The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver

With an amazing location right on the Seawall, guests can walk outside and start their morning jog along Vancouver’s shoreline. There are amazing views of the harbor from the hotel's beautiful outdoor pool area and from several of the rooms. The lobby has a classic feel with marble floors and a big fireplace. The hotel caters to business travelers and has a total of 40 meeting spaces. There's also a corridor lined with shops selling souvenirs and jewelry as well as a tour desk that organizes excursions for guests.

The hotel is