Things to do in Vancouver

Dog Friendly Vancouver

August 8, 2016 by Chateau Granville Leave a Comment

Travelling to Vancouver and have a dog make sure you bring them to dog friendly Vancouver!

Read our blog and see what makes Vancouver so dog friendly.

Dog Parks

There is a number of dog friendly parks dotted around Vancouver. We are fortunate enough to have a number of parks located within close proximity to our hotel. The nearest off leash dog parks to us are Nelson park and Emery Barnes park. To discover other dog parks click here or should you be staying with us, ask the front desk or our concierge who will be more than happy to send you in the right direction!

Dog Beaches

Do you and your dog fancy taking a dip, Vancouver has plenty of off leash dog beaches where they can run around freely. Kitsilano and Sunset beach in the West End both have dog friendly beaches.

Dog Friendly Hotels

Many Vancouver hotels are dog-friendly and welcome your pets with open arms. Should you and your pet wish to stay with us we will have a welcome pack on their arrival!

Attractions

We are very fortunate that many of the attractions in and around Vancouver are pet-friendly. Some of Vancouver’s pet friendly attractions include Granville Island, AquaBus, and Capilano Suspension bridge.

Dog Friendly Vancouver — Capilano Suspension Bridge

Hikes

Maybe you and your dog are of the energetic type and are looking to hike some of Vancouver’s spectacular hiking trails. You can view the list of dog friendly hiking trails here and see which one appeals to your fitness level.

Dog Friendly Patios

More interested in wandering around our city and relaxing on one of the many dog friendly patios. View this link to see what bars, restaurants and coffee shops are pet friendly.

Shopping

Many of the downtown clothes shops allow you to bring dogs in to the store, such as Nordstorm. Not shopping for yourself there is plenty of dog boutiques that you can visit when staying here and kit your dog out with a new wardrobe!

Animal Hospital

In the event that your pet needs to receive medical attention the animal hospital is close by.

Should you be staying in our hotel with your dog feel free to share a picture of your dog on our Facebook page!

Kids Activities in Vancouver

June 13, 2016 by Chateau Granville Leave a Comment

Looking for some fun kids activities in Vancouver, read our suggestions.

Vancouver is a destination for all the family and kids of all ages! No matter what the weather is like our city has plenty to keep your family entertained.

Here are some suggestions on kids activities in Vancouver that you can do on your next trip!

Vancouver Aquarium

The Vancouver aquarium is such a fun place to spend the day with kids of all ages. There is so much to do between learning about the different marine wildlife and even getting to touch many different animals in the Discover Rays touch pool. They have an array of shows on during the day, such as Belugas and Porpoises show, Dolphins show, story time, trainer talks and more!

Kids Activities in Vancouver — Vancouver Aquarium – Sea Otters

Science World

Open your kids mind to the world of science. Science World has it’s own dedicated kidspace area! There is a number of things your kids can do from shoot water targets and run on the energy wheel, play with puzzles, watch a science show or go outside and exlpore the science park. These are just some of the many activities that they can partake in.

Beaches/Outdoor Pools

There is so many beaches and outdoor pools dotted around Vancouver many of which are within walking distance of the city centre or can be reached by public transport. The closet to our hotel is Sunset beach which is located close to the West End and downtown Vancouver. Other beaches are located in both the West End and Kitsilano beach. The outdoor salt water pool at Kitsilano is the longest swimming pool in Canada.

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a great place for kids to run around and burn off all that energy and the perfect spot for picnics. There is many walking and cycling routes in the park and along the seawall. The park has a number of different walking trails. There is a number of playgrounds for the kids to play in, giving you the opportunity to sit back and relax.

Granville Islands Kids Market

The kids market is located near the entrance to Granville Island and has over 25 shops, services and activities for children and their families. Once you have visited the kids market there is plenty of places on Granville Island to stop and have a bite to eat.

Should you be looking for a downtown hotel for you and your family to stay in, our One bedroom suite with Two double beds is the ideal space for your family. Have you and your family stayed in Vancouver, if so what was your kids favorite activities?

Fun Activities in Vancouver for February 8th

February 5, 2016 by Chateau Granville Leave a Comment

February 8^th marks both Family Day in BC and the Chinese New Year, the year of the monkey.

If you are staying in Vancouver or visiting us this weekend you will be spoilt for choice. There is so many fun activities in Vancouver for February 8^th for you and your family to partake in.

VanDusen Botanical Garden

Plan a visit to the VanDusen Botanical Gardens on Family Day, they are offering free admission to everyone on Monday, February 8^th from 10am to 4pm. The gardens offer 55 acres of outdoor fun and house over 7,000 different plants from around the world.

Fun Activities in Vancouver for February 8th — Photo Credit: Flickred – Flickr

Family Day – Skate with the Giants

Hang out with Vancouver Giants on Family day! The Giants will be playing Edmonton Oil Kings at 2pm. It promise’s to be a great day out with games and awesome prizes. After the game you will get an opportunity to skate with the Giants! Make sure to bring your own skates if you wish to join them on the ice! View their Facebook page for details.

BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

This weekend, February 6^th to February 8^th, BC Sports Hall are celebrating Family Day with their Red Mitten Weekend. Wear red mittens and youths (12 and under) will get in to BC Sports Hall for free! Be inspired by all the outstanding achievements in sports in BC and explore the accomplishments of individual athletes and teams.

If you wish to venture outside Vancouver Grouse Mountain and Sea to Sky Gondola are offering 50% off their ticket price!

