SallyL

I am trying to decide between the Westin Grand and Sheraton Suites Le Soleil. The Westin is 10 CAD cheaper.

I will not have a car and will have to use public transportion or walk. I want to be close to the major tourist sites and shopping. This is for a 6-night stay in early October.

I did a search on both properties, and this forum has given both hotels very favorable reviews.

squeakr

depends on what you consider tourist sites...

we always stay at the grand because it is near one of our favorite parts of vancouver - yaletown - and near the aquabus to granville island and the other parks etc. taxis and buses are easy to find and the staff at the grand is the best in the Weston chain (IMHO)

Vancouver is also a great walking town!

Filo

The Grand is in a decent location - right off Robson (great shopping) The suites...are quite sweet - staff is excellent. Club downstairs is W style, New York flavor whiskey bar - certainly jumps.

KC

As previously mentioned, Vancouver is a very walkable city. Both are within a couple blocks of the main shopping strip on Robson Street, and you can walk to Gastown and Chinatown very easily. Stanley Park is also walkable though a bit more of a hike.

Having said all that, I've never stayed at the Grand, but I looooooved the Le Soliel.

unitednyc

the westin grand is excelent, staff was super nice and my room was great. stay there!

kpack

I, too, am going to be in Vancouver. I will be there for a week in June coming from a cruise ship. Does it make sense to stay at the Westin Bayshore?

Andrew Yiu

Definitely Westin Grand, the location is excellent, great staff and nice suites... if you have Platinum status, ask for one of the top floor suites, beautiful view of the city!

SallyL

Thanks for all the replies. Still sounds like both properties are very nice. I am going with the lower price and will stay at The Westin Grand.

[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 03-01-2002).]

nobody-elite

Kpack.. the Bayshore is very close to the Cruise terminals... but even closer is the PAN PACIFIC hotel, which is where the ships dock... both are very close to the famous STANLEY PARK.

Vanc is a very beautiful, clean and friendly city... says she who lives in YVR... smile

nobody-elite

Robson Street is the very "trendy" shopping street in Vanc... however, there are many other good shopping districts as well..if you want to make your US $ go even further.

TRANSPORTATION... either buses or the rapid transit called "SKY TRAIN" which in downtown area of the city is underground. SKY TRAIN is very good (built for Expo 86) so not really that ancient.

hope this has helped a few of you with questions...

Shareholder

As noted already, both properties have their devotees, and you can't go wrong with either. Or for views, the Wall Centre. The Bayshore is more secluded and isolated from the main part of the city. I walk just about everywhere I go, or take public transit if it is further than 2 miles to someplace I want to go, so the three others are right downtown, the Bayshore more of a walk. Though it is close to Stanley Park and Denman, which has some nice eateries as you walk towards English Bay.

While the Pan Pacific is right where the ships dock, I would suggest the Soleil if you have few bags [or a roller] since you can walk it in 5-minutes [if it is not raining!] and you'll be in the heart of the city.

Vancouver is a hard choice for Starwood properties, though each appears to have a certain character that appeals over the other.

Bigshaker

I'm originally from Vancouver so consider this expert opinion:

-Don't stay at the Sherton Suites (small, small, small) Besides the fact they wouldn't give me a PLAT upgrade to an available corner room, right beside the hotel is a large building under construction.

-If you have a car or can afford taxi's the Westin Bayshore is the best. Great views and large suites but too far to walk to Robson street of Pacific Center.

-The Westin Grand is a good choice from all I have read though this is the only YVR Starwood I have not stayed at.

-My choice is the Sheraton Wall Center. Great location (2 blocks from Robson and Pacific Center) nice inside and interesting rooms/suites.

westcoastman

Stayed at Westin Bayshore this weekend. I don't like the walk to Robson or Skytrain from this hotel. Parking is $18. I have stayed their before but this was my first time as a Gold. My room was not ready at 4 PM so they gave me a small 4th Floor room with poor view. Later got similar but higher room but not really thrilled with the property. Liked the bar. They told me all rooms are the same so I am confused by the comment that they have suites. Platinum may get them but I would not expect one these rooms if they do exist. Decided that this possibly would my first and last stay with Starwood as a gold since Hilton is consistently generous about benefits. If you can choose one of the other two hotels than stay at one of those.

AndrewC

I'm travelling to Vancouver in a couple of months to catch an alaska cruise. As I'm plat with Starwood, I checked out rates at both the Westins. However, I also noticed that Expedia are offering great rates at the Four Seasons.

Miles and upgrades at *wood are great, but I love Four Seasons hotels for their style and service. Is the Four Seasons YVR up to the normal standard of the brand? If so, then I'm definitely choosing it over the Westins.

wideman

Maybe not quite up to the level of some 4 Seasons, but it's not bad. I was also there for a pre-cruise stay, and got upgraded to a "suite," which was actually 2 previously-adjacent rooms lopped together to form a new suite. (This provided 2 bathrooms, which is enormously useful when 2 people are traveling together, and one or more needs lots of time to deal with make-up and hair.)

The best part of the Four Seasons was the (slightly obstructed, but still excellent) view of the harbor, and watching our cruise ship sail into the harbor.