Come on down to the Night market and other attractions at Vancouver Chinatown.

May 16th, 2012

The Chinese have a long history with Canada and Vancouver especially around 1880 and 1920 where thousands of Chinese immigrants made their way to Canada, they were to settle in this area of the city, where it was commonly known as either Shanghai Alley or Cantonese Alley, much of the area was built around a 500 seat Theatre that was built by the Chinese in 1898, and from there the town grew and Flourished.

The town went into decline and disrepair during the 1980s, partly due to the Cantonese population moving elsewhere within the Vancouver metropolis, however, since 1986 and the Expo event the town became revitalised. Nowadays, the Town is undergoing some major changes, upgrading and economical boost, in part due to wealthier peoples from Asia and specifically Hong Kong, setting up business and real estate. This has created a boom in more modern upscale restaurants and homes within the neighbourhood.

What attractions you should see in Chinatown?
Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens
Chinese Cultural Centre Museam and Archives
China Gate
Chinese Night Market
The Chinese Night Market officially opens on May 17th. This has to be one of the highlights of the summer season in Vancouver, and definitely a must go see attraction. There are plenty of vibrant and colourful stalls with excellent food , and plenty of items such as clothing, crockery and jeweler for sale, all at a fantastic price too!!!

Chinatown can be easily reached via bus, foot or Cab, the Number 6 bus will take you very close to the area, or a Cab ride itself will cost around $15, if you are feeling energetic – walking there will take around 45 minutes from The Sunset Inn.

www.vancouver-chinatown.com

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We have the perfect gift for Mothers Day at The Calixica Spa

May 9th, 2012

Here are some great suggestions for Mothers day

We have a great package set up with Calixica Spa on Granville Island.
As a special treat for Mothers day, you can treat Mum to a wonderful stay at the Sunset Inn and include our great Spa Package deal as a perfect gift for this special day.
At the Calixica , the Sunset Rose Bliss Massage engages all the senses. Your mother will be greeted at the door and offered tea in the Secret Garden Lounge. The healing touch of the Calixica spa practitioners instils trust, candles and quiet music transform the space, and the rose oil melts away tension, renewing a sense of harmony and balance. Since rose oil is also an aphrodisiac, the stage is set for the rest of the evening. Your Mum will return to the Sunset Inn with all the accoutrements for a fantastic evening infused with Calixica’s organic and wild crafted scents and oils.

Sunset Inn Rose Bliss Spa Package includes:
One night in a Sunset Inn Executive Suite and Complimentary Parking
Rose Bliss Beyond Couples Massage – 90 minutes at Calixica Holistic Spa Boutique on Granville Island
Foot Reflexology
Calixica Treasure Vase filled with Rose Gemstone Massage Oil, Calixica Rose Essence Spray, Chakra Candle, Two Single Roses and ChocolaTas Rose Chocolates.
Package price starts at $458.00 plus taxes (based on double occupancy).
Calixica Holistic Spa Boutique on Granville Island

#109-1535 Johnston Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9
Telephone: 604.568.0086
Spa Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday: 10am ~ 7pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am ~ 6pm

http://calixica.com/

The location of the Spa is on Granville Island, and it is close to some very special restaurants in the area, notably, the fantastic Sandbar Restaurant and a relatively new spot Edible Canada. Both have great patios and some of the best food the city has to offer. What with the Spa package and great food, this will be a Mothers Day to remember for quite some time.

http://www.vancouverdine.com/sandbar

http://www.ediblecanada.com/

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Playland Amusement park is now open on the weekends!

May 2nd, 2012

Playland Amusement Park and Vancouver in the distance

Canada's oldest Amusement Park...Playland @ The PNE

Opened in 1958, The Wooden Rollercoaster is a recognizable feature of Playland

The Playland amusement park is now ready to open its doors for the 2012 season, at the moment the park will be open only on weekends. As the Summer season hits its peak, the park will be open during the weekdays as well.

The park is also home to the PNE and the Hastings Race Course – the Playland Amusement park itself is Canada’s oldest amusement park, it opened its doors to the public way back in the 1950s and still has the original wooden Rollercoaster in operation, which has been entertaining thrill seekers since 1958, there are also 2 other rollercoaster rides at Playland.

