Hotels in Vancouver

All four sides of Downtown offer Vancouver hotel alternatives, albeit less numerously. To the south-east is Gastown, the city’s oldest district as evidenced by its Victorian-style street lamps – it’s now been fully gentrified by neighbourhood bars and buzz-generating restaurants. Further west is the livelier-still Entertainment District, which is brash and bright.

Then comes the similarly trendy Yaletown, another modern and trendy quarter. The warehouses here now hoard concept stores and cool cafes, while the immersive Science World Museum delights children.

You could also stay facing Vancouver Harbour; hotels along the waterside are glassy and glittering, often part of a chain.

The districts of Downtown East and Kitsilano are not central, but they do offer benefits – and getting to both is easy using Vancouver’s extensive public-transport system. Like its western counterpart, Downtown East hoards some of Vancouver’s cheapest hotels, while leafy Kitsilano – found across the English Channel – hosts the Museum of Vancouver and family-friendly Kits Beach.

Those seeking seclusion could stay beside English Beach, located north-west of the centre, to be very close to Stanley Park as well as the seashore.

Further on from Downtown East is the area of Grandview-Woodland – the heartland of East Vancouver, known to locals as ‘Yeast Van’ for its many craft-beer breweries. This is one of the trendiest parts of town, but its distance from the main drags – 15 minutes by bus – keeps rates low at the smattering of hotels.

Vancouver hotel prices hit an annual high during July and August, before almost halving by September/ October. This, along with May, is a great time to travel – you’ll get warm weather, not too much rain and quieter attractions. Avoid Easter, as room rates also spike then.

Another cheap period in which to travel to Vancouver is late January into February. March is also affordable, and comes with the benefit of spring blooms in Stanley Park. Do bring an umbrella, however.