Chinese New Year

Don’t forget the Year of the Monkey, Chinese New Year celebrations begin on February 8th, 2016, with the parade taking place on Sunday, February 14. The parade will be in Vancouver’s Chinatown and commences at 11am until 2pm.

We wish you and your families a fun filled Family Day and a Happy Chinese New Year from all of us at the BEST WESTERN PLUS Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conference Centre.

Dine Out Vancouver has arrived!

January 12, 2016 by BEST WESTERN PLUS Chateau Granville Leave a Comment

Spoil your Taste buds!

The 14^th year of Canada’s largest food & drink festival, Dine Out Vancouver has arrived!

Be prepared for a unique culinary experience as Vancouver’s top restaurants showcase their mouth-watering three course menus over the next 17 days, January 15th – January 31st 2016. Be a part of the Dine out Vancouver festival and make your reservation today!

About the Festival

Tourism Vancouver has hosted this annual festival since 2002, with the focus of showcasing Vancouver’s finest restaurants. Each restaurant has an opportunity to delight their customers with a three course set menu, offered at a fixed price, $20, $30 or $40. The festival has evolved since it first commenced and is now not only about sampling different restaurants but also hosts a number of food and drink events.You can participate in a number of unique events during the festival from Tea gastronomy experience, perfect pizza master class, craft beer and food pairing tours, just to name but a few of the many events you can partake in this year.

The Edge Social Grille & Lounge – Dine Out Menu 2016

We are delighted to be once again participating in this fantastic festival this year.

Tantalize your taste buds with our Dine Out Menu and commence your dining experience with one of our starters – Tortilla Española and Apples Salad Timbale potato and mushroom tortilla served with mix greens, caramelize apples, sweet red pepper puree (“V”)

Dine out Vancouver has Arrived — Tortilla Española

Next move on to Braised Short Rib topped with julienne of smoked pork belly marinated in Guinness, Dijon mashed potatoes, winter vegetables and au jus

Dine Put Vancouver has Arrived! — Braised Short Rib

Complete your meal with one of our desserts – Traditional Potted Cheesecake and you choose from a variety of flavours, raspberry, orange or Nutella!

Our West Coast inspired menu comprises of a delicious three course menu priced at $30 and is complimented with a BC VQA wine pairing. If you are looking for a delicious dining experience, visit the Edge Social Grille & Lounge and try our Dine out menu!

Make sure you don’t miss out, call us today, to book your table!

Should you sample one of the Dine Out menus, be sure to capture and share your Dine Out story with Dine Out Vancouver. Tag your photos on Twitter and Instagram with #MyDineOutStory for your chance to win a restaurant gift certificate from Dine Out Vancouver!

Take the Elevator Home

Don’t want your evening to end, take the elevator home and stay with us at the BEST WESTERN PLUS Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conference Centre! Enjoy our spacious luxurious suites overlooking the city lights of downtown Vancouver. It’s simply the perfect way to end such a memorable night!

We look forward to seeing you at Dine out 2016!

Bon Appétit!

Surviving Boxing Day in Vancouver

December 22, 2015 by Chateau Granville Leave a Comment

Boxing Day Shopping Survival Guide

Always hold her hand in the shopping mall! If you let go…she shops!!! 🙂

Are you planning on hitting the shops in downtown Vancouver on Boxing Day, Saturday 26, December? We have provided some tips to help with surviving Boxing Day in Vancouver.

The popular downtown shopping streets and department stores are guaranteed to be bustling with eager shoppers hoping to bag the bargain of the year! There is plenty to choose from, try Robson Street, Granville Street or the downtown department stores. Let’s not forget that there are plenty of malls just a few minutes drive from downtown. Read on to find out the hotspots to maximize your boxing day shopping this year!

Surviving Boxing Day in Vancouver — Photo Credit: Travis Nep Smith – Flickr

Robson Street

Robson Street is one of the popular shopping street, you will be spoilt for choice with the variety of shops on this street. The range of shops include Gap, Roots, Guess, Club Monaco, Tommy Hilfiger, and Banana Republic to name but a few. The BEST WESTERN PLUS Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conference Centre is just three blocks away so you can shop till you drop and head on over for a well deserved rest!

Granville Street

This street is aligned with a number of department stores such as Nordstorm, Pacific Centre, Winners and Hudson Bay. The department stores are always a great option to shop for everything under one roof!

Can’t face the craziness of downtown, you can always venture out to the large department stores located outside downtown.

Metropolis at Metrotown

Located in Burnaby, and is accessible by Sky Train roughly a 15 minutes ride from downtown Vancouver. Metropolis at metrotown holds nearly 400 stores and services, and is British Columbia’s largest shopping centre.

Park Royal

Park Royal is located in West Vancouver. It is the second largest shopping centre in Metro Vancouver and provides a unique shopping experience due to its indoor and open-air shopping combination.

Here a few shopping tips to help with surviving Boxing Day in Vancouver!

Make a list of items you wish to purchase and stick to your list.
Plan your shopping route.
Do up a budget and stick to your budget.
Bring cash if you are looking for a speedy transaction at the register.
Set your alarm early and hit the shops.
Bring a backpack, so you can keep your hands free to browse the sale rails!
Wear comfy shoes and clothing.
Eat a good breakfast, don’t feel like cooking, enjoy breakfast in our restaurant, the Edge Social Grille & Lounge we will be serving breakfast from 7 am.

Happy Shopping and we hope you bag a great bargain!