Historic Downtown Vancouver

Posted on February 6 2013

The Downtown Eastside is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver and is home to many historical locations such as Chinatown, Gastown and Oppenheimer Park (formerly Japantown). The Patricia Cafe & Patricia Hotel became a part of the history in downtown Vancouver starting in 1914 which, is the same year our former hockey team “The Vancouver Millionaires” started the season that won them the glorious Stanley cup. Downtown Vancouver is known as a primary tourist spot full of life and it’s not hard to see why. With all of the tourism shops, foreign foods, and fantastic communities it’s no wonder Vancouver is considered one of the top travel locations in the world.

 

The streets in the Downtown Eastside are full of history but there is also a lot of great history packed in the West End of Vancouver (Western Downtown). Just like all of Vancouver the West End was originally nothing more than forested wild. In 1862 the land was purchased by just three men known as the “Three Greenhorns” owing to the belief that these men paid too much for the remote land. Their original intent to mine for porcelain clays was scrapped when they discovered the grade of clay was not of a fine enough grade to produce porcelain. They eventually sold off a large portion of the land and later, with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway was used to establish The West End as Vancouver’s first upscale neighborhood. So if you’re interested in diving into the history of Downtown Vancouver there’s no better place to stay for a great price than the Patricia Hotel.

Vancouver on a budget – Enjoy your vacation without spending a fortune

Posted on November 7 2012

It’s true… with proper planning you can have a great vacation in Vancouver on a limited budget. Here’s how:

Reserve a hotel with the right location, because that’s going to make or break your stay. Ideally you want to find a clean and comfortable low-budget hotel near downtown Vancouver. The Patricia Hotel comes to mind : ) .

Now that you’ve established a strategically located base of operations, you’re ready to enjoy all the beauty and enchantment that Vancouver and the surrounding areas has to offer. Let’s start with the free stuff:

Since (hypothetically) you are staying at the Patricia Hotel, begin your odyssey by exploring Gastown. Established in 1867, Gastown ultimately became Canada’s third-largest city. Yes, you guessed it… Vancouver. Make sure to check out the steam clock.

Now put on your most comfortable walking shoes and head west along the waterfront from Canada Place to the Stanley Park seawall. At 22 km (13.7 miles), the paved walkway around the circumference of this thousand acre park will help stimulate your appetite. And that’s perfect timing, because once you’re out of the park you’ll find yourself at English Bay and Denman Street. Denman is home to a wide variety of tasty eateries, such as the Park at English Bay, (1755 Davie Street, just east of Denman) where you can experience top-shelf food and a wide selection of craft beers without breaking the bank.

Now that you’ve had lunch, take a leisurely stroll eastward along English Bay and take in the sights and sounds as you walk along the beach towards the Burrard Street bridge. See the Vancouver Aquatic Centre? There is a miniature ferry dock on Sunset Beach right behind it. That’s where you hop on the mini ferry which goes to Granville Island. The island offers free outdoor entertainment and lots of one-of-a-kind shopping (or window shopping) experiences due to its unique stores.

Take the mini ferry back to downtown, hop on a bus and you’re back to your home base, the Patricia Hotel. If your feet still have mileage left, you can wander through Chinatown just steps away from your conveniently located, affordable Vancouver hotel.

You must be hungry by now. Or perhaps you’ve worked up a thirst for a pint of all natural preservative free beer. If so, look no further than Pat’s Pub, located right in the Patricia Hotel. By the way, that preservative free beer is called “Pat’s Classic Lager” and it’s micro-brewed right on site. And since you have an appetite to appease, try Pat’s famous handmade monster burger or their specialty-smoked brisket and pulled pork sandwiches prepared on a charcoal BBQ… Yum!

With all that walking and fresh air you might just want to hang at Pat’s Pub and take in some live entertainment (unless there’s a major sporting event going on, in which case the TVs will be up and running).

There’s plenty of free and affordable places to go in and around Vancouver. Consider climbing up Grouse Mountain, hiking Lynn Canyon, taking the bus up to Whistler or getting an affordable rental car and heading out to Harrison Hot Springs. With a little planning ahead of time (which includes reserving an affordable downtown hotel before all the rooms are gone), you can enjoy a fantastic Vancouver vacation experience that doesn’t have to break the bank.

Tourism Vancouver Video

Posted on March 2 2012

Tourism Vancouver has put together a new video that not only promotes our fabulous city but showcases the talent of some home grown talent. Singing their original song, “It’s You… Vancouver“, the duo, Watasun (comprised of percussionist Reid Hendry and singer/songwriter Adam Bailie) are featured all over Vancouver at famous attractions such as the Stanley Park seawall, the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Check out the video here and check out Watasun later this month at the Media Club.

Halloween’s gone for another year..

Posted on November 7 2011

The Patricia Hotel has once again taken down the Halloween decorations that have adorned our lobby and entertained the neighbourhood children these past few weeks. With only 48 shopping days remaining before Christmas, the realistic skeleton that has been hanging in the window will soon be replaced by an equally impressive Santa Claus who will stand in the window and keep a watchful eye on all who visit.