Vancouver: Westin Grand, Westin Bayshore or Sheraton Centre (2005+) [Master Thread]
 

Can anyone recommend a good dim sum place within walking distance of the Westin Grand, or reachable by public transportation from it? What about coffee houses or other places with free wifi? I'll be up there for 3 days this weekend (with the great buy-2-nights-get-one-free deal!) -my first time really visiting Vancouver. I've never spent more than a few hours there before.

Also, does anyone have a recommendation of a good manicure place nearby??

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pre 2005 thread can be found at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-preferred-guest/1052385-vancouver-westin-grand-m-westin-bayshore-sheraton-centre-pre-2005-master-thread.html[/url]

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coffee and wifi
 

For terrific (2nd best in the city) coffee and free wifi -- maybe a 5 block walk from the Westin Grand to 763 hornby st., or one of their other downtown locations-- take yourself over to http://caffeartigiano.com (you may need to get the password from the staff).

Also take a look at Roland's short list of favorites at Vaneats.com

Two good dim sum places within a short cab ride away are the Victoria restaurant in the basement of the Hyatt Hotel on Burrard street, and Shanghai Bistro on the upper level at the intersection of Thurlow & Alberni Street (restaurant is on the upper level of Alberni across from the street-level parking lot). My preference of the two is the Shanghai Bistro as it sits parallel to the good shopping on Robson.

As for free wifi - here's the list I used last time:

http://vancouver.wifimug.org/index.cgi?InDowntown

Caveat being the only location I used was take-5 cafe, and it's been 6+ months since I used it, so user be warned :p

Not sure if you're just wanting a manicure (can't help you there, I look after myself but am not quite that metro), or a full spa experience (massages and the like). If it's the latter, I got an email from the Vida Wellness Spa with locations at the Sheraton Vancouver and Fairmont Whistler saying they'd just opened a new location at Sutton Place hotel (reasonably close if you don't mind a 5-6 block walk). Opening gremlins aside, the Sutton place location would likely be a good experience if my past trips to both Vida locations are any indicator.

Enjoy!

Thought Westin Grand was good, but nothing that blew me away
 

Wish I had read this thread before I went to Vancouver, then I might have chosen the Wall Street Sheraton instead. I stayed at the Westin Grand last weekend -- it was a good experience overall, even though the rooms were a bit smaller than expected. Decent gym, nice staff, good to have a microwave and silverware/dishes in the mini-kitchen, but the hotel wasn't anything that blew me away.

One of the elevators was not working at two moments during my 3-day stay(one heading back in from the snow, one leaving for an appointment), and it took me a good 15 minutes to get the elevator. The location of the hotel was another drawback...being an ex-New Yorker, it wasn't a big deal that it was several blocks away from the main downtown area, but I did think that it was extremely quiet at night when I walked "home" in the snow and probably would've prefer something a bit closer to the center of town.

I asked the concierge for a good dim sum place (or a decent Chinese place) nearby and he told me that there weren't any. I then come to find out that there is a Kirin Mandarin on Alberni, I've been to the one on Cambie (which had amazing dim sum), so I would imagine that they have great dim sum as well.

We didn't stay at a *wood property, but we did love Vancouver.

Favorite memory is the fabulous aquarium in Stanley Park (which included very engaging sea otters and a baby beluga). And best eating was at Vij, designer Indian -- so good that we went there twice! :)

I did a detailed trip report after staying at the Grand last year. Enjoy...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182314

mini trip report 1/13-1/16
 

I just got back last night from my stay here- other than Saturday when one of the elevators was out of commission, I had a great stay. My cousin and I arrived with my dog Thursday afternoon, and on check in they told me I'd been upgraded to the 25th floor. I'd reserved a room with a queen bed in a seperate bedroom & a queen sized sofa bed and kitchenette, so we had the same room type, just on a higher floor, I guess. The "Westin Heavenly Dog Bed" and a food and water bowl, along with a note with directions to the closest park, were all waiting for doggie in our room. We went out on the deck & oooooohed at the view, then bundled up and walked down to the Yaletown seawall to stretch our legs.

