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The Westin Grand, Vancouver
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels
433 Robson StreetVancouver, BC V6B 6L9
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 602-1999
40% off Your 2nd Night!
For every night you pay regular rates, you get the next @ 40% off.Arrive Thur-Sat. Rates are pre-paid & non-refundable. http://bit.ly/w3Suip
- Price Range:
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$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
36 reviews for The Westin Grand, Vancouver
Review Highlights
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"...because it places you within walking distance of all of the..." In 3 reviews -
"we had outstanding views of the city." In 6 reviews -
"...place(gas), living room and bedroom were separate and both..." In 7 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Cynthia G.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2012 13 Check-ins Here
I had my reservation changed from the Sheraton Wall Centre to the Westin Grand due to a shooting at the Sheraton (ya - it happens).....Anyway the Sheraton had been my weekly hotel for the last year or so in Vancouver, not by my choice and it was a terrible hotel, so was very glad to hear that I would be staying at THE WESTIN this week.
Pulled into the lobby on Tuesday night and it was wonderful, got an upgrade and the room was wonderful - everything was fantastic. The room was on odd shape, but the view out of the windows was outstanding ! Every staff member I spoke with was so polite and informative, and really wanted to help you. The in-room wi-fi was fantastic - stayed connected for as long as I wanted and it did not disconnect me every 20 minutes as most hotels usually do.
Spent two nights here and now all my future trips have been booked here.
The location is great - all around the hotel is everything you need when visiting Vancouver, short walk to major department stores (The Bay), London Drugs around the corner, Pacific Centre & Holt Renfrew just up the street, HomeSense next door, loads of restaurants, bars, take-out places and coffee bistro's galore and a great WINNERS up the street.
Nice lobby on the second floor with the restaurant / bar area. Didn't have an opportunity to use this area - but I'm sure I will on my next visit.
They have an exercise room and pool which were great and apparently they have a spa somewhere too ! -
Review from Emily P.
1/9/2012
This is a fantastic hotel! My boyfriend and I went for 6 nights after Christmas through New Year's, all on just 50,000 Starpoints (yay for the Amex Starwood card).
While the hotel is all suites, some are pretty small, depending on what room you get, since the hotel is curved on one side (I believe the rooms that ended in 1 or 2 were the smallest, and that those ending in 3 or 9 were the largest). I'm sure the first room we'd been given would have been fine, but when offered the option to upgrade to a bigger suite with a king-sized bed for just $20 more per night, we took it and felt incredibly comfortable for the rest of our stay. It's worth asking if there are other options if you're not psyched with the first room you're given. The staff at the hotel are incredibly nice and accommodating, and they were happy to show us other possibilities.
We slept really well, since the bed was so comfortable and the room got very dark when the shades were drawn, and we really enjoyed just relaxing in the suite at times and watching DVDs on the TV (which we had hooked up to my computer). The kitchenette, which was well-equipped with plates, silverware, glasses, and a variety of cookware, came in handy when we decided to be lazy on New Year's Day and order in Thai food (right to our room!). The elevators were admittedly a bit slow, but we didn't find it to be an issue - I'd just say try not to cut it too close if you're really in a rush.
The fitness room was very nice, with several treadmills, a few other cardio machines, and weights. And the outdoor heated pool and hot tub, which are open year-round, were great to enjoy on the cool winter days.
Finally, the location was one of the best things about the hotel: there were a lot of convenient things within just a block or two (train station to/from the airport, grocery store, liquor store, drugstore, Starbucks, Tim Hortons for some of the best doughnuts outside of Dunkin Donuts), and it was an easy to walk to a lot of other cool places with great bars, restaurants, and sites to see: Yaletown, Gastown, Chinatown, the ferry to Granville Island, etc.
I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone looking to be in a great central city location. I know where I'll be staying on my next trip to Vancouver! -
Review from Joseph C.
10/30/2011
This is my third trip to Vancouver, the first in the fall season. We decided on the Westin Grand for it's great central location. What I didn't expect was the great service I would get as well. Lisa, the concierge, is simply marvelous. If in doubt, let her plan your daily excursions.
The room was comfortable and spacious. I love this place and don't want to leave! -
Review from Steve S.
