# Opinions on Club Intrawest Vancouver please



## abbekit (Feb 3, 2008)

We are trying to add a week in the Vancouver/Victoria area to our week in Banff this fall.  Today I put a week at Club Intrawest Vancouver on hold.  There aren't many reviews but what little I've read seems positive.

First, I'd love to hear more opinions on this resort.  It is just the two of us and the unit I have on hold is a studio (there are no 1BR available for our dates).

Second, what do people think about staying in Vancouver for an entire week and using it as a base? 

We would like spend a few days in the city of Vancouver seeing the sights, museums, etc.  Also we'd like to spend a day or two in either Victoria or Ucluelet.  Or is there a similar area to Ucluelet closer to Vancouver for scenery, hiking, etc.?

Any advice would be much appreciated!


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## Bill4728 (Feb 3, 2008)

The Club Intrawest resort in Vancouver is in the Sheraton Hotel downtown.  The Club has converted all the 27-30 floors to CI rooms. The studios are just a big hotel room but very nice.The sleeping area has about 30 ft of floor to ceiling glass, overlooking the city. 

Great place!


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## Chrisky (Feb 3, 2008)

We've stayed at the CI in Vancouver. The room was quite large, like Bill said with great views of the city. There is a small fridge, microwave. It's is a good area with easy walking access to downtown Vancouver. The drive from Victoria to either Ucluelet or Tofino is spectacular. There are excellent walking trails at the Pacific Rim National Park.


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## randyz (Feb 3, 2008)

abbekit said:


> We are trying to add a week in the
> We would like spend a few days in the city of Vancouver seeing the sights, museums, etc.  Also we'd like to spend a day or two in either Victoria or Ucluelet.  Or is there a similar area to Ucluelet closer to Vancouver for scenery, hiking, etc.?
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated!



Your location is as good as it gets. Easy walking to many attractions in Vancouver.

As for hiking, some of the best hiking in the world is withing 1-2 hour drive from Vancouver. Lots of choice. To give better advice need to know if you want an easy or more difficult height (generally translates to elevation gain). Also 1/2 day or full day hike and what time of year.

You can hike the rainforest, with ocean fjord views, and alpine with glaciers all in one day hike and 2 hours or less from Vancouver. You could start by googling Garibaldi Park which is between Vancouver and Whistler. Garibaldi Lake is as beautiful as Lake Louise near Banff, the difference is you can't drive in like lake Louise.

Randy


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## abbekit (Feb 3, 2008)

randyz said:


> Your location is as good as it gets. Easy walking to many attractions in Vancouver.
> 
> As for hiking, some of the best hiking in the world is withing 1-2 hour drive from Vancouver. Lots of choice. To give better advice need to know if you want an easy or more difficult height (generally translates to elevation gain). Also 1/2 day or full day hike and what time of year.
> 
> ...



We generally take easy to moderate trails, sometiimes full day but usually half day hikes.  Garibaldi Park looks beautiful!  We won't do too much hiking in this area since we are going to be in Banff the following week.  And we probably won't have a rental car since the location of Club Intrawest is in the middle of downtown Vancouver.  Actually what I had in mind was perhaps something that we could get to by public transportation, maybe the ferry over to Vancouver Island, or a city bus to a scenic area near the city.  I wondered if it is possible to take the gondola up to Grouse Mountain and hike down?  And I've read about some interesting suspension bridges in the general area.

Of course it looks like great walking even in the city with all the parks.


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## randyz (Feb 5, 2008)

abbekit said:


> We generally take easy to moderate trails, sometiimes full day but usually half day hikes.  Garibaldi Park looks beautiful!  We won't do too much hiking in this area since we are going to be in Banff the following week.  And we probably won't have a rental car since the location of Club Intrawest is in the middle of downtown Vancouver.  Actually what I had in mind was perhaps something that we could get to by public transportation, maybe the ferry over to Vancouver Island, or a city bus to a scenic area near the city.  I wondered if it is possible to take the gondola up to Grouse Mountain and hike down?  And I've read about some interesting suspension bridges in the general area.
> 
> Of course it looks like great walking even in the city with all the parks.



For 1/2 day walks you have a number of GOOD choices. From your location you can walk down Robson to the Stanley Park seawall, see the harbour, Lions Gate, English bay all in one day. The seawall will circle back all the way to Yaletown.

If your in Vancouver a few days remember to try and be flexible especially in non summer months. I suggest planning a partially indoor day, and another day for a "walk". Swap the days depending on the weather. 

I believe you can take the Seabus across the harbour to North Vancouver and then public bus to Lynn Valley. There is a free suspension bridge their and good hiking up the mountain in the park. Capilano Suspension bridge is also available (not free).

Randy


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## asp (Feb 5, 2008)

You can walk/take a bus about 10? or so blocks and take the Seabus to North Vancouver, it lands in the bus terminal where you take a bus to Grouse Mountain.  

Just before the mountain  base is the Capilano Suspension bridge (will have web site) - which while tourist oriented, has a "tree tops" walk that is quite unique.  You can take a 100 passenger gondola to the Grouse Mtn ski area - fabulous view on the way up - which has more visitors in the summer than winter!  There are trails from there, and a fairly pleasant ski/hikers lodge.

There is a climb UP the mountain, known a the "Grouse Grind" which you might research - locals time themselves, then take the lift down.  If you make dinner reservations in the dining room, the chair lift is free.


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## abbekit (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I just got a couple of books about the area and ordered some info from the tourism office.  Looks like Stanley Park could offer lots of walking.  Since we have the entire week I'm not too worried about a few rainy days but who knows.

I don't think I'd like the Grind walk UP the mountain .   Taking the gondola up and doing some trails at the top is more our speed.  The book I just got gives public transportation directions to get to the Lynn Canyon Bridge so if I can convince my acrophobic DH maybe we can do that.


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