Don't judge the book by it's cover.... It is what it is.. Location, good staff, and clean.

Great location! Steps to beach, Seawall, all kinds of amazing food whether you want take out or fine dining! Hotel itself was clean, nicely appointed and helpful, friendly staff.

We were grateful that the staff let us switch hotels after one night. The rooms were nicely decorated but they should have thicker windows, i didn't think single pane still existed in buildings, especially hotels. We were on the street side and it was so loud, the a/c was an old window unit, we might as well have slept outside it was that loud until about 1:40am.

3 stars because the hotel staff were very friendly, parking was easy, good price for value, however the room wasn’t quite spick and span. The surfaces were alright, but the floor was filthy, as well as the window/curtain area. The microwave wasn’t at all cleaned on the inside, and smelled strange. I also woke up feeling a little under the weather as I am allergic to dust and I couldn’t breathe nor stop sneezing due to the dust in the room. Overall decent place to stay, but housekeeping could At least try. I would stay again just to see if this is still the case.

We've been spending the New Year's holiday at the Sands for several years. It's a great place: excellent lounge/restaurant and desk staff. Very pleasant and professional. It has become our "home away from home". I really don't understand the negative reviews here. We travel quite a lot; this is one of our very favorite spots. Thanks for making our stay so great!

We stayed here after a cruise. It was a short and inexpensive ride ($10 CAD) from the ship to the hotel. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They stored our luggage before and after our stay, gave us a map and some tips. The room was spacious and comfortable. The bed was great!
The internet was unavailable for a time in the evening. The location was the best. Very close to lots of dining, bike rental and bus stop across the street. The beach is at the end of the road. We would book this again.

Despite being a bit dated, the rooms were clean and well-appointed. The location just steps off English Bay beach is absolutely fantastic. Thanks for a great stay!

Great location in Vancouver. Easy to get to public transit and English Beach. Stanley Park is within walking distance. Restaurant located in hotel had good food at reasonable prices. We would definitely stay there again.

Had a broken shower. Elevator is very old. It stops at random floors and you don't know where you're at until you're there. There is no exhaust in the bathroom so moisture gets trapped.

Edit:They did come and fix the water, but it would fluctuate between warm and cold/hot. I would add the shower head is not detachable, a convenience that I'm quite used to. Overall the stay wasn't bad. Just complaints about the shower and mystery elevator mostly. so bumping a star up.

I attended this Best Western Plus Sands Hotel location as part of a conference put together by a local Chapter. Their choice of facility exceeded the expectations of every participant I spoke to. The location is extremely well placed, as it provided easy walking access to many interesting sites within the West End. The hotel was only short walk away from enjoying the relaxing settings within Stanley Park, and the lively beaches in the vicinity. The overall hotel amenities and rooms, their friendly and helpful staff, along the cleanliness of the hotel were excellent. Definitely recommend this Best Western Plus Sands Hotel location for anyone wanting to enjoy the local area while travelling to or through the Vancouver.

Location is the best. Stayed 2 nights and found the rooms clean, beds very comfortable with a variety of pillows to choose from. Staff was friendly and offered their assistance all the time. If I had to give a complaint it would be that the printer to the computer for printing my boarding pass did not work and the staff could not fix it. So they had me email my boarding passes to them and then they printed them off. The next time I go to Vancouver I will be booking a room with this hotel

The 4 days we stayed here was amazing, made even more so with the helpfulness of the staff. The location is wonderful being a short walk to the beach, and short taxi rides to downtown, or a little longer walk. We would highly recommend this hotel.

This is a failrly mid range hotel located within walking distance of English Bay and Stanley Park. Lots to do in this busy area. This hotel does not have a pool or hot tub and the bathrooms are small. There is some traffic noise from Davie St. If you are out and about all day like we are the hotel is great for location. The bed is comfortable, the rooms clean and there us a restaurant and bar on site.

Good hotel, good sized room and decent bathroom with good shower pressure. The room had everything I needed including a fridge and microwave. The room and bathroom were clean and the bed was comfy. Needs a bit of tlc to update the bathroom but that didn't impact negatively on my stay. Good location at English Bay and at the edge of Stanley Park. Places to eat nearby and bus stop just outside. Would definitely stay here again.

Hotel was very clean and the staff were great. The lounge area was busy with music on Friday night and the staff were very attentive and friendly. The room we stayed in had two queen beds and there was still plenty of room. We had a fridge and microwave plus a coffee maker.
The only thing that we could see that needed updating was the bathroom as it had no ventilation so when you had a shower the steam stayed in the bathroom. Everything else in the bathroom was good. The chamber-maid was very friendly and always said good morning to us even if she was way down the hallway from us. Overall I would stay there again and reccomend this to others.

