Description: We arrived in Vancouver by bus and managed to get from the station to this hostel using public transport and a bit of walking. The hotel/hostel is located right near Rogers Arena, home to the Canucks ice hockey team, so if you are into hockey it would be a great place to stay. When we were there it was the end of the season and the Canucks were in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup, so a couple of nights we had a bit of a struggle to move through the crowds just before and after the games. Having said that it wasn't loud in our room like being near a UK football stadium, so really there wasn't a problem with this.
Arriving at the hotel, it's a pretty hideous piece of architecture (looked like it was from the 70s/80s), and the area around it leaves a bit to be desired for. It's located walking distance from Gastown and the multitude of bars, but also the hotel is a few blocks from an area of Gastown that your really don't want to be walking around on your own at night, especially if you are a woman. Having said all that we didn't feel unsafe while we were staying there for 3 nights and we walked everywhere. I just think it is something you perhaps need to think about a bit if you're travelling on your own before booking.
As for cost, I don't think that the hotel is bad value, but I found all across Canada that the hostels were not as budget as ones I have stayed in in the States or other parts of the world. The good thing about this hotel is that a lot of the money you are spending is used to support women of Vancouver and it is known as a social enterprise hotel. It supports a whole host of projects including a Single Mother's Support Service and giving meals out to women and children in the Crabtree program. I personally thnk that it's a fantastic way to support local charities whilst on holiday and spending money on something you have to spend it one i.e. a hotel room.
The staff that checked us in were very helpful and we were heading up to our private twin room in no time at all. We had a room that shared a bathroom with a connecting room, so we had to remember to lock the door while we were in the room, but we had no problem with that and it was certainly nicer than sharing a big communal bathroom. The room was a nice size and came with a tv (which we didn't really use) and big windows looking out over the city. On every other floor (as the bulding is a big tower block) there are laundry facilities and on alternate floors there are kitchens if you want to cook for yourselves. Despite being a budget hotel our rooms were cleaned and beds turned down each day, which was more than we were expecting. The hotel itself was quiet and we were high enough about street level to not be disturbed by street noise.
All in all a good budget hotel in downtown Vancouver, that not only helps women in the local area but is a comfortable place to stay.
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