Playland like to shake things up a little, so every year, two of the amusement rides are replaced with something brand new, there are also festivals and events happening every year, with the climax of Playland and PNE joining forces at the end of August for a bigger festival for the public to enjoy.

If you decide to go there in the summer, please look out for any concerts that may be happening, the PNE generally has some fantastic line ups. You can easily make a whole day of it too, get yourselves there at early doors, have a mess around at the Playland Park, then you can go check out the Races at the nearby Hastings Racecourse, and then finish up the day with a good concert!!!!

Playland is also home to one of the best places to enjoy Halloween, they really know how to scare your wits with their crazy Haunted House and other spectacularly scary exhibitions!

To get to Playland is quite straightforward, situated on Hastings Street in East Vancouver close to the city of Burnaby, just follow Hastings Street Eastbound all the way.

If you like to explore some further funky areas, you can even stop off along the famous Commercial Drive district. Commonly known as ‘The Drive’ it has a similar atmosphere to our own Davie Village and Main St districts. You will be spoiled for choice for quirky shops, fantastic Bars, Cafes and Restaurants, please ask the front desk for details regarding this area, specifically Dave and Elvis who are both very familiar to this district and have both resided in the area.

http://www.pne.ca/

www.thedrive.ca

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The best 3 tour operators to see Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler right at your Doorstep.

April 25th, 2012

As the official start of the Tourist Summer season is right around
the corner, we will like to help you see the best of Vancouver,
Victoria and Whistler. We want to show you how you can maximize your
time at a an excellent cost that will not damage your budget, all of
this right from the doorstep of the Sunset Inn and Suites hotel.

There are 3 major tour operators in the area that we feel confident
will show you the best of Vancouver and the surrounding areas
including the North Shore Mountains, the Suspension Bridges and
further afield to Whistler and Victoria. All of this in just one
day!!!!

Not only should you spend time in Vancouver, but you must see the
wonderful capital of BC, Victoria. This tour – like Vancouver, gets you
around the city and also the world renowned Butchart Gardens. Then
there is Whistler, where you will head north along the stunning sea to
sky highway that takes you directly to Whistler and its alpine
village, along the way you will see spectacular water falls, looming
mountains, popular hiking trails and have time to peruse the village
at leisure.

For the City of Vancouver, try either Vancouver Living Earth Tours
(and Big Bus city tour – which we will explain a little further down),
where you will visit the most popular and famous sights all in just
over 4 hours. You can also do a “snapshot” tour of Vancouver in 2
hours with Landsea Tours, an ideal tour if you have time to kill in
between checking out and your next destination to St Elsewhere…..

For the sights of Victoria and the gloriously beautiful Butchart
Gardens, again, you can choose Landsea Tours. They will pick you up and drop you
off at the hotel, where you will get to see Victoria without having to
worry about the how to get from A to B as they will have the whole day
planned out for you. We try our best to discourage you from getting there by yourself, it takes roughly 4 hours to get to Victoria itself, and after trying to orientate yourself around Victoria, we feel through experience that may lose
out on the best sights, these tours are designed to do all the hard work for you so you don’t have, you ARE on holiday!

And finally, good old Big Bus, they offer a fantastic One Day or Two
Day city pass, where you can use their Hop on and Hop off tour at your pleasure> The
bonus of this is that the pick up stop is literally a 30 second walk
around the corner from the hotel, if you decide to take the tour all
at once it is roughly a couple of hours to get around the city.

We highly recommend that you use these tours which you can book with
us at the front desk, we will help with advice and make sure that this will
be the perfect trip to Vancouver and the surrounding area.

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

http://bigbus.ca/home/

http://www.livingearthtours.com

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April is the beginning of Whale watching season.

April 18th, 2012

As the spring season starts to warm up Vancouver, one thing that you will begin to notice is the breathtaking nature of the area coming alive before your eyes. It has been announced in the news that the first pods of Orca Whales (commonly known as Killer Whales) have been spotted swimming up through The Georgia Strait.

Whale watching season runs from April though to October each year, and if you do decide to venture out to the strait with a Whale Watching operator you may very well be lucky enough to be surrounded by a plentiful pod, as they migrate on their long journey north towards the Alaskan waters.