Really appreciate the pet friendly policy here - that was a big reason for us choosing this hotel. Our room was immaculate. Great location next to the beach and you can walk into Stanley Park. Huge choice for casual eating nearby too.

Great location, comfortable bed and clean room. Nice staff. It was an overall great place to stay for checking out Vancouver. Only problem was the elevators need to be updated as they are slow and one broke down.

Great hotel with excellent views of English Bay and very close to all amenities. Excellent staff! Room was very comfortable but hotel is showing some of it's age. Lots of construction in the immediate area, but room was very quiet. Highly recommend and would definitely stay here again!

Great location. Close to walking distance of shops, restaurants and Stanley Park. 6min drop be to the waterfront. The rooms were comfy. Had complaint about my bathroom door was loose so couldn't close properly. Also the A/C - Heater both worked off and on. On site restaurant if you want a quick bite. Also has on site parking.

Hotel was very clean and the staff were great. The lounge area was busy with music on Friday night and the staff were very attentive and friendly. The room we stayed in had to queen beds and there was still plenty of room. We had a fridge and microwave plus a coffee maker.
The only thing that we could see that needed updating was the bathroom as it had not ventilation so when you had a shower the steam stayed in the bathroom. Everything else in the bathroom was good. The chamber-maid was very friendly and always said good morning to us even if she was way down the hallway from us. Overall I would stay there again and reccomend this to others.

Great location. Close to walking distance of shops, restaurants and Stanley Park. 6min drop be to the waterfront. The rooms were comfy. Had complaint about my bathroom door and heater/account combo. They both worked off and on. On site restaurant if you want a quick bite. Also has on site parking.

Staff are very friendly and helpful. Room was clean and up to date!! Only slight problem the upstairs Bayside lounge. It's such a nice place with a great view but only had one staff member till 3pm. He was really great but could only do so much on his own!!
Overall it's a nice place to stay

My husband and I were in Vancouver, BC, Canada to visit our daughter over Christmas. The hotel is located just up the street from English Bay, which we could see from our room. It has a lovely Lounge/Restaurant as well as a Sports Bar/Restaurant. The food was excellent. We had several full meals there, including our Christmas Eve meal with our daughter. Security was sound, which was important because of the hotel's location in metro Vancouver. It was within walking distance of the shore of the Bay and many shops where we found Christmas gifts. The hotel is dog-friendly so we were able to bring our dog along with us. All in all, the hotel was perfect for us - good location, fair price, wonderful Restaurant & Bar facilities. We will plan to stay there again on our next trip to Vancouver.

The Best Western Sands Hotel is a great location. You can walk to several restaurants and bars and also general shopping. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. Rooms are very good, comfy bed and very clean. Thoroughly enjoyed my stay

This was my second stay at the hotel and I enjoyed it just as much as the last time. I love the location close to English Bay. The room is very comfortable and clean with abundant plugs for charging phones, tablets, and laptops! (not all hotels have these & it makes a big difference) The wifi worked perfectly. The staff was fabulous; I asked about how to use the bus system and got great advice on which buses to take to our destinations, what kind of fares were available and where to purchase passes. This info made a HUGE difference in our stay! We didn't have worry about driving & parking in a new city. The staff also gave us great info on new and used book stores; we enjoyed visiting both thanks to the info. I hope to visit Vancouver again; if I do, I'll certainly stay at Best Western Sands.

Clean facility. Courteous and professional staff. Room was spacious and nicely laid out. A couple blocks to beach. Would definitely stay again!

Nicely located near English Bay and close to many amenities. The rooms were nice and clean. The staff were quite pleasant and efficient.

Location is good and is easy to find. Parking is quite cramped and in my opinion expensive. Room to room sound proofing is poor as well as lots of hallway noise. Restaurant is not really a restaurant but is a bar. OK for breakfast but very noisy for dinner. however there are lots of good restaurants nearby. Overall not a bad place but not my 1st choice in the future.

Views of the mountain and English Bay are incredible! Couldn't ask for a better location near the water! Rooms are decently sized and the staff are super helpful. That being said, there was construction work going on and so it was a bit smelly/noisy in the hall. Would stay again.

