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Executive Hotel Vintage Park
Categories: Shopping Home Services Real Estate Apartments Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Shopping, Apartments, Hotels [Edit]
1379 Howe StVancouver, BC V6Z 1R7
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 688-7678
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Executive Hotel Vintage Park
17 reviews in English
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Review from Tara F.
7/13/2010
I got a great rate for this room through Hotwire and stayed for 3 nights. Yes, the room was a little small, but completely adequate for two adults. The flatscreen TV saved a good deal of space. The room came with a fridge which was stocked with minibar drinks, but there was no key or sensor and there was plenty of room for personal items. The mattress was hard, but we had lots of soft pillows and a nice comforter in a soft duvet cover. The bathroom was well-stocked with nice products.
The hotel does not offer wifi, which seems outdated, but did offer broadband through an ethernet cable for $9.99/day.
On Saturday morning housekeeping showed up at 8am. I notified the front desk that this was excessively early, and the gentleman advised me to use the "do not disturb" tag in the morning and then switch it to "please service" when we left. This system did work, but we shouldn't have needed to do that.
The location is great. We came without a car and were able to walk most places or take the bus easily. If you walk a few blocks down you can take the seaboat across the water to Granville Public Market ($2.50 one way, but worth it). -
Review from Jenny K.
10/20/2011
This hotel is a solid 3 stars. It's a great price at just over $100/night with free parking and wine reception. It's in a fantastic, central location.
The room is nothing special. Two queen beds, a small bathroom, a flat screen TV with cable. Small closet. Small desk. Two lounging chairs and coffee table. The view from our room on the 5th floor was quite spectacular.
The wine reception was complimentary, yay, but the merlot served was not good. I'm a red wine drinker and usually drink any red wine but I didn't car for this one.
Would come here again, if I had to travel on a budget. -
Review from Ninette C.
5/30/2011
This is a mini-hotel.
We were looking for a place to stay at the last minute and my boyfriend booked this place because it was the cheapest hotel in downtown Vancouver. Mini-rate?
We got two double beds (with friends) in our room. I swear that bed seemed smaller than the average double bed. The room was small for a 2 bed-room. The tub seemed small, even the tv was mini! (Less than 20" I'm thinking.) The lobby is small for a hotel of its size and its tucked away in a weird back spot. There's also weird random names on some of the room doors.
Unlike other reviewers, we did get free wi-fi, so I guess they have since updated. It was a confusing process though. You have to call downstairs for the password and the first time, the person gave us a password that didn't work. We thought we might be one letter or number off or something. We called again and they gave us a password that wasn't ANYTHING resembling the one we received the first time! There wasn't a single common number, letter, pattern, anything! What was that about?
Location-wise, it was good. We walked to Yaletown and Granville St. We didn't get a chance to check out the hot tub/pool on the top which I really wanted to do.
Rooms seemed clean and we had a nice window. No complaints there.
The ATM downstairs is really slow, but at least they have one?
Unless this was the cheapest option again, I probably wouldn't come back. -
Review from Alex B.
11/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
It takes a certain kind of architectural genius to put a hotel's general use bathroom on the second floor. And by genius, I mean, it takes a certain kind of a**hole to think that hotel guests who have traveled great lengths to stay in what is rated a yelp 4-star hotel must TAKE AN ELEVATOR just to piss. There's a strong possibility that I was completely turned off to this concept thanks to the 30 second two-step dance I did throughout the quick haul one floor up. To be fair, a three our drive from Washington state did nothing set my mood to receive the news either, thus setting the tone for my two-night weekend stay.
My disappointment only grew from there. This hotel is a surface hotel. Lots of bells and whistles - beautiful décor and polite service staff, but as mentioned by previous yelpers, totally behind the times (lack of wifi) and an unfortunate lack of follow-through for typical hotel features that are considered standard.