Not only are there Orca’s, the Strait also has other passing visitors such as Grey Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. In actual fact, last year, a lone grey whale decided that it wanted to come along and see what Vancouver is all about, the Whale decided to take a small trip through English Bay and take a look at False Creek much to the delight of onlookers lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, visitors along Granville Island and False Creek really were blessed with such a rare sight. The Whale decided to come back to False Creek a few days later, must have been tipped off that there were some above par buskers and yummy seafood on offer at Granville Island…and why not?

To see these Whales as they migrate up the Strait you need look no further than ‘Wild Whales Vancouver’ who are located on Granville Island. Wild Whales Vancouver have been operating since 2004, run by a former fisherman and Whaler, you will be in the capable hands of people who are passionate about Whales and really want you to experience the true wonder of these majestic mammals.

If you wish to book with Wild Whales, you can do this via their website at the bottom of this page….

Or better still, just simply book through us at The Sunset Inn front desk whilst you are staying with us at the hotel.

So go ahead, get adventurous and get your Whale on, you will not be disappointed.

Also check out the Orca Network, this is a fantastic site that has people writing in and letting us know what Whales and other sea mammals have been spotted throughout The Strait and the Gulf Islands of the US and Canada.

Visit the website here and keep up to date with the current migration of 2012.

www.whalesvancouver.com

www.orcanetwork.org

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Who wants to go and watch some Contemporary theatrical comedy?

April 11th, 2012

Do you fancy some Contemporary theater that is sure to leave you smiling from ear to ear? We know just the place and show for you to see.

The Sunset Inn is proud to accommodate the theatrical company Visible Fictions, the team will be staying with us in Vancouver whilst their production of Jason and the Argonauts will be playing at the Carousel Theater on Granville Island. Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, the Visible Fictions production team are touring the US and Canada and are getting some incredible reviews from The Times in the UK and The New York Times to name but a few.

http://www.carouseltheatre.ca/

http://www.visiblefictions.co.uk

Their show Jason and the Argonauts will be running until April 28th, this production is sure to bring you plenty of laughs and entertainment with this high energy and hugely physical performance.

Not only that we highly recommend that you make a day of it when you head down to the Island. So here are some suggestions…

Feeling hungry? Check out The Sandbar Restaurant, this is a very popular dining establishment with an extensive menu that encompasses a wide price range from regular pub food to higher end cuisine, whatever you fancy we are sure you will be satisfied.

Fancy some Wine? Go and grab a bottle at Liberty Wine Merchants and mention you are staying at the Sunset Inn, we have a customer number set up so you can receive a discount at this Wine Store, the staff there sure do know their wine and have extensive knowledge of their wide and varied selection of high end wines.

Need to unwind and reset, have some relaxing time at The Calixica Holistic Spa, check out our promotion on this webpage that we have set up with them.

http://calixica.com/

And finally, make sure you explore the Island, there are plenty of boutique shops and craft stores to peruse, as well as the very famous Granville Island Market, open daily between 9am and 7pm.

http://www.granvilleisland.com/

To get to Granville Island, we recommend taking the False Creek Ferries, its cute, quick and a moment where you can reach for the camara and snap some shots of False Creek and English Bay.

http://www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca/

We do hope that you make it to the show, it will not disappoint.

Clip from the Visible Fictions production of Jason and the Argonauts

Visible Fictions production of Jason and the Argonauts

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Happy Easter

April 3rd, 2012

Hello everybody, looking outside we feel confident that it is going to be a very pleasant Spring, and all in time for us to celebrate the Easter Season.

So Happy Easter to you all, we will like to put you in the right direction of events and places of worship if you are looking for somewhere to celebrate this very famous occasion on the Christian Calender. If you are just celebrating as you have some days off, we are sure we can find something for all the family to enjoy.

At the Sunset Inn, this time of year marks a major transition from Winter Season to Summer season, and it is now just a matter of weeks before the Cruise Ships start to move in and welcome the tourists from all over the globe, many of whom are getting ready for the big cruise north to Alaska. This means that the hotel and Vancouver will be getting very very busy and the city now has its lively summer hat on, we feel it is is going to be yet another busy and fun packed summer, so please keep up to date with the blog as we will keep you up to date on all that will be going on.

