mahasamatman

Yaletown is doing reasonably well. Note that you must currently provide proof of vaccination to eat at any restaurant, bar, or club that offers table service (both indoor and outdoor) - one shot for now, and full vaccination starting on 24 October. This requirement will be in place until 31 January 2022, or longer if extended.

born sleepy

Good! I have a scan of my CDC card on my phone so I hope that is accepted.

tripmaster

Douglas looks unbookable in December - I will prob stay at the Parq anyway, their gym is fabulous (I know, same facilities but closer walk!) and more suite inventory but wanted the option! Any ideas why?

tripmaster

Douglas is still closed... wont reopen until 2022

ChocolateFactory

So what’s currently the best bang for the buck in Vancouver? The Douglas?

SanDiego1K

Also wondering what the best property is post covid? Spacious room and lounge would be nice.

Fly Me To The Moon

I am heading to Vancouver in late-August, and have booked The Douglas. Booked a Suite for two nights on points redemption.

ElevatorEnthusiast

The suites at the Douglas are amazing - I'm heading back to YVR in June and am excited to try out the Westin Wall Centre, Westin Bayshore, Marriott Pinnacle, and the Metropolitan (Renaissance). I will also be returning to the Douglas and will likely try my hand at another SNA redemption for their lovely Corner Suite. On my last trip, I stayed at the HR and the Sheraton Wall Centre in addition to the Douglas - out of those, the Douglas was easily the standout.

smes

Any of these hotels have proper lounges that don't charge for alcohol?

yyzflyer

I am not aware of any Bonvoy hotel in Canada that doesn't charge for alcohol in their lounge. Even when Residence Inns offered free "hospitality" on some nights, most in Canada made a nominal charge and limited quantities citing government regulations or did not participate.

rambling man

i have read that free booze is illegal in BC. i know that there are minimum prices for drinks as well which is why "happy hours" aren't that happy. booze is very highly regulated here.

Bbcei

BC's alcohol laws do indeed prohibit freeze booze as well as self-service. But multiple lounges at YVR have free alcohol for self-service. And I don't know how to square those facts.

As for the hotels in question, neither the Westin Wall Centre nor the Westin Bayshore offered free alcohol when I stayed there as a Platinum member.

smes

I think its a manner of economics. Canadians would drink the place dry. Could you imagine the pre-game crowd?

Airport lounges generally have a time limit, as you'll be there 2-3 hours before a flight. A hotel lounge is unlimited.

eggsbenedict

Private airport/hotel lounges aren't specifically mentioned in BC liquor law (other than to use airport lounges as an example of an establishment that is not eligible for a catering license), but private lounges/suites at a stadium have their own section, and it's very likely that the LCRB would use that as the closest scenario. For stadium lounges, as long as the liquor is purchased legally by the liquor license holder and the venue makes a reasonable effort to control over consumption, the liquor is allowed to be poured by the customer, and allowed to be given to the customer for free. Same goes for dressing/green rooms and a few other similar scenarios.

Bbcei

That's not what the regulation says.

The section on stadium suites and boxes says "all liquor used in the suites/boxes must be purchased from the licensee at regular prices". The "licensee" is the lounge. So the condition is that the customer of a lounge has to buy their alcohol from the lounge, not that the lounge has to buy its alcohol legally.

(That a lounge has to buy its liquor legally goes without saying. All liquor license holders have that obligation. Doing so does not mean customers of a lounge can then self-serve alcohol.)

Alcohol at the YVR Maple Leaf Lounges is free, so it does not satisfy this condition.

Aside from self-service, YVR lounges also don't limited the number of drinks, which is also illegal. The only exemption is for a caterer license, but airport lounges are explicitly ineligible for it, as you noted.