OverviewThis non-smoking hotel, located at 711 West Broadway Ave at Heather, is popular with hospital patients and their families, because of its proximity to Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer Agency and other medical clinics.
This hotel is currently undergoing renovations, which are being carried out in phases. Guests have the choice between standard rooms, executive club level rooms and suites. All rooms include free Wi Fi, a phone with voicemail, an iron and ironing board, a coffee/tea maker, an ergonomically designed work area and a HD LCD TV.
Amenities include an indoor pool, business centre and health and fitness centre (open daily 5:30am-11:00pm). The pool and hot tub are closed while renovations are being completed (closed from the end of 2011 until further notice).
There is dining available on site. Stages Bistro and Lounge is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (7:00am-9:45pm daily). Kids under 12 eat for free. Room service is available from 7:00am-9:30pm daily.
Check-in is at 3:00pm; check-out is at 12:00pm. Parking is available at a cost of $17/night.
Nearby points of interest include Vancouver General Hospital (300m), BC Cancer Agency (140m), downtown Vancouver City Centre (700m), Vancouver Convention Centre (3.9km), Granville Island, (2.5km), VanDusen Botanical Garden (3.4KM) and Vancouver International Airport (12km) (distances: Google Maps).
Confirmed with a Front Desk Agent: renovation status, restaurant hours, pool closure, parking (call date: April 16, 2012).
The GoodThe Holiday Inn Centre Broadway is a work in progress, according to a number of guest reviews. Many were pleased with the upgrades and finishes added to the rooms. Several guests said that the staff were helpful while location was a big draw for a number of guests, in particular with patients and visitors of Vancouver General Hospital and BC Cancer Agency.
While some guests felt that the renovations were disruptive, many were impressed with the improvements to the rooms and the decor of the hotel.
Many guests felt that the staff went above and beyond to attend to guest needs, and were friendly and composed, given the difficulties of working in a renovation environment.
Several guests indicated how convenient the location of the hotel was and liked being within walking distance of a number of shops, restaurants and points of interest. They valued easy access to the Skytrain as well.
A few guests found the beds comfortable, enjoyed the selection of toiletries in their bathrooms, and found the hotel clean.
The Bad
For those that did not have an ideal experience, the renovations were mostly to blame. Noise was also an issue for a number of guests, as was the efficiency of their heating/air conditioning units.
From the perspective of several guests, the renovations had a negative impact on their stay, due to disruption, inconvenience and lack of comfort. Specifically, guests attributed their dissatisfaction with the renovations to pool and hot tub closures, limited use of the fitness centre and strong industrial odours.
A few guests felt that there was an excessive amount of noise in the hotel, citing the renovations and loud heating/air conditioning units in rooms as the culprits. One business traveller, working from his room, complained of "construction sounds from morning until evening."
Not only were the heating/air conditioning units noisy, several guests had difficulty operating them, and claimed that their rooms were either too hot or too cold as a result. One guest said her heating/air conditioning unit was extreme, and that there was no "in-between."
A handful of guests felt that the hotel was expensive while a few didn't care for the food in the on-site restaurant.
Confirmed with a Front Desk Agent: renovation status, restaurant hours, pool closure, parking (call date: April 16, 2012).
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #73 out of 100 Vancouver hotels, based on 109 reviews.
Orbitz.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 3.6 out of 5, based on 19 reviews. 79% of guests would recommend this hotel.
Hotels.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 3.7 out of 5 or "Good", based on 62 reviews.