For example: I am visiting for pleasure. I am playing for a men's (yes, men's) NAGVA volleyball team. My team is tired. We played all day. Beds are inviting, and when I crash land into one of the two featured in our floor 6 room, out of sheer exhaustion, I do not expect to feel like I've made contact with a concrete slab. A fair visual for the twin size is ... a delicately wrapped piece of wood, with fancy pillows. If you're a fetal position sleeper, I suggest you learn how to sleep like you're in a coffin. Tightly wrapped sheets and blankets finish the affect, and the only way to establish a semblance of comfort is to lie flat on your back.
Harsh? Yes. Am I the only one? No. I came with a team of eight players and every one of us was completely thankful for the hot tub.
(Sigh) The hot tub. Where are the bubbles? Why does only one bubble-shooting-thingy-ma-bobber work? And why was the SAME BASKET OF DIRTY TOWELS still sitting on the hot tub deck? And why, at any given point, in the multiple visits (at different times of the day) was there never a clean hot tub towel available?
.... I don't understand the high rating this hotel has here. I really don't. In all fairness, my priorities might just be a little different than those that established the hotel, clearly setting my expectations up for failure - Maybe we just don't want the same things.
I don't need pretty potted plants. I don't need expensive tall-framed windows and an out-of-control flat screen tv. I just want a comfortable bed, clean towels, and a bathroom that makes sense. Basically, this is a hotel for folks that are interested in surface-glam, beautiful views (east and west) of Vancouver, and stocked mini-bars. If these interest you, you'll be happy with the service, the price per night, and you might be a little bit more forgiving about the pee-dance in the elevator when you first get there.
PS - no continental breakfast. Boo. -
Review from Alli D.
8/9/2009
If you get road rage like me and refuse to drive in a strange city, you should stay here. It's an easy walk down to the water where you can catch the Aquabus to just about anywhere or just a few blocks away from a plethora of restaurants. My car remained safely in the secure parking garage for just $12 a day, a small price for knowing that neither I, my car, or the nice citizen of Vancouver were hurt while I was in town.
The hotel itself was great, although a bit of a maze. I'm the type of person who usually stays at places where they haven't updated the bedspreads or furniture in decades, but all of the decor here was clean and modern. The mini-fridge was well stocked with overpriced items, or you could go on a quest to find the only vending machine in the entire building (I could tell you what floor it's on, but what fun would that be?). Just make sure you bring some trail mix.
They did have a hot tub on the roof, but it was always locked up by the time we got back in the evenings. And, while it might seem you could easily sneak in, there appears to be some sort of complicated surveillance system to deter it.
Other perks:
-- Wine tasting at the hotel restaurant in the evenings.
-- Workout room (but I didn't bring my gym clothes, shucks!)
-- A little tower of apples you can swipe from on your way out in the morningListed in: The Couv
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Review from Tiffany S.
10/5/2008
I believe they are calling this one Executive Hotel Vintage Park.
We LOVED the location since it was just a couple short blocks to the Granville Island ferry (and a little bit of a hike to Robson). Both mornings we headed to Granville for amazing coffee and a range of breakfast items (I had coffee cake, Chris had pierogi, my mom ate scary meats). It was such a great way to start the day! The Big Red Bus also stops right in front so that's easy if you decide to go that route (no pun intended. Okay, maybe).
Our room was very nice even though we paid more than we would have wanted (about $260/night), but I blame that on the Vancouver Film Festival that was going on close by. The monstrous jacuzzi tub and head pounding shower ROCKED! Nice flat screen on the wall and mini-bar (which we, gladly, stayed out of).
We didn't try the restaurant because it was pricey, and we had reservations elsewhere. Room service also looked prohibitively pricey. Parking was $12/day. On check-out day, they let us leave our car past check-out so we could come get it only when it was time to head home. Great when you only have one more day of sightseeing (and eating) left.
I'd definitely stay there again, especially if I could get a screaming deal. -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
12/8/2008 3 photos
It's on the downtown side of the bridges, but costs about half of usual downtown prices. Located right beside the Howe entrance to the Granville Bridge, it's a convenient central location close to many nice restaurants (A Kettle of Fish, il Giardino, UnWined on Howe) and nightlife on Granville Street.
