OverviewLocated just east of the Trans-Canada Highway and a 15-minute drive from Vancouver's city centre, the Howard Johnson North Burnaby's Boutique Hotel is popular with business and leisure travellers who prefer a smaller hotel close to the waterfront (roughly 1 km) and downtown Vancouver.
This smoke-free hotel has 42 air-conditioned guest rooms, each offering one or two queen beds, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a desk, a hair dryer, an iron and ironing board, and a desk. Hotel amenities include a 24-hour business centre and laundry facilities. Parking is free, pets are not permitted, and the hotel does not offer accessible rooms.
On-site dining is available at the Admiral Pub and Grill, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. A free breakfast is offered to all guests daily.
The Howard Johnson North Burnaby's Boutique Hotel is roughly a 4-minute drive west of the PNE and 15 minutes west of Simon Fraser University by car. The SkyTrain's Gilmore Station (connecting to Vancouver's downtown and surrounding areas) is a 20-minute walk south, while shopping is available at Brentwood Town Centre (roughly a 4-minute drive).
Downtown Vancouver is roughly a 15-minute drive west of the hotel, while Vancouver International Airport is about a 35-minute drive. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent on November 19, 2012: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, free breakfast, and pets are not permitted.
The GoodThe majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive with much praise going to the hotel's rooms, location, and value.
Many guests were pleased with their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, spacious, and tastefully decorated, with firm but comfortable beds and fluffy bedding. It was also mentioned by several patrons that the complimentary fruit basket was well-appreciated.
The hotel's location was praised by several reviewers. These guests were pleased with the hotel's close proximity to downtown Vancouver, the PNE, and Simon Fraser University. Another lodger remarked they felt comfortable and safe while walking in the surrounding area at night.
Several guests felt the hotel had excellent value. They reported the hotel had reasonable rates and found the free breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi contributed to the hotel's worth. One guests remarked, "when checking the area for hotels this one was also one of the least expensive". The included mini-fridge and microwave were also appreciated.
The Bad
While most of the reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints among them, which included noise transfer, the parking location, and the lack of elevator.
Some guests had complaints about noise transfer during their stay. They experienced difficulties with street noise (when their rooms faced Hastings Street), as well as with guests playing music and talking in adjacent rooms. It was also mentioned by those who had rooms above the hotel's pub that they could hear music late at night.
The hotel's parking lot was a source of complaints by some reviewers. They described it as being outside at the back of the property, in a public lot that had reserved parking for the hotel. Some of these guests found the lot's location to be inconvenient.
A couple of guests were disappointed this 2-storey hotel did not have an elevator. They found it inconvenient to carry their luggage up the stairs, and would not recommend this hotel to those with mobility issues.
Hotels.com guest reviews rated the hotel 4.3 out of 5 from 360 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.3 out of 5 with a 92% recommendation rate from 128 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #2 out of 12 Burnaby hotels from 108 reviews.
Verified with a front desk agent on November 19, 2012: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, free breakfast, and pets are not permitted.
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Analyzed by Erin H.
Erin loves to travel, and considers it her personal mission to help fellow travellers get the inside scoop, both good and bad, on Canadian Hotels.
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