best bed: The Burrard, Vancouver, Canada

Ultra-hip and retro cool The Burrard is THE perfectly located mid-priced Vancouver hotel.  It is loaded with character; the Eames chairs are to die for. It never takes its self too seriously yet never fails to deliver on services. Originally opened in 1956, the Burrard maintains the magic of the motel glory days of the late 50’ and 60’s when cars were huge and neon reigned. The original sign still hangs over the entrance. Luckily  for the present day traveler the hotel  was completely gutter and renovated in 2010. It now has all the modern necessities (great beds, fast Wi-Fi, HDTV, mini fridges) combined with a tongue-in-cheek atmosphere of fun. There is nothing stuffy about the Burrard. The bright colorful inner yet outdoor courtyard is very Miami chic. The perfect place to hang out, read a book, work on a laptop or play a game of ping pong. Keep an eye out for the Disney and Barbie themed totally cheeky art scattered throughout the building and rooms. They, like so much of the hotel, are  so Instagram worthy!!

Number of Rooms: 72

Sweet Suite: no suites… rooms come in double, queen, king and the queen plus which has a small sitting area…kind of a junior suite!

Favorite Thing: The water cooler… I’m all about no more plastic bottles. The Burrard makes many environmentally friendly choices and even has an EV charging station.  Though,I have to confess,  for my favorite thing I almost chose the candy bag they leave on your pillow! Yum!

Near By: the hotel is in the heart of downtown… It’s an easy walk to Yaletown, Granville Street and lots of shopping. Borrow a free bike and hit one of the many nearby bike paths… my favorite is the one around Stanley Park. The hotel website has a great online guide loaded with things to do, places to go and restaurants to try.

Amenities: free long distance in North America, Nespresso Machines, free Wi-Fi, free bike rentals, free passes to the nearby Steve Nash gym, EV charging station,  umbrellas to borrow on rainy days (a bonus in what can sometimes be a very wet Vancouver), onsite Elysian Coffee shop, onsite Burgoo Restaurant, free bottled water (or use the water cooler!), pet friendly

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www.theburrard.com