The excitement of the Olympic Games is in the air. Packed stadiums, thousands cheering, gold medals, national anthems and flags waving. Vancouver will be under the spotlight for the last two weeks in February and hundreds of thousands of people will converge upon a number of Olympic venues throughout the city. All of these people will need a place to stay and should consider options beyond a traditional hotel.
Housing Types
A standard hotel room is the obvious first choice for most travellers coming for the Olympic games. However, if you are staying for 30 days or more, Corporate Housing is a great option to consider. Corporate Housing typically involves a furnished condo or apartment in a residential building. This arrangement means more space, privacy, a full kitchen for cooking meals and often ensuite laundry. Reputable Corporate Housing companies can be found via the Corporate Housing Providers Association’s website www.chpaonline.org. If you are staying for less than 30 days but for at least a week, consider a Vacation Rental or an Apartment Hotel. A Vacation Rental is similar to Corporate Housing, although the reservation is usually done with a private homeowner. One downfall with Vacation Rentals is the lack of consistency from one rental property to the next. A great resource for vacation rentals is www.vrbo.com – Vacation Rental By Owner. An Apartment Hotel is similar to the above options, however, the rooms are usually smaller and include a kitchenette rather than a full kitchen. On the plus side, many Apartment Hotels offer hotel like services including a concierge and room service. Apartment Hotels can be found using most search engines.
Where To Stay
There are many great neighbourhoods to choose between within the Greater Vancouver Area. The first decision will be whether you want to stay in Vancouver or Whistler. If you happen to be attending Olympic events in Whistler only, your best bet is to try to find a place in Whistler. Whistler is approximately a 1.5 2 hour drive from Vancouver on an average day. During the Olympics, there is no way to predict how much longer the trip will take. It could easily become a 2.5 3 hour drive in bad traffic and snowy conditions. If you are attending events mostly in Vancouver, there are many wonderful parts of the city to consider. Downtown, including trendy areas like Yaletown and Coal Harbour, is an obvious first choice. That is where all the action will be and where you are minutes to a variety of restaurants and shopping. Beware of downtown street lock downs during certain hours, which will force you to take public transportation. You can escape the hectic downtown neighbourhoods and still be close to Olympic events. There are many nice communities across the bridge, just south of downtown, which offer their own unique lifestyle. Some of these include Kitsilano, Granville Island, Point Grey and Shaugnessy. Many of these locations are near parks and have wonderful views of the mountains.
Pricing
Regardless of where you stay, you will likely be paying a premium due to the Olympics. Expect to pay between $300 $800 per night for standard hotels. The longer your stay, the lower the price should be. With Corporate Housing, Vacation Rentals and Apartment Hotels, weekly rates are likely to be between $2000 $5000 depending on the size and quality of the accommodations. Monthly stays will run between $4000 $15000. The earlier you book will help keep the costs down. It does not hurt to try negotiating. You will likely have more success getting the price down with Corporate Housing providers and Vacation Rental owners.
Whichever housing option you decide on, make sure to reserve your accommodations before you arrive in Vancouver. Attending the Olympic Games is often a once in a lifetime opportunity and you do not want your trip interrupted because you find yourself without a place to stay.
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