A girlfriend and I wanted to have a “girl’s night out” in Vancouver and booked a hotel online, only to show up to the hotel in a super sketchy area, cracked windows, etc. We did not feel safe at all. We had to make last minute rearrangements to find somewhere else to stay. We called The Best Western and they listened to our story and concerns, accomodated our needs, held a room for us while we were getting money back from the previous hotel, gave us way more than we expected, provided excellent customer service, and most importantly made us feel safe and welcome. The room was very nice and this hotel is close to all sorts of amenities. Highly recommended. Thanks to Eddy, Paulette and Franny in particular for making our experience so great!

Place was awesome. Close to everything, pet friendly, great location and had parking.

Only reason I gave 4 starts and not 5 is cause you have to pay extra for parking.

Great place to stay. Close to the beach and the walk to Stanley Park. Restaurants and take away food places around the corner. Bus to cbd stops outside the door. Room was comfortable and clean. Sports bar downstairs had great food and drinks. All staff friendly and helpful.

3.5 Stars -- The property is located in an excellent location in the West End across from English Bay. Incredibly diverse neighborhood with just about any kind of eatery.If you're a walker, Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, Robson, Yaletown and Downtown are all within walking distance. I walked to and from events at BC Place and Rogers Arena.

The hotel shows its age in the common areas. The rooms are comfortable, quiet and well appointed.

This was my first stay and will certainly return.

Nice hotel but bathrooms are in dire need of repairs/updating (mold in the shower, fans don't work and taps leak after taking a shower). And don't eat the hash browns if you order from the restaurant. Otherwise, nice hotel in a great location. The rooms themselves are beautiful and look like they've been recently redecorated with new furniture and everything. I look forward to staying here again in the future if they renovate their bathrooms, otherwise we'll probably stay somewhere else.

Lovely room, well equipped, clean bathroom. Some nice touches like dressing gowns & slippers in the room, much appreciated. The attached restaurant, The Park, had good craft ales, friendly staff & very good food. Only slight downside was the cost, we didn't seem to have $100 more of facilities compared to other hotels we've been in this holiday.

Great place to stay! Large clean room. Right on English Bay and Stanley Park. Mobi bikes on the corner, the number 5 bus to downtown just outside. The Pub downstairs had great food and a wide variety of ales on tap. We had a fantastic stay, highly recommend it.

The ground level sign was hidden behind a shrub so thank goodness for GPS. Our toilet was clogged and didn't get fixed until the next day. Electrical power went off every day for a few minutes between 5 A.M. and 7 A.M. for several days because of construction in the area. This would have been a minor inconvenience for most people but when my CPAP machine turns off I wake up choking and gasping.

On the other hand, the hotel staff were very friendly and the location (within a short walk to the beach, bike rentals, and quaint shops) was excellent. The hotel also gave us two complimentary breakfasts to compensate us for the broken toilet.

Bottom line, I would happily stay there again, especially now that I could find it without a sign.

Fine hotel with all the comforts. Location was both good and not so good. Good for proximity to English Bay, beachside walkway, abundant shopping and restaurants, public transportation. But the street noise, across the street, sometimes until the wee hours, was loud, especially during summer tourist season. Apparently there's no control over loud outdoor partying in the city. Even heard it from upper floor with glass door closed. The tall buildings make for conduction and reverberation of sound.

Great location for a family stay in Vancouver close to the beach and Stanley Park. We booked two rooms (we are a family of 5), one twin at the front of the hotel and a king room at the rear. Rooms are as you would expect with a 3*; clean, comfy beds, fridge, microwave, decent TV etc. Only single pane glass however so given the location the room facing the beach was a bit noisy, the king room at the rear was much quieter. The staff on reception were exceptionally helpful guiding us on where to go and places to stop off for a quick bite to eat. Would thoroughly recommend this hotel as a base to stay when coming to experience what Vancouver has to offer. Bit pricey for a 3* but given its location it suited us all very well.

The location of this hotel is excellent - near beaches, many good pubs, and restaurants. My room was spacious and clean. Internet provided easily. Check in and check out was efficient, courteous, and pleasant. I would return again. A bit expensive but the convenience of location and the offerings of surrounding area offset that.

Great location- Bus stop into town center. Many Restaurants nearby.'Beach and miles of beach walk just one block from hotel. Noisy from road but too many advantages to care. Very small bathroom but rest of room adequate.
We have been coming to this hotel for years, so its not new, or for that mater not fancy but so worth the stay for all the fun things nearby.

Location was awesome. Was able to get to the main attractions with ease. Rooms were very nice and the staff were awesome. Special shout out to the front desk clerk, Frank. He was extremely helpful and went above and beyond helping us find our way around. Highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Vancouver.