So as this is Easter Week, Vancouver has various events happening all around the city, here are some of the highlights that we feel you will enjoy!

Vancouver Easter Egg Hunts.

The Great A-Mazing Egg Hunt at VanDusen Botanical Garden
For all ages
Friday, April 6, 2012
10am – 12pm or 1pm – 3pm
Tickets: $6.50 for kids; $10.75 for adults. Tickets sell out fast. See site for details.

http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/vandusen/website/media/eggHunt.htm

Stanley Park Miniature Railway presents “Easter in the Park”
Train ride, Easter egg hunts and visits with the Easter bunny for all ages
Friday, April 6 – Monday, April 9, 2012
11am – 4pm
Tickets: $6.50 for kids 2 – 12; $3.50 for adults to ride the train

http://vancouver.ca/parks/par.htmks/stanley/fun

Easter at Grouse Mountain 2012
Easter brunch, Easter egg hunts and the Easter bunny for all ages
Sunday, April 8, 2012, Tickets: $15 for kids; $25 for youth; $42 for adults (includes general admission)

Places of Worship

Holy Rosary Cathedral, located at Richard and Dunsmuir Street, easily accessible by Cab or the Number 6 Bus.

hrc.rcav.org

St Andrews Wesley United Church, located at Nelson and Burrard St – a 10 to 15 minute walk away from the Sunset Inn.

www.standrewswesleychurch.bc.ca

As well as Easter, we will like to place a special mention that the month of April is Daffodil month, this is to raise awareness for the fight against Cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society will be campaigning all month for donations, which you will receive a daffodil pin in acknowledgment of your contribution. Friday April 27th is Daffodil day…for further information please go visit their website at the bottom of this page.

www.fightback.ca

So happy Easter to everyone, try not to eat too much chocolate!!!!

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Cherry Blossoms are Blooming!!!!

March 27th, 2012

Video of Vancouver Crows coming home to roost

Spring season has arrived, and like clockwork it is very visible throughout Vancouver.

One of the most telling signs that the Spring is here is by noticing the Cherry Blossom trees awakening all around the city, and what a beautiful site these trees are. Vancouver is blessed to have so many Cherry Blossoms throughout the city and it will be quite the display from now until May.

Between April and May, Vancouver will host the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival The festival is run by a non profit Society that celebrates the season with Arts, poetry and entertainment, it was set up in 2005 to celebrate and give thanks to the trees that were donated to the city back in the 1930s. They also have a fantastic website that follows all the trees as they begin to bloom, there is an interactive map that points out where you can go and locate the very best in bloom. The festival runs from April 5th until April 28th.

www.vcbf.ca

What we really adore about Vancouver is how the area is really divided by the seasons, not only do we have the four well known seasons, but also Wet and Dry, it is this time of year where we see the beginnings of Spring appear, also the rains now begin to taper off marking the beginnings of the transition between wet and dry

Check out the local flora and fauna which are now visibly awakening from their slumber, the suburbs of the West End are by far a stunning sight to see. Also keep an eye on the skies above you as Vancouver has many migrating birds of all shapes and sizes appearing overhead, it is not unusual to see Herons, Bald Eagles and more hovering majestically above our heads. If you want further help on where to see the best of the natural world make sure to check with us at the Front Desk, there is a wonderful spot in Stanley park where the Herons build their huge nests (located near the open air Swimming Pool and Second Beach), and nesting season for the Avian gang are well and truly here, we will be able to recommend other great areas such as Queen Elizabeth Park – located in the south of Vancouver, formally part of a quarry, the park is situated on the highest point of Vancouver and has incredible 360 degree views of the area it is a must for all plant lovers.

Finally, everyday of the year look out for the Crows heading home to roost, a remarkable sight that sees a huge flock (believe it or not it is commonly known as a murder!) of crows all heading home one before sunset, they congregate from many areas of the city (such as English Bay, False Creek and Stanley Park) where they head south East towards Burnaby where hundreds of the Vancouver Crows settle in for the night!.