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is another reason why I love Priceline. Perhaps I should write a Yelp review for it. This is a hotel that would typically be off limits for me at $300+ a night, but low and behold a excellent Priceline deal at half that price. This little deal allowed me to experience one the best hotels I have ever stayed.
I will warn you that driving to this location and trying to find the parking garage was very, very difficult. And this is coming from the guy who was once called "Mr. Mapquest". FYI - The garage entrance is in the alley. Duh. Once that dibocle was completed, the hotel staff was very helpful and even upgraded me to a suite because they did not have the correct bed for me. Sweet!
I would live in an apartment the size of my hotel room. Seperate bedroom, sleeper sofa, excellent view from the 22nd floor and a sizable bathroom. I didn't want to leave. Beyond that, the location was fantastic and was within minutes of Yaletown, excellent food and people watching.
I love Priceline, but I love love the Westin Grand. One warning, however. The parking and internet is an extra charge at $30 and $20 respectively per night. Ouch! -
Review from Kaitlin F.
6/7/2011
So, we made the mistake of coming up the day the Canucks were playing the second game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Which meant that from the moment we arrived to when we went to sleep, our section of the city was in pandemonium. When reviewing, I am attempting to remember that this was beyond the hotel's control and the craziness of the city was not their fault.
This is a perfectly nice hotel. Not the nicest i've ever stayed in, but maybe the 5th or 6th nicest. I did pay less than half the going rate by using name your own price, so that certainly increased my fondness for it.
Finding the parking was a bit confusing, as we couldn't tell that it was Westin parking till after we had passed it. When we pulled in they were swamped with cars with no valet attendants in site, so we decided to self park. Wow, that parking lot made me think there was something wrong with my car. Every time i turned the wheels there was this horrifying squealing sound, but when another car went by i realized it was just the floor. Man those parking spaces were tight, but a couple visits to Vancouver tells me this may be par for the course. Frustrating that there was only one elevator up to the hotel, it took us quite a while to get a spot with our luggage.
We managed to get a spot on the 11th floor, which was nice considering we were name-your-own-price. I think it was a superior suite. The suite was pretty cramped, but nicely decorated. The bed was comfortable. It was a nice surprise to discover that we had a little kitchenette, which we put to good use for breakfast the following morning, but surprisingly no mini-fridge. When i called down to the concierge to ask for one, she seemed fairly annoyed that i had called, which i get because it was fairly busy, but i work in the hospitality business, come on now, no excuses.
Also dissapointed in the lack of products in the bathroom. No shower caps, no body wash, tiny little bottles of shampoo and conditioner that barely lasted two washes, and a bar of soap that also barely lasted two people two washes (and no extras lying around). What's up with high end hotels still not having body wash/shower gel? Who are you kidding, most women, and a growing number of men, switched over to body wash a long time ago. Get hip to the times.
The pool and hot tub were nice, and the pool had a great view, I can imagine that being the place to be on a hot summer day. We were alone and could hear Vancouver's reaction to every thing that was happening during the game. It was kind of trippy, the whole city was feeling the same thing at the same time. The changing/shower room was actually better stocked than our bathroom so i snagged a shower cap or two.
Were i to do this again, and this hotel were to be the one I got through name-your-own-price, that would be fine, but I don't think i'd chose it if i were paying full price. -
Review from Mark W.
9/4/2011
This has to be the nicest hotel that I really don't like.
A few caveats: (1) I have worked for years in the hospitality industry and have a good working knowledge of good vs. bad; (2) I travel quit a bit and stay in a wide range of hotels; and (3) I like the Westin brand.
First the good about the hotel:
- Good location, sort of central to everything, so an easy walk to pretty much everywhere, and away from from the noisy tourist zones.
- The hotel is very pretty, rooms, lobby, etc. It is all suites, so good-sized rooms.
- Great showerheads. Really.
- The employees were all very nice and attentive and helpful.
Okay, so here are the issues:
- The hotel is 30 stories tall yet only has 2 elevators so waits for an elevator are interminable. Luckily we were on the 7th floor so using the steps was not prohibitive but we hear from quite a bit of ugliness from a few folks "stranded" on floors 18+. This elevator situation, alone, made for a very trying stay.