I really liked the location close to Yaletown, which is my favorite park of Vancouver. It wasn't a very long walk up to the main part of Robson, and on Friday we even walked from the hotel all the way down to Stanley Park and along the seawall to the far tip, then back. Then we found a little cafe at Davies and Homer & ate so much pasta & tiramisu that we probably regained more weight than we'd lost on that walk. ;)

The service was pretty good- puppy & I were greeted by name every morning when we went out on our walks, and my requests for maps & directions were cheerfully answered. We spent some time visiting my cousins in Squamish on Saturday, and I made it back to the hotel as it had just started snowing heavily- that was a fun drive down 99. :o My car did ok, but there were some people on the road who seemed to still be working out how to drive on snow.

The room felt a little cramped with two of us in it- I really wish it had been warm enough to get some use out of the deck. The bathroom was awesome, though- heavenly shower & a nice bathtub. My cousin, who's a college student & had been thinking of staying in the Vancouver Youth Hostel, really liked it, so I'm glad now that I decided to drive up with him & get a nice hotel.

Oh, and thank you for the Vida spa recommendation. I had a great manicure that pretty much survived hiking around Squamish!

I have stayed at both the Westin Grand and the Sheraton Wall Centre. For Platinum SPG members, the Westin does not provide breakfast or cocktails, while the Sheraton does. I was preassigned a suite upgrade at the Sheraton without having to negotiate. The Westin is all-suite and comes equipped with a full kitchenette, including even pots and pans.

Vancouver SPG property question...
 

Search using Google didn't net any useful results. Anyone stayed at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center before? What is the diff between the North and the South tower? Also, how is the 4pts Vancouver Airport?

Thanks.

Don't know either of those hotels, but you might want to consider the Westin Bayshore, which is excellent. Great rooms, public areas, service, pool and gym. Get a room in the Tower for fabulous views.

I know there are several threads on the Sheraton Wall Center so someone may provide. However, I have stayed in both towers and have been equally happy. As a Plat. I always get upgraded to a nice spacious "corner" room. I place corner in quotes because the building design is non-traditional and there are no 90º corners.

Both towers have check-in and restaurants. The Club Lounge is in the South Tower, but the walk from the North Tower isn't unpleasant. Fitness Center is between the two towers.

I stayed at the Wall Centre a month ago. I believe I was at the South Tower. The check in person did not upgrade me (I am plat). So after I got to the room, I called SPG and told them that the front desk said 10th floor was the highest avaialbe and that there were not rooms to upgrade me to. SPG called the front desk and then in 3 minutes the front desk called me back and apologized and upgraded me. Overrall the hotel is in a great location. The club lounge is just a normal room with beds removed with food. I give it a B+.

I know we discussed this on the other thread, and I am very aware that YMMV at any hotel. Personally I really like the Wall Centre. One of my favourite Sheratons. Upgrade always processed ahead of arrival and showing up online (which is very nice). I have had two kinds of suites here, and been offered a choice between them. One has a king bed, sofa etc in a large living room with a separate queen in another bedroom. The other has no bed in the living room but a small dining table instead. I like them both. Big and spacious and comfortable. The lounge is great here too. Amazing views, secured key access so no hassle with eligibility. For the rates here - excellent hotel.

4 points YVR I like too. Usually stay here on my first night in the city. Prob a top of the line 4 points. Totally fair on upgrades. Nice efficient staff. Comfortable and clean. Not a place to stay for more than a night unless you have business in Richmond. Close to the Cactus Club which is a very pleasant place to be for all kinds of reasons! :)

In terms of value for money I would heartily recommend the Wall Centre. Great fitness facility and well located if you want to be in the center of the action in Vancouver. Their Club Lounge is on 2 levels with a business centre on the second level and views to die for. Having said this I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Starwood properties (ie. Westin Bayshore, Westin Grand and Sheraton Wall Centre) in the Vancouver downtown area.

The Westin Grand is my favorite. I especially like the rooms and the mini kitchen in each one. (It's an all-suite hotel.) Good walking distance to lots of stuff too.