The rooms are tidy, modern, fitted with all the modern amenities such as flat screen TVs, a bar, ironing boards and irons, and toiletries in the bathrooms. It's everything you need, but crammed into a very small room.
The hotel has a wine country theme, with some rooms named after BC wineries. They do some wine events, such as hosting tastings. There's a restaurant on the second floor, a fitness room, and even an outdoor hot tub with a city view!
Definitely a place to keep in mind if you don't require too much space. -
Review from Scot K.
7/28/2010
I must be really critical in my assessment of hotels. http://Hotels.com rated this 3.5 stars, but it was more like 2.75.
It was confusing when you drive up because they have a sign that says "Valet Parking", but there isn't anyone there to park your car. So I left my car in front a checked in.
The staff was very friendly and attentive, which is why I didn't downgrade them more. They checked us in quickly and gave us all the information needed for our stay. They mentioned a free wine tasting at the La Vallee restaurant, but when we went, there wasn't anyone around.
The room was a standard size with contemporary furnishings. The bed was comfortable, I think it had one of those foam mattresses.
Here's why they didn't score higher.
a) The room on the surface looked clean, but if you looked at the carpets they need to do a heck of a lot better job of vacuuming. It appeared like they hadn't vacuumed in a week and for a hotel that is bad. The toilet wasn't very clean also which kind of grosses me out since if they don't clean that well, they must not be cleaning other parts of the hotel well.
b) The fitness room didn't have any towels or cleansing wipes to wipe down the equipment after use. They also need to figure out what they need and don't need in the room. They had an adjustable incline weight bench, but no weights. There was also a water dispenser with no cups.
c) No free wi-fi. I think this should be included since it really isn't that expensive to install a wireless router into the hotel and offer it to all of the guests.
Walking around the neighborhood I saw a couple of other hotels that looked better from the outside. I'll probably choose one of those on the next trip. -
Review from J C.
7/24/2009
We were only in Vancouver for a day & a half, thought this place seem nice & reasonable as some Vancouver hotels can be SO pricey. Anyway, it's as expected, very small room - you hardly have any leg room to walk or room place your luggage - luckily we only brought 1 suitcase.
The service was ok, helpful but we had to wait for a bit. Room service was nice, too but the food cart couldn't even get in to the room because it's so small! The server had to place the food on the bed.
The internet wasn't free - the wi-fi did not work at first, the front desk transferred us to a tech support person, and it took him about 10 minutes on the phone to tell us what to do and it's $9.99 for 24 hours.
One thing that bothered me a bit is the LOUD noise of the A/C fan when it comes on. It's SO loud that we had to up the radio volume every time (we like listening to the radio on when in the room).
Overall this hotel is cute, ok value if you want to stay around downtown Vancouver but don't want to pay too much... We later found out that the location is right next to the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus pick up stop (outside of Quality Inn), which is great. Oh, yeah the water-taxi to Granville Island is just across the street, too (although it's less expensive to buy the Big Bus pass which is good for 2-days). -
Review from Mark F.
5/11/2009
Incredibly helpful front desk.
Free valet.
The most amazing water pressure I've ever experienced.
Cute, cozy clean rooms.
While not in the heart of downtown, it's just four or so blocks away from most of the action.
As with Matt P's review, internet didn't work for me. -
Review from Shekinah S.
7/6/2010
I think the Executive Hotel Vintage Park was under another name or ownership (Omni?) when we stayed here a few years back. This was one of the nicest hotels I've ever lodged in, my boyfriend and I still talk about it! As noted by all the other reviews, the room was on the small side. In fact it was a weird almost round shape. But it was comfy and plush and modern and clean. I'm picky about bathroom setups, and I really appreciated the ample counter space, good lighting, and sink being in the bathroom (and not across from the bed). I also recall the complimentary toiletries were kinda fancy. I don't remember if there was a fridge in the room; I want to say no. The hotel itself offers plenty of amenities, such as a bar/restaurant, parking garage (not free) and gym. It's very geared towards the business traveller. I think my boyfriend got a deal through his former employer, I'm certain the Executive Hotel is out of our normal price range. The location is a bit on the outskirts of downtown, but we found it convenient. Only a few blocks from Robson St, and we made it to Stanley Park and Granville Island pretty quick from here. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't feel unsafe in the neighbourhood, and we walk alot when we travel. In fact on another trip to Vancouver we ate at a restaurant up the street:http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
If you can get a good deal and you don't need a ton of room I'd definitely recommend this hotel.Listed in: Best o' The West, Econo Lodging
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Review from Chris H.
