Overview
About a 12-minute drive from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and just east of Highway 99, the Sandman Hotel Vancouver Airport is popular with travellers who require a resort-style hotel close to the airport with amenities such as the Steve Nash Sports Club next door, tennis courts and indoor/outdoor pools.
This smoke-free hotel has 438 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer, a desk, and an iron/ironing board. Standard rooms come with one king or two queen beds, and suites also feature a kitchenette and a sitting area with a sofabed. Penthouse suites also offer full kitchens, a jacuzzi tub and two private balconies.
The hotel has an indoor pool with a waterslide, two outdoor pools, a hot tub, meeting rooms, a business centre, a fitness facility, the Steve Nash Sports Club ($8 day pass for Sandman guests), and a free airport shuttle. Parking is free, and accessible rooms are available upon request. Pets are permitted for $20 per pet per night.
On-site dining is available at Chop Steakhouse, which is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday and Sunday for dinner. Denny's is also on site (open 24-hours daily), as is the Shark Club, which serves lunch, dinner and drinks daily.
The Sandman Hotel Vancouver Airport is 16 km (roughly a 25-minute drive) from Downtown Vancouver. The hotel offers a free shuttle to River Rock Casino and Bridgeport SkyTrain Station (roughly a 6-minute drive), which provides connections to downtown Vancouver and surrounding area. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, free airport shuttle and pets permitted for $20 per pet per night (call date: October 20, 2012).
The GoodThe majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive with much praise going to the hotel's rooms, staff and location.
Several reviewers were pleased with the accommodations at this hotel. They described their rooms as spacious and clean, with modern fixtures, comfortable beds, and a strong Wi-Fi signal.
Most guests had pleasant experiences with the hotel's staff and characterized them as helpful, polite and courteous. It was also mentioned by these guests that the check-in process was quick and efficient.
The hotel's location was praised by many lodgers, who described it as close to the airport, good for getting to downtown Vancouver, River Rock Casino, the Steve Nash Sports Club (located next door), and Denny's (on site).
The Bad
While most of the reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints among them about noise as well as the hotel's layout.
Some guests had complaints about noise transfer within the hotel. They mentioned hearing noise from the gym upstairs, noise from the highway if the windows were open, loud air conditioning units and noise from the vents, which disturbed guests' sleep. It should be mentioned, however, that most guests found their rooms quiet.
The layout of the hotel was confusing for a few reviewers, who noted that even though there was signage directing them towards their rooms, they "ended up walking around in circles."
Additional complaints from a few guests: The Chop restaurant was expensive (although most found the food to be very good), and there were no fridges in the standard rooms.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #17 out of 26 Richmond hotels from 150 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with a 85% recommendation rate from 110 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8 out of 10 from 57 reviews.
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, free airport shuttle and pets permitted for $20 per pet per night (call date: October 20, 2012).
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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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