Perfect location for a first time visit to Vancouver. Just steps away from English Bay Beach and the Stanley Park Seawall. Walkable to all local attractions in the city. Will definitely stay here again. Rooms were clean and comfortable and the staff were all great.

great rooms! the staff members were professional and knowledgeable of the surrounding area. they were helpful and were willing to take the time to make good recommendations. the rooms were clean and well maintained. the lobby and the common areas were also well maintained.

Equipe excelente! Super atenciosos e simpáticos. Localização fenomenal!”

- Equipe excelente! Super atenciosos e simpáticos. - Localização fenomenal para quem quer tranquilidade e fugir do movimento de downtown. A poucos metros da English Bay e Stanley Park. Ponto de ônibus na porta do hotel (linha 5, para quem vai para downtown pela Robson St, e do outro lado da rua tem outro ponto onde peguei a linha 6, para a downtown também). - Caso algum dia vc não queira serviço de limpeza no quarto, informe à recepção e eles te dão um voucher de $10 para usar no bar ao lado do hotel. Achei muito legal!

- Depósito de $250 como garantia da estadia. Devolveram no check out.

Very central location if you are wanting to walk along the beach or go to many different restaurants. Rooms were nice and restaurant in the hotel had a good breakfast special. Overall a very pleasant experience. We will plan to visit again sometime.

The hotel is very central located, you can walk across the street to the sea wall at Stanley Park. No need to pay expensive parking fee inside the park. The room is spacious, clean, functional, a little dated, but overall I enjoy my stay at Best Western Sands Hotel. Always my first choice every time I visit Vancouver, BC. The front desk is helpful and offer all the information you may need, say hello to Miguel, Andy, and Christina. They're the best employees at the hotel, cheerful and helpful each time I stay at the hotel. Please note there is NO breakfast offers and the parking is extra, but it worth the parking fee, since the parking space(s) in Westend are is very difficult to find. Highly recommended.

Excellent hotel. All of the staff extremely friendly and helpful. This is our second visit, and we will always stay here. Dog friendly (on certain floors only) with clean dog rooms. Sometimes when we stay in a pet friendly room it's dirty, but not here!

Affordable pricing, we highly recommend staying here, and close to the water and everything else.

Thanks for the great hospitality staff!

Charlene & Graham

Hotel is older but still nicely decorated, room was well appointed but the bathroom was rather compact. Parking can be pricey, but it is Vancouver! There is a Tim Hortons directly across the street for quick starts to your morning also city transit is at their doorstep! Great view of English Bay and only steps away from First beach and all that Stanley Park has to offer.

Close to Stanley Park with views of the ocean. Tim Hortons across the street and Starbucks on the corner. Lots of restaurants nearby. Location is great. Rooms are not sound proof by any means. Noise from traffic and Hallways may be annoying, if you're a lite sleeper. Pets are welcome, $14 extra a night. Room was less than $100 a night. Would definitely recommend.

Wonderful stay, Excellent location, very friendly staff and very comfy room. Price was good. Very short walk to the beach. Walking distance of many shops and restaurants. Our room was super clean. Had 2 dbl beds, microwave, mini fridge and a beautiful view of English Bay. The hotel has a great little gym with all the weights/treadmills you need with a great sauna also. We were very comfortable there. Very central location and Starbucks is on the corner. Loved our stay!!!! Would definitely stay there again!!

Got the room with airmiles. We.are very happy with room service here. The food was great. The room is very nice. Comfy beds. Fridge and microwave oven is handy. The location is beautiful !!!

Staff was excellent. Rooms were comfortable and very clean. We stayed in one of their queen with sofa bed rooms. Good space for kids to play with the sofa bed away. Ample space for a play pen with sofa bed out. Attached restaurant had good affordable breakfast. Awesome location.

It's an older hotel in a "getting gentrified" trendy district. There's some new renovation on the hotel: wall art, wallpaper, linens, bathroom counter. The lobby is nice and the attached restaurant is decent. No breakfast is included which is typical of many downtown hotels. The best part though is the location! It's right next to the beach at English Bay and there's amazing cheap ethnic food and coffee shops in every direction. You're also within a block or so of Stanley Park so you can head right out the door and start a run or ride. Most of the rooms also have at least a partial view of the bay.

Always love coming here because there's never a dull moment. Great drink and food specials. The staff are wonderful and super friendly. And the view out the rounded windows to English Bay? Absolutely marvellous!

