This retro 1950s motor hotel sits on a busy street in Vancouver’s downtown core, just steps from the financial district and bustling shopping areas of Robson and West Georgia streets. With its eye-catching neon sign and pastel paint, it stands out from the crowd.
After a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Burrard was lovingly restored to its original mid-'50s glory and reopened in July 2011 after a five-year closure. The vibe is mid-20th-century L.A. (think Melrose Place, but without the pool and the drama). All rooms are accessible from the central courtyard, which has a lush, junglelike tropical garden with plenty of space to lounge during summer months. The compact rooms come in three colors: turquoise, yellow, or gray, all with matching doors and headboards. All rooms have gleaming white bathrooms with mosaic-tiled floors. Amid the kitschy period detail, a pleasing raft of modern-day extras come included with each stay—free Wi-Fi, HDTV, free calls in North America, a Nespresso machine in each room, and bottled water.