- The atmosphere was overpoweringly filled with Westin's signature scent which was nice for 5 minutes but annoying for longer. Also, I awoke each morning completely congested -- something that rarely ever happens at home or in hotels -- it made me wonder if there was something up with the hotel ventilation? (Also, the minute I left the hotel, the congestion went away.)
- We were on a room on the 7th floor, facing the pool, and the noise there really carries.
- The cocktails in the bar were meh, at best. Martinis not chilled enough (and a small pour, to boot).
- The WiFi system is crazy. You need to call to the front desk to get an access code, good for 24 hours. However the first 3 access codes we were given were rejected (thus, required 3 followup calls downstairs). And, the code is only good for 24 hours so, on Day 2 you need to call the front desk and repeat the whole process (inc. bad codes, etc.)
Net, I believe there are a lot of better options, in all price ranges, in Vancouver. -
Review from Fulgencio M.
12/6/2009
As you know, the Olympics are coming to Vancouver in February. Or maybe you don't know. I only know because the entire fencing, ice skating, and skiing teams are trying to date me. I was invited to Vancouver to make sure things are "OK" for the city before the Olympics. And I'd been looking forward to this trip for months.
Starwood is typically my preferred choice (just not Sheraton, puh-lease), and thus I booked the Westin Grand in downtown (near the gay village, hEllO, it's like oxygen). Unfortunately they haven't built me a W yet, so I had to settle for the Westin. At first, everything seemed okay. I was warmly greeted and escorted to check-in upon arriving in my chaffeured town car.
Now, I know I've been accused of being dyslexic, but when they handed a room key with the number "6" on it, I knew something must be wrong. Was that a 9? Was the "2" invisible? Surely they couldn't have placed me on the 6th floor. I only stay on the 6th floor of a building if there are ONLY 6 floors, or if there are at least 30 floors below the 6th floor.
Imagine my surprise when I walked into a sixth floor room, with only two large towels, and a view of the outdoor pool (we'll get to that later). I don't mind a view of the pool (especially if there are hot men sunbathing), but I don't want the pool to have a view of me.
I instantly put in for a room change, but dreaded the fact that I 'd have to spend at least one night in this 6th floor bedroom. I could tell things were going downhill because there was a clothesline in the bathroom. Was I given a room for "people who do laundry"? hEllO, when's the last time I've washed my own clothing? Did I fly south of the American border, or north? At this point I wasn't too sure.
The next morning I was moved to the 21st floor. I settled. This time my view was much better, and included a sweeping panoramica of the downtown. I love that word, panoramica. It reminds me of that movie with Ethan Hawke. Which one? I forgot. I probably didn't see it anyway.
Next I hit the gym. Beware, at 5:30 it gets crowded with boys (wink wink). A small assortment of machines and treadmills, and lots of free weights made for a decent work out. I pumped it for about 1 hour each day. Space is an issue. And as ripped as the guys were in the gym, they weren't cute enough to bump butts with while performing my squats.
P.S. to the General Manager, someone must have stolen the 2 lb. weights. Five was the smallest. Do I look like I'm trying to gain muscle?
My king bed was comfy, and my mini-bar was stocked. I even had a lengthy sofa (normal people probably don't get this...). However the next hotel that provides me artificial creamer will be removed from my Starwood Alliance.
The bathroom (aside from the clothesline) is ultra-modern, which I love. hEllO, spacious bath (and you know I love bubble baths), and a separate shower with two showerheads, so that I don't have to share with whoever my man of the moment is. Luckily my date in Vancouver was intolerant to water, so I had the shower all to myself. I dumped him this morning, when I realized we could never vacation in Hawaii together.
Since the Four Seasons was overbooked (and SO not Starwood), I was OK with my stay at Westin Grand. Perfect? No. But for me, nothing is. I'd stay here again. Especially since I didn't have to pay for the room. Now that I know there's a clothesline I'll be sure to bring my laundry.
This has been a Review by Fulgencio -
Review from Ryan L.
3/12/2011
I've stayed at this Westin a couple times as well as many, many other hotels in Vancouver. This is one of my fav places in this beautiful city.