Great hotel and wonderful location. Lots of shops and great restaurants all within walking distance. English Bay and the seawall are steps away and having always stayed at the Sylvia, we would choose this hotel again. I was not very impressed by the breakfast we had. That said, the coffee was fantastic!

On arrival we found the hotel easily with access to parking straight off the main street next to entrance. The staff was very polite and welcoming. They booked us In promptly and helped us find out friends who were also staying there. Room was clean and the hotel is perfectly located for a walk to stretch your legs after a long flight. Great views. We had breakfast and again the staff were great even at 7am helpful and bright...unlike us jet lagged! The food was wonderful too. I would definitely stay here again and recommend the hotel for its serice, staff and location.

I love this hotel! It is reasonable in price, clean and tidy. And in a nice area. But your biggest asset is your staff! They are welcoming and helpful - and I enjoy the way they work together. Seems a great place to work as well as a nice place to stay.

We enjoyed our stay. Staff is very helpful. Close to everything you want to do. Both restaurants in the hotel are very good and everything else is in walking distance. We'll be back.

The staff are all very kind. The location is very close to the water and to many shops and restaurants. There's a very good restaurant on the bottom floor of the hotel with a good selection of food and drink. There is a bar inside and just down a walkway from said restaurant. Depending on the room you get there's a good view of the water or supposedly the mountains depending on the which side of the hotel you're on.
The room is also clean and well supplied, the front desk has a few extra items for guests if you need them, E.G. toothbrushs and paste, shower essentials, etc
Overall, the hotel is very good for overnight stays, or longer.

Clean and spacious room. Helpful and friendly staff. They even had a microwave for us to borrow. Decor appears a bit dated though. The location is perfect and there is even a Tim Hortons at the opposite side of the street.

Awesome location with an awesome view to English Bay Beach. The room was comfortable although the heater wasn't working properly. Staff was very welcoming.

Staff were very very nice, room was spacy and comfortable. It's very well located, which is probably its biggest plus.
Price was convenient too.

Will definitely try this one again if we go back. And we plan to! Vancouver is fantastic.

Bathroom felt like a closet with a very low ceiling and no working vent. Place is need of a renovation, at least our room was. Didn't provide toothbrushes. Add an extra $17.49 for parking per day.

On the good side though, the beds were comfortable and the price was fair considering it's downtown Vancouver

Location right down town so that's terrific. The suit was slightly smaller than expected but is furnished with all the premium fernature and appliances for the kitchen. Hotel service was great and the view from the room was good. In all definitely a recommended hotel for downtown Vancouver.

Good location, just opposite the Sunset beach with lots of Restaurants and food outlet within walking distance.
Room is ok, looks dated. The washroom is on the small side, just enough room for only 1 person at a time.
Provisions in the room are on the basic side.
The in-house restaurant is ok, breakfast was great.
Majority of staff were good and welcoming.
Free Wifi is also available, no connection issues.
Parking is available but the fee is high but there are no better options around.

The hotel has a very good location, and the people are friendly. The Rooms are Oké, they are a bit outdated but well maintained. All in All a good hotel!

Great downtown location. Rooms were clean and had all the amenities that you would want. Very close to a beach for kids to walk along and swim in. Great pub downstairs. Only wish was they had a pool as well.

Pros: Staff was fabulous, personable, and incredibly helpful every time I saw them. Hotel location is hard to beat- right on the beach and near local produce shops/every type of restaurant you can think of. Also they recycle any compost which is a welcome change.

Adequate:
Room size, bathroom size, wifi service, TV selection.

Cons:
Power outlets aren't close to the bed, thermostat didn't seem to change anything (could be a room problem, could be a hotel problem), old elevators.

Nice accommodations, comfortable bed with a decent view. Very nice hotel staff and got the room at an affordable rate. Downside was no vent in the bathroom to help hide the toilet stank.

Location, location, location! loved it. Walk just about where ever you want to go. Room was clean, cozy and comfortable. Would definitely be back!

I enjoyed this hotel. The beds were the softest beds I slept on in Vancouver, and that includes a stay at a four-star hotel! One downside - check-in isn't until 4, and staff seem to follow that rule strictly. But rooms were clean and the lobby was nice. Oh also - the elevator shakes. You'll understand when you get there.

The staff are very friendly here from the front desk staff to room service. The Park , the restaurant attached to the hotel is an excellent value for the amount of food you get and the food tastes totally awesome. I highly recommend Seafood Carbonara for dinner or lunch and one of their signature Benny's for breakfast. By far the nicest Best Western Hotel I'll been to and I would recommend this place to all my friends and family too.