; indeed, it’s perhaps a bit dated, one of those green-trimmed glassy buildings that popped up everywhere in the 1990s. But the value is great, especially if you want to stay in the area around the library, which is otherwise not terribly well served by hotels. All the…

When it was built in 1927, the gracious Hotel Georgia quickly became Vancouver’s go-to place for celebrities. Everyone stayed here, from the Queen (Elizabeth) to the King (Elvis). And then, in the late 1970s, it began its sad decline, and by the time the Rosewood group took it over,…

The first North American property for Shangri-La brings with it all the style and service for which this Asian hotel chain is famous. At 62 stories, it’s the tallest building in Vancouver, and has become the anchor for the city’s new high-end boutique and restaurant row along Alberni…

The building is more than a century old, but the rooms are beautifully up to date. This lovely boutique hotel is in a great location near the financial district, SkyTrain, and shopping, and it boasts all the amenities both leisure and business travelers crave. It recently underwent a…

One of the city’s true hidden gems. The rooms are large, the parking is free, and the whole place underwent a renovation just a few years ago. This family-owned hotel is located just a few blocks from English Bay and around the corner from Davie Street, in the heart of Vancouver’s…

Once the shining star among Vancouver hotels, this European-style boutique hotel has been eclipsed in recent years by some of the newer properties. Expect that to change in 2014, though, as the hotel replaces its tired Fleuri restaurant with the exciting new Boulevard Kitchen and…

The Sylvia was Vancouver’s first high rise, constructed back in 1912 when the rest of the West End was all houses. Now most of the houses have been replaced by much higher towers, but the ivy-clad brick Sylvia quietly continues on. This hotel is beloved by locals and by many of its…

The Burrard Motor Inn first opened its doors in 1956 as the cool new kid on Vancouver’s block. Now, after a major reno, it’s that cool kid once again. Its location is a good one—right on busy Burrard Street, across the street from St. Paul’s Hospital and within a short stroll of…

You can find hotels like the Kingston all over Europe, but here it’s a real rarity—and a real find. This is a small, budget-friendly, family-run B&B in a 1910 heritage building in a great location right in the heart of all the action on busy Richards Street. Rooms aren’t fancy,…

In 2012, the Listel Hotel closed its faded O’Doul’s Restaurant, once a popular spot for live jazz and Sunday brunch, and turned one half of it into an art gallery and the other half into a lively, local-food-obsessed bistro called Forage. It’s been a winning formula, and a perfect…

Admittedly, most of the year these are student dorms. And, admittedly, it’s a long way from downtown, which is a good half-hour drive away. But the UBC Conference Centre is in a lovely forested setting out on Point Grey, the rooms are actually pretty nice, and the price, well, that…

This is a great little find—though it may not be for everyone. Janine and Ken, a pair of world travelers, came home from their far-flung journeys to create the kind of hotel they dreamed of. They found an old Victorian built in 1896, and quite possibly the last actual house remaining…

This lovely little Relais & Châteaux boutique hotel is one of the city’s most romantic hideaways. From the moment you step in under the navy blue awnings on busy Hornby Street, you’ve entered a completely different world, an elegant one that borders on the baroque, with none of…

Tucked amid lush cedars and rhododendrons, you’ll find this charming, well-kept heritage home, with its comfortable rooms and welcoming hosts. The house was built in 1906 and is one of the very few to survive the building boom of the 1950s and [’]60s. Located as it is on the edge of…

When famously reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes was on the lam from U.S. tax authorities back in 1972, he holed up at the Bayshore for a year. And why not? This cool, modern hotel has an outstanding location at the entrance to Stanley Park, with stellar views of Coal Harbour and…

Newly refurbished, clean, safe, comfortable, and close to many of the main attractions—there are plenty of good reasons to choose this hotel. The fact that it’s such a great bargain is just one of them. Located across the street from BC Place Stadium, it’s close to many of the main…