Robert Paterson's Weblog

Good Hotels when you pay the bill - Times Square Suites in Vancouver

I was in Vancouver last week and stayed at Times Square Suites.

It was one of those stays where everything looked nice on the web but turned out to be even better in reality.

Times Square is at the far end of Robson, near Stanley Park. It is surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants. Try the Tapas restaurant, called Tapastrie, under the building. It is excellent. My room was the smallest in the hotel, the one bedroom studio. It is 3 times larger than a regular hotel room.

TS is designed for the long stay visitor and has a well appointed kitchen. The larger suites are huge. It is a low rise building where the office is on the 3rd floor - not your usual hotel. More an apartment with staff. Not your Holiday Inn.

Stanley Park is a 5 minute walk as is the harbour an the old Bayshore Inn. TS is a doddle to find from the airport - I rented a car. Vancouver on a grid makes it easy for the visitor. It is easy for both downtown - just up the road and for North Vancouver - you just nip across the Lion's Gate Bridge.

The price is excellent value - not cheap but good value. The staff are exceptionally friendly and the office is manned at all times.

Good Hotels when you pay the bill - Regent in Paris

We stayed at the Hotel Regent on Rue Dauphine in Saint Germain de Pres when we were in Paris last month.

This is a sweet and stylish boutique hotel in the middle of a very lively - not noisy but alive - part of Paris. On the Metro and easy to reach off the Auto Route from CDG. Rue Dauphine is the continuation of Pont Neuf on the left bank. Parking is just around the corner.

The rooms are smart but small - try the top floor where you look out at the classic Paris Skyline. James was in 602 - like a movie set!

The staff all speak better English than I do as do all the young in Paris these days. Mases of restaurants, cafe's and  food shops all in walking distance. Le Procope, a historic cafe is just around the block.