So from every at the Sunset Inn and Suites, we say a warm and welcome hello to Spring, the good weather is on its way…..

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Why stay at the Sunset? Well let us explain…..

March 21st, 2012

Many of our blogs have been focusing on the surrounding areas of what to see and do in Vancouver, we feel that this will be a great time for you to get to know the hotel, as we truly believe that we have an exceptional product that is sure to go above and beyond your idea of a hotel.

All year round, we the staff all do our part with the upkeep of the hotel and we are constantly striving to see what we can do to make this hotel the very best for your needs. This blog will explain why you should choose us, and why would you have to pay for MORE during your stay, because by staying at the Sunset Inn and Suites, you will find this is by far the best priced hotel for quality, comfort and location.

At no extra cost The Sunset Inn offers Free complimentary parking for 1 vehicle per room.
A light continental breakfast (which includes a variety of Fruit, Bagels, Croissants, Muffins, Coffee, Tea and Juices.
We now have wireless and Hard wire Internet in ALL rooms, if you do not have access to internet, you are more than welcome to come to the front desk and use our computer, here you can print Boarding Passes or anything else that you require.
We boast some of the Largest suites in the area, with a fully equipped and fully furnished Kitchens, living space and balcony’s, we are an Apartment style hotel, with full amenities at your disposal
Self Service Laundry (Laundry soap is provided by us) 24 hour access close to the Lobby.
Complimentary Bike Room.
We also boast a very large and eclectic selection of DVD’s to watch at no extra charge. If there is no DVD played in the room, we have more to sign out (also no charge) from behind the Front Desk.

HIGH DEFINITION TVs have now been installed into the Executive Hotel Rooms, so you can enjoy maximum viewing pleasure in your bedroom and the living room….!

So when you are shopping around and are looking for the ultimate deal, WHY PAY MORE ELSEWHERE????

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St Patricks Day Festivities

March 13th, 2012


The big weekend is almost upon us where we dig out our lucky charms, don big red beards and wear green green green, for this is the weekend of St Patricks day, celebrated worldwide every March 17th.

Vancouver has plenty of events for you to celebrate this occasion, from Big Parades, to Green beer, and even a huge Rugby game against the English….please read further for the scoop on where to go to celebrate the Emeralds Isle biggest calender date.

The majority of the Irish bars will be welcoming one and all for this festive occasion,.so here is the list of what is Hot, Green and full of shenanigans…
The Blarney Stone – Probably its biggest day of the year for this popular bar and music venue, the Blarney Stone will be offering up a delicious Full Irish menu, Green beers and fun for all the family to enjoy, the festivities for the family begins at 9am, then after 6pm it is open for anyone over the age of 19+ . There will be Irish dancers and live music to get you in the Paddy’s Day Spirit.
Ceili’s Irish Pub (Granville St location) will have live dancers, bagpipers and a huge crowd to get you into the swing of things!
Other notable locations are, Doolins (Granville Street) Lamplighter (Gastown) The Irish Heather (Gastown) probably one of the most classic of all Irish Bars in Vancouver.

On the day itself, back in Europe there is the finale of the very popular 6 nations rugby tournament, the very final game of the 2012 season is between Ireland and England at Twickenham. Ceili’s Bar in Kitsilano will be showing the game live at kick off from 11am, this will be an incredible chance to see a potential scalp of the old enemy, wouldn’t this be an incredible way to get St Patricks day started with a win against the English….it can not get better than this. The bar will be open for the earlier match showcasing another Celtic cousin, Wales v France at 7.45am, so if you want to get ahead and start earlier head to Kitsilano at Ceili’s – 1774 West 7th, Vancouver, V6J 4T3.

There is also the St Patricks Day Street Parade, this will be on Sunday March 18th, and will wind its way north along Howe St beginning at the Drake St intersection, it will then turn onto Georgia St and finish at Georgia and Granville St where you can enjoy the fun packed Street party.

And finally, running all week is CELTICFEST….this is Western Canada’s largest celebration of all that is Celtic and of cultural heritage, now in its 8th year, this festival promises to rock your socks off throughout Vancouver, it encompasses dancing, family friendly events with over 50 free and ticketed venues for you all to enjoy, no matter what age you are, come and join in the fun!

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