Staff is very friendly, without seeming sappy. I like genuiness and they've got that. Rooms are great ... each one shaped a little different because of the shape of this piano-inspired hotel. I just checked out of a **07 suite, which was complete with mini kitchen behind some closet doors. Cool. As with all Westins ... the beds are "heavenly."
WiFi can be paid for just an hour's access, which I really like. On this trip I was only at the hotel for 6 hours or so and just needed to quickly check flight status and didn't want to buy 24-hours worth of Internet time.
This particular Westin also has a heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi on the third floor with a decent view of the city. Fun at night. They also have steam rooms in the change rooms (love that) and a co-ed sauna ... great for warming up on chilly Vancouver days.
Nice location right on Robson (maybe a bit too far to the east, but not too bad). -
Review from Kreag S.
Vancouver, BC
1/6/2009
I was "put up" in the Westin on a business trip once..I was not living in Vancouver at the time and so they put me in a hotel...I had never stayed in a Westin before but had heard amazing things..."you never forget their beds" a colleague told me...and boy were they right...the Westin "heavenly beds" are truly heaven..they must be stuffed with angels feathers..sooooo soft and comfy..it took everything in me to get to work in the morning...
The room was great as well...a full soaker tub, a huge separate shower, fire place(gas), living room and bedroom were separate and both had tv's..and the robes..OMG the robe was something I would totally be buried in..buried in a Westin robe in a Westin bed lined coffin...mmmmmmmmm...for all eternity...death never sounded so comfy...
Also..great restaurant ...room service was prompt and the food was still warm...guest services were overly nice and kiss assy..which I love...I have no idea what the company paid but it was totally worth every penny I didn't have to spend:)Listed in: Super Great Service.
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Review from Gale L.
Vancouver, BC
3/7/2011 4 Check-ins Here
It is fairly grand, I guess. I've only ever climbed the stairs to the restaurant.
Hate the menu name, Healthy Start, but it did taste good enough for me to go back a few times for a happy breakfast and to expect lunch to be as good.
Mac and cheese was creamy and tasty. Arugula, I hope at least, had seen better days. Fries were good but the malt vinegar aioli wasn't malt and curry beat up the crab in the crab cakes.
Service wasn't too bad but nothing to write home about. -
Review from Katie F.
8/23/2009
I love staying in a hotel in my hometown - it's like a mini-vacation, especially on the Heavenly Beds :)
I'm not normally a SPG chain gal so I don't stay in this chain too often. I was a bit too lazy to drive for an early am meeting so I stayed here for a night.
Nice all suite hotel - dishwasher and microwave in my room, esp if you're staying longer. Mixture of bachelor style units and one bedrooms. Good service - my room had no toiletries upon arrival and this was quickly fixed.
Smooth check in and check out.
Cons: slow as death elevators and it would be nice to have an LCD TV. Premium prices for parking downtown - didn't valet the car so not sure the valet rates, but self-parking is $21/day for guests. Wi-fi isn't free here :(
Pluses: nice suites, big bathrooms, clean, great location, great service staff.
Conference rooms are a good size and the service staff are excellent here for meetings. Definitely a solid hotel in downtown Vancouver. -
Review from Wendy L.
8/10/2008
My friend warned me that this hotel was small and hard to see from the street. I think this friend may need glasses because while the hotel is located within the busy downtown area, the large Westin sign out front makes it easy to find.
The hotel is quite narrow so the various amenities are on different floors - you walk in on the ground floor where you'll find taxis and the bell hops, the lobby with the bar is one floor up, and then ~26 floors of rooms. The only reason why I point this out is that there are only two elevators so waiting for an elevator can be a long-ish process as those two elevators serve all of the floors. I was never in a big enough rush for it to matter to me, but I certainly heard a number of guests complain.
I had a small suite which I booked on Starwood points (10,000!), and it was a cute little room. Everything is concealed behind cabinet doors (TVs, kitchenette) so the room looks bigger than it is. While the room wasn't cramped, they certainly made use of every inch of the room. The desk is right next to the TV in the sitting room...and the desk is right next to the armchair...which is right next to the couch. Overall, though, I thought the room was comfortable, made good use of space, and honestly, I just love that heavenly bed.