11/30/2010
First. These days even Starbucks and book stores have free WiFi, some sites say this hotel does but that is not correct. They only have wired Internet and they charge a horrendous $10/day... that's $3650/year. Who the hell are they kidding? I expect the only people who take them up n this are business folks who can expense it. We laughed and took our smart phones to Starbucks.
Maybe two stars is a bit harsh but I regret staying in this hotel. The location was very convenient for us, the parking was adequate and secure and didn't cost nearly as much as it does at most hotels in the city. Parking is tight though, we had to pick the spot carefully then reverse in, fortunately I am good at reversing and we had a small car next to us. From there it's down hill. On the face of it the room is nice. Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, the beds are solid. By 4am my back was killing me and I spent the next four hours trying to find a comfortable position to get a little more sleep. The TV must be one of the earliest flat panels, it worked but was nothing special, quite small by modern standards. The channel lineup was poor. The bathroom was OK but the shower goes from cold to warm, there's no setting which could make it hot.
This could so easily be a much better hotel, but I won't be staying here again. -
Review from matt p.
10/25/2008
i've stayed in shitholes around the world, but considering the price for this place - DO NOT STAY HERE!! it claims to be a 4 star hotel, but this place is quickly falling off. i stayed in both the hotel and condo sides.
the hotel rooms had new flat panel tvs, but an ancient system from the 80s controlling cable and pay per view. the room seemed clean at first glance, but there were piss drips all over the toilet bowl that stayed there until i changed rooms. i don't even want to know what i would have seen if i had brought a black light.
the condo side feel straight out of the 80s with tvs that don't have any sort of input jacks - everything has to be run through the vcr!! i couldn't figure it out, the people working at the hotel couldn't either. everything is sort of broken and the concierge has nothing but excuses for why.
DON'T STAY HERE, it's OVERPRICED and a RUNDOWN hotel that was maybe 4 stars many years ago but is total shite now. go to a best western or ramada.
oh, also a total dealbreaker for me - NO WIRELESS INTERNET! even though they charge $10/day or $100/month. -
Review from Modern L.
Let's just say the staff there rules. So nice and they went out of their way to help us out. Incredibly professional and hospitable. However, this hotel is in need of a renovation starting with the truly horrible beds. They are really stiff as boards - dont flop down on them cuz you might hurt yourself. The first room we were put into, REEKED of cigarettes. I think there was still smoke in the air. We were able to get switched out for a room that did not smell like that. However, after checking in, we went downstairs to use the free wifi, and after a while, another guest came down to the check in counter and complained that her room was incredibly smokey. I overheard which room she got, and it was the first room we were in. I was surprised they did not take my word for the severe smoke, and have someone check out the room and clean it before sending another guest in. I mean it was so bad you couldn't breathe. Anyway, this is really just an old hotel, that is walkable to the downtown shopping area. And if you're looking for just a roof over your head and a place to shower, then this is for you. But make sure you get a deal for it - I did not pay full price thank god - I used hotwire.
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Review from Kyle W.
9/30/2009
You can get a great rate on this hotel through Expedia, but you get what you pay for. Not that we didn't enjoy staying here, it just wasn't the steal we thought it would be. The Executive Park's website pictures look stunning, but the actual hotel is a bit more dated and rough around the edges in person. The rooms were nicely updated but showing some wear and tear and the hallways, elevators and other public areas showed some age as well. Also, our view outside was mostly of a neighboring apartment building which wasn't in the best condition. Also, the "jacuzzi" bath upgrade is a joke - it's just a regular bath with some kind of bubble maker installed. There's a nice complimentary wine tasting every evening in the restaurant, but we were turned off by the militant way in which guests were limited to one small glass, despite the fact that the night we went there was ample decanted wine available at the end of the tasting and few guests left to drink it.
