I personally like the Westin Bayshore - it's fairly close to Denman/West End which has loads of restaurants, and the waterfront location is much much nicer. It's also easier to get to English bay/beach from there. There's also a ton of construction going on fairly close to the Westin Grand and I don't think they'll be finished by next summer. Shopping really isn't too far of a walk...maybe 20 minutes or so at a slower pace. In terms of nightlife, I second the recommendation for the Sheraton Wall Centre - its close to the Granville strip, which is where lots of clubs/bars are located. Hope you guys have a good trip!