I miraculously made it to the gym which is relatively small (~4 treadmills, 1 elliptical, 1 Stairmaster and some basic weights and weight machines) but has a decent view of Vancouver and the outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel is right in the middle of downtown, so it's centrally located to lots of food and shopping on Robson. -
Review from andrew w.
8/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Awesome awesome place and sweet location.
Really nice to have the bar/fridge/microwave.
2 elevators for such a big place? Seems like there should be at least double that. -
Review from Eros A.
7/23/2010
I came to review this hotel and I was surprise by the how many people gave it a five stars... makes me wonder what did i miss??
I thought it was OK service, decor, and all; but don't think it deserve a five stars...
Concierge was hardly at her desk; Front Desk Agent was not aware that could charge a debit card, and elevator wasn't working properly, the Ice Machine on our floor wasn't working for two days; and sign says to go to the next floor where another sing says the same (was that a joke??)
Anyway, overall experience was just OK! -
Review from Nina L.
6/27/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Great location and wonderful rooms! The layout of the hotel is a bit strange but acceptable. Walked in to a small lobby with an elevator to the check-in desk. Loved the sweeping views of Vancouver and got a taste of Canucks fever when they were playing Games 5 and 6. The bar is also a nice place to unwind after a day of exploring the city.
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Review from Steve C.
3/20/2010
Horrible customer service. When booking, the website clearly indicated free high-speed wireless internet access (no mistake here since this was a specific criteria for which we filtered our hotel search). When we got to the front desk, the lady at the front desk claimed ignorance and the recently-updated website corroborated her claim. Unfortunately, while the website indicated that the hotel no longer offered free wi-fi, the hotel staff's feigned ignorance was transparently artificial due to the following facts: (1) this receptionist's proficiency with the system demonstrated that she had been there for a while, and (2) another haughty manager also claimed ignorance. These two facts preempt an excuse that either employee was new and did not know about the unfairly rescinded offer.
Suggestion: the staff should have honestly admitted that they were aware that the offer was on the website and that, since we booked while the offer was on the website, they would simply give us wi-fi. When a loyal (membership status and points available in their records) customer claims to have seen free wi-fi and you know that the website offered it, don't try to weasel out of giving free wi-fi. Even if you don't believe the customer, just give him what he's asking for. By earning the hotel $14.99 / day, you have lost a future customer.
Suggestion: the management should try to respond to e-mails within five business days. -
Review from sarah k.
6/4/2011
we stayed here for a few nights before and after our cruise to alaska.
if you're into views, be sure to get a room as high up as you can facing north--the first time we stayed, we got a room facing the next building on the 10th floor and i wasn't impressed. however, they gave us a corner suite on the 16th floor the second time and it was really nice. we got the view of the city as well as the mountains and a body of water far away. :)
you can also get free wi-fi at starbucks (there are two within 2 minute walking distance) or go to the public library (literally) next door and apply for a temporary card (for one year), which will give you free wifi.
the only thing i didn't like about this hotel was that there wasn't any good eateries close-by. granted gastown, yaletown, etc. are all within walking distance but with a 11-month old baby and bad weather, it was unfortunate to have such limited options when it came to food. -
Review from Bart E.
Vancouver, BC
7/16/2009
As a regular business traveller, I have become addicted to SPG points -- so I stayed at the Westin. First I tried the Wall Sheraton -- not so hot. Then I found home here at the Westin Grand.
The rooms are all suites, with half kitchens, floor to ceiling windows and small living rooms. Standard quality in the rooms, which all looked like they had been renoed. Pricing very very reasonable for westin (eg compared to Westin Calgary).
What really stood out though is the service -- the bellhops go above and beyond -- only hotel where they remember my name, chat with my wife when she comes on business, allow me to park car without paying valet, etc. The list goes on, but these guys are amazing.
As others have pointed out the only downside are the painfully slow elevators, of which there are only two. Prepare to wait!! Still, a worthwhile stay. -
Review from Robert T.
12/25/2010
We decided to go up to Vancouver for the weekend and found a pretty good room rate at The Westin Grand, especially for downtown. The hotel is fairly nice and the corner suite we had was great. Very comfortable bed, a huge soaking tub in the bathroom along with the shower, and a comfortable living room. Small corner balcony overlooked Robson Street. Floor to ceiling windows really brightened up the room.
Breakfast was included in our package rate, but was far from even mediocre. Their idea of this free breakfast is even less than you can get at a Super 8, with the exception of some dried out smoked salmon. Seriously, the rest was bagels and cream cheese, sliced melon, whole apples and bananas, and a shot glass serving of yogurt. It was absolutely ridiculous that they would tout this as a breakfast.
Room service was awful too. Of course it was overpriced, it was room service. But the quality was horrible and portion sizes were very very small. I travel a lot and have room service a lot as well. I am used to the prices, but usually not disappointed in the amount of food served. $9 for a cup of soup is insane. At least give it in a bowl like every other hotel.
I would stay here again, just skip the room service and go to A&W for breakfast. $6 for fresh-cooked eggs, hashbrowns, bacon and coffee! -
Review from Willis S.
8/2/2011
Starwood Points well spent! This was like coming home to the city. I had a mini suite with its own master bedroom & living room with FULLY LOADED KITCHENETTE. THERE IS LITERALLY EVERY COOKING SUPPLY YOU COULD EVER NEED TO COOK IN THIS PLACE. They drawers had silverware, plates, knives, and pots etc. There was even a small stove top I believe among other things. All you have to do is walk down to the H-Mart (One block away) to pick up groceries and cook dinner in your hotel room. You melt right into the bed like better because it is super comfy and soft. This hotel is completely spotless and just the right amount of modern & contemporary. The outdoor pool and hot tub on the rooftop is just what the doctor ordered after a long day of walking downtown Vancouver. Conveniently located near the shopping district and Chinatown. I would highly consider this hotel for my next stay.
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Review from steve B.
6/15/2009
Great room with a very good view, super clean, centrally located perfect for first timers like me to Vancouver. Room comes with a small fridge, microwave, bar sink. The bathroom is huge, shower and separate Tub. The topper is the Bed awesome great sleeping experience. The only downer is the 2 elevators in the Hotel with 30 some stories if one is out you're screwed which happened to us all week. That damn thing was down everyday.
Great place to stay now fix the elevator please. -
Review from V G.
8/17/2008
We just came back from Vancouver yesterday, and we stayed at the Westin Grand where it sucked up the rest of our Starwood points (hehe.) We also had a small suite which was an OK size (it's an odd shaped hotel/floor), and nice and clean. It included a kitchenette which had the sink and a microwave, which was handy. The bathroom was fairly large too! I do have to agree below where they do use every inch of the room - we had 2 armchairs next to the TV and bed, and the armchair was blocking the drawers underneath the TV.
It's in a good location where you're able to walk everywhere. Close enough to all the shopping/restaurants on Robson, and close enough to walk to Yaletown for all the yummy restaurants. We walked to Yaletown to catch the ferry to take to Granville Island/Market, and took public transportation to Stanley Park.
The concierge actually gave us some wrong information about Stanley Park, so I was pretty BLEH about that. The shuttle she directed us to take to Stanley Park was not in service, and we had to run around and figure out which bus went to Stanley Park. Minus some stars on that for a waste of time trying to figure out transportation when we were running around downtown in a city we didn't know. BOO.
If we were to come back to Vancouver - we'd probably stay here again because of the location. -
Review from Sara B.
8/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Right in the center of down town! It was a beautiful place to stay. Felt like home in a way with all the amenities.
The only bummer was that the elevator was out of commission and the one working was SUPER slow.
Great views and enjoyable times. -
Review from Yiling W.
4/3/2009
Good room with a decent view for a regular room reservation, central location, and amenable but not unctuous staff. The fourth star is purely for the waiter at breakfast, who was very attentive and friendly, noticing details and being helpful, like unobtrusively providing spoons when I got oatmeal from the breakfast bar. The rest of the stay would probably merit three stars. We checked in early after calling ahead to check that it would be okay, but then a maid came by when we were settling in to restock the mini fridge. Also, while the antechamber/tv/desk/common room was nice compared to a mediocre single-chamber hotel room, the layout meant you had to wander from the bedroom, through the antechamber to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Boooo.
The Westin's location is very good for wandering downtown, though --especially on Robson Street. -
Review from Darien C.
BC
12/4/2008 1 photo
The Westin Grand versus the Bayshore is a trade off. The Grand is in the heart of downtown, out the front door and you're on Robson. While a bit of a hike to downtown proper, the Bayshore has the impressive view of Coal Harbour.
First timers in the city should treat themselves to the view, recurring businessmen are better off at the Grand. Otherwise they are perfectly comparable, service, rooms, dining, all great. I am a greater fan of the pool at the Grand. Outdoors, high up with the city surrounding you. If you are going for a dip at the Grand take a peak at the top floor of the R&R building.
Maybe I'll wave. -
Review from Joolie T.
4/28/2010
i'm slightly biased.
i did not book anything.
i did not pay for anything.
i didn't do anything but enjoy the suite that some dude got my girlfriends and i because he wanted to impress us.
the OPUS was booked that weekend and we literally drove into Canada in the middle of the night. it was 3am and we had nowhere else to crash. we went to two more hotels in the area before finally settling at The Westin Grand. to me, everything looked old. the decor, the building, the furnishings... yeah, everything. (however, it has been brought to my attention that they have renovated the hotel since then. so, yay.) the lobby situation is a little annoying and the front desk staff was really snippy.
the sugar daddy of ours asked for any suite available and low and behold... we were granted with a sprawling Executive Suite. with tons of room to play, hang out and sleep... my friends and i were very happy. we took advantage of everything the hotel had to offer. from room service, taking a group bubble bath, to an early morning swim in our underpants... we did it all.
the room service took forever- but granted, it was 4am. everyone was in their sleepwear/underwear and the bashful room service guy brought us everything we ordered and was an absolute sweetheart. he knew we were partying hard, but he smiled very kindly and let us go onto our business.
great views of Yaletown. wonderful location on Robson St. and near all the best shopping in the area. i was quite impressed with this hotel. the mini-bar actually had GOOD selections of drinks and snacks. we enjoyed all of the offerings since it wasn't on our dime. heheh.Listed in: Van-Titty-Comittee
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Review from A E.
3/17/2010
I appreciate the ability to sleep in on weekends because I don't get enough of it during the week. The hub, unfortunately, is an early bird and to him, the definition of sleeping in means waking up at 7AM, which is why he never is a big fan of weekend trips where he has to spend the time between 7 and 9 doing nothing for fear of upsetting me, who's known to be quite grouchy when sleep deprived.
So during a recent trip, we were squealing with delight (OK, I was. He probably wouldn't appreciate being referred to as a squealer) when we realized that the room that we set ourselves in was in fact a suite, with separate living and sleeping area. Win!
Not only that - I got to prove my theory that the quality of a hotel can be directly correlated to the quality (and quantity) of the towels provided (SF Palace Hotel - I am talking to you!). I was absolutely thrilled to find plentiful of fluffy white towels underneath the sink and on the towel racks.
I then proceeded to notice the microwave oven, silverware and crockeries (awesome), $21 plus tips, tax and service fee breakfast (not so awesome), and the flat screen TV in the bedroom AND the living room (mega awesome). AND the bars, restaurants and shops of Yaletown just a stone's throw away.
The only regret is not having known about this hotel sooner and have this be my go-to hotel back in my Vancouver-on-a-(somewhat) unlimited-expense-account days. -
Review from Peter H.
3/2/2009
This is a great hotel - the rooms are nice, views are nice, location is excellent, staff are friendly and helpful, parking is reasonable (for DT Vancouver) and even the in-house restaurant is pretty reasonable (my last visit in Feb '09 - a bowl of mussels were around $10 USD - cheaper than I'd get in Seattle for a meal of equal calibre...). There is a pool but it's outside and if you travel in the winter time - not worth it. The gym is small but adequate and the layout takes getting used to the lobby on a separate level than the street entrance.
The theme is cool for this hotel however, the building designed in the shape of a grand piano (hence the name - Westin "Grand") as well as the "Aria" lounge, "Symphony" room and the "Bartoli" suite at the top (where Cecilia Bartoli - the mezzo soprano stayed back in 2000). I would try to avoid a "studio suite" if you can unless you're traveling alone as these can be small. The amenities are good, beds are comfy and the place is pretty consistent.
With the intent of staying at the Bayshore, I was put up here on opening night back in 1998 and have been grateful of the mistake ever since. Quality, comfort, location, and service - this is my preferred hotel for staying in DT Vancouver. -
Review from Shannon M.
8/9/2010
I am SPG Gold, about to go Platinum if I can squeeze out 7 stays before December. I only say this to show that I know my Westins. This Westin was so not up to snuff. The staff was polite and that was not the problem. But, when you buy a condo and turn it into a hotel, why don't you make sure it is the kind of building you can renovate. The wait for the elevator coming up and going down was 10-15 minutes. It had a long one minute pause before the door would open - thank god I conquered my claustrophobia because I would have thought I was going down on the Titanic in that elevator. The building hallways were narrow and it was almost like I was in Hong Kong or Japan given the lack of space. Seriously, you could open the door to your room and block the person across the hall from getting out of their room. Ok, well not really, but it was tight. It felt more like a Hilton.
Where the hell was my heavenly bed? That bed was fine, but it was not a Westin Heavenly bed. It was more in purgatory. The location is great though. -
Review from Brandon W.
12/21/2010
This was my first time staying at a Westin and I was fairly pleased with the experience. As with staying at any higher end hotel all the extras cost such as internet access and parking. The location is perfect because it places you within walking distance of all of the downtown amenities. My one and only gripe is with the breakfast which was provided in my room package. The offerings didn't match the caliber of the hotel.
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Review from Yumee K.
5/29/2010
i'm writing this review from my hotel room here right now! the location of this hotel couldnt have been any better. there is a groery market two stores down on the same block and there are so many restaurants&shops that are within walking distance. just by walking to our dinner destination, i chose handfuls of places i wanted to try out for the rest of my stay here in vancouver.
the rooms bathroom is very nice and the beds are super comfortable. i love how the westin offers a kitchen in the room too! this isnt vegas but westin, you have won me over! -
Review from mark l.
5/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Nice view, not enough electrical outlets. When I entered my room it was completely dark. i searched around to turn on a light but nothing worked. I seemed to have missed the fact that there's a master light switch that nobody told me about. This turned me off from the very beginning. Once i was asleep the hotel was okay.
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Review from Stephen R.
7/3/2010
great service and staff
-requested refrigerator and they brought up a small fridge to keep some food.
- we had outstanding views of the city
-great location and walking distance to alot of things.
-rooms were clean and very tidy. -
Review from Dana C.
Mission, BC
8/5/2010
This is one of my favourite hotels in Vancouver. I absolutely adore the 7 layers of comfort on the Heavenly Bed. It's like a tiny apartment with a separate bedroom and living room that sports a kitchen behind two doors. Not just a minibar fridge, but a sink, dishwasher, microwave, dishes and flatware. I could actually live here. The location is central to many venues being in the heart of downtown. We like to stay here after a Canuck game or concert as it's walking distance to GM Place/BC Place. There is a liquor store downstairs and an IGA Marketplace next door so you can stock up on your own goodies and leave the minibar items alone. The rooms are clean, modern and comfortable and the staff has always been pleasant. We have always gotten a corporate discount, but even without it is reasonably priced for a special evening out.
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Review from Kristen V.
12/26/2010
Great location, but, as other reviewers mentioned, the space in the hallways is tight and the long wait for the elevator is ridiculous. They claim to have queen-sized beds, but they are really doubles. It was nice to have a fridge and micro in the room. Decor is tired. Staff is helpful.
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Review from j w.
5/13/2009
of course i'm an spg whore so OF COURSE we stayed at the Grand. it was perfect for our quick getaway: right in the heart of the action on robson and walking distance to either public transport or local sights.
the rooms are on the smaller side, CLEAN, well-kept, and staff friendly and helpful. you can rely on the westin quality at this property (not so lucky at some others) so for those who travel within starwood, the Grand is right on par!
enjoy the heavenly bed! :)
