Thank you for the feedback. Actually we are in good health, so 10 minute walk is just fine. Even 15 min would be ok. What we want to avoid is a distance that requires transportation, or an area "unpleasant" or unsafe to walk through. Not sure about YVR, but in US cities you have to worry about those issues.
I'll keep an eye on the waterfront hotels. At present they are all full, but that is because there is no fee/penalty for changes and cancellations and people rush to reserve what they can. Later they'll change or cancel, especially as they discover how expensive the airfares to YVR are.