What we liked best about this hotel? The comfortable bed, friendly staff and proximity to a Big Red Bus stop, Granville Island and Stanley Park. There's also a great sushi restaurant next door, Tim Horton's two blocks away and just down the street is a convenient place to rent a bike (we had a blast riding around Stanley park and the future Olympic village area/Granville Island). -
Review from Elaine P.
10/4/2011
Let's start with the positives. The front desk folk were very professional, friendly and helpful. The lobby was absolutely gorgeous-tasteful and ornate. It appears that all of the money has been spent to upgrade the lobby, and front offices, and none has been put toward updating the rooms. The rooms are dark, old, less than clean, tiny, and odd shaped. The wi-fi wouldn't work, the loud fan kept coming on during the night, the bedspread was tattered and soiled (gross) there was only one washcloth, our friends in another room had no soap, and the hotel is located in a seedy neighborhood. Sirens woke us up a couple of times in the night. The parking garage is a bit worrisome, as there is a creepy sign that warns to lock up, since thieves are working in the neighborhood. I didn't think we'd have to worry about this in a secure garage, but I guess the sign was put there as a disclaimer. When our friends woke up in the morning they found a dead bug in the bed, so we got up and out pretty quickly upon hearing that. There is no way the photos on the internet even come close to representing the quality, or lack thereof, of this facility. We just came from the Sheraton in Surrey, which was beautiful, only to check into this subpar hotel. I was embarrassed, since I was the one who booked both places. 1 for 2 is not a great track record when it comes to having to deal with a place like this, especially after having stayed in a quality place that was only a few dollars more than the "Executive." Take my advice and check out another hotel.
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Review from Tomomi G.
8/27/2009
We got a great deal through Expedia. It was around $140/night for us. Considering their excellent location, it was a bargain.
What I like about this hotel is its location and service staff. If you like to stay close to Granville Island, Downtown, English Bay & Stanley Park without spending more than $250/night, your choice is very limited. The hotel is tucked in a corner in such a way, you have to make a few extra turns to get back to the main streets though. Every staff member I interacted was very friendly, helpful and personable. They added a charm to this hotel that many big 5 star hotels lack. They deserve 5 stars! By booking through Expedia, they offered us several free services for us to choose from upon our arrival. I can't recall what were the other options, but we chose free in-room internet access which normally cost $9.99/day. Unfortunately, the internet connection didn't work when we follow the directions that were given to us. (One of us is a computer geek, so I really mean it when I said it didn't work.) But we didn't call for help either since it wasn't that important for us. I'll take a half of blame for that reason.
What I was disappointed was our room and amenities. Upon our arrival, we were told that they upgraded us to "executive" floor, which was 8th floor for us. It was a really nice gesture, I still don't know what that means. The room was pretty small. Just enough floor space to open up my carry-on size suitcase. We booked a room with "jacuzzi" bath. The bath tab was nice and big, but I'm not sure if I call that jacuzzi. It was more like "bubbling" bath. I enjoyed the water pressure and temperature of the shower though. Pretty much the same experience with the hot tub on the roof. More than half the jets weren't working, and the ones that were working were not powerful at all. It's nice to be outside on a rooftop with fresh air and still have roof to cover you. But the view wasn't really great. We were looking right into the back side of surrounding buildings peeking a little bit of the view of water in between. Just like most hotels in downtown area, they charge for guest parking. It was $15/day self park or $20/day valet park. I highly recommend spending extra $5 for valet park, if you are going to be in and out of the hotel more than few times a day. You have to drive through back alley to get to the underground garage. This can ruin your vacation experience because you have to drive by unsightly graffiti.
If you are looking for a clean hotel with friendly staff in excellent location and planning to keep yourself busy with a lot of activities outside of the hotel, this is a great place to lay your head on the pillow.
