Vancouver Travel Forum

I am traveling to Vancover on July 1st and am curious if it will be difficult to get a hotel and how far in advance you must book one? Do the rates generally go up at this time? Any hotels you would recommend? Our plan is to go to Whistler for white water rafting in a day and 1/2 any ideas on where to stay for that as well?

Thanks.
Richardrv

Hopefully someone from the west coast will help with ACTUAL hotel names and such... where is YVRDave when ya need him! ;)

I will say yes, Yes, YES, rates will most likely go up at this time since
July 1 is Canada Day and the "summer prices" will be in full effect. Don't wait too long to book the hotels.

Have a great time rafting.

I would be thinking about booking already. As July 1st is Tuesday, people will be on a four-day long weekend by taking Monday as a day of vacation, but that might mean that the weekend pressure would be off for the night of July 1st.

Still, as July/August are high season in Canada, I would at least phone the cheaper of the better hotels and see how easy it is to get a room (I think those rooms fill first).

Well, my favorite hotel in Vancouver is the Hotel Vancouver, Downtown (Fairmont). The location is perfect for exploring the town. There is access to the below the street level shopping right across the street. There is a huge area of downtown that has shopping below the street level. Every kind of shop you can imagine. You can walk to the Sea Bus from the hotel for a ride across the harbor, or visit Gas Town.

Within a couple block radius of the hotel there are lots of restaurants, large and small although for a real treat ($$$$) try the hotel's restaurant. The hotel also has a cheaper, but very nice, smaller restaurant. There is also a very fancy lounge where you can listen to the daily entertainment in old world comfort.

The hotel Vancouver, is one of the few hotels in the Northwest that has that old world charm. The rooms are elegant and expensive in the summer. Try to get a room in the higher floors to avoid the street noise. Well worth it however for a few days. I would make my reservations as soon as possible for any well known hotels as the summer can book-up.

The Sutton Place is $165 standard and $185 deluxe

July 1st, as previously mentioned, is a National holiday - a day off in Canada. Prices will be more expensive than usual, and I would reserve a hotel room months ahead of time so that you're not stuck with a) the awful hotels and b) the $400+ a night hotels.

July 1st is also the height of Vancouver's cruise ship season, and it's also the beginning of summer vacation for Canadian students. July (as with August) is one of the most expensive months in the city.

Take a look at the following hotels which are in the downtown area. Days Inn and Ramada both on Pender St. Best Western located at Granville and Drake, Centruy Plaza on Burrard, Holiday Inn on Howe St. and the YWCA, which is very nice also. You should book now!

Look at the Listel and the Crystal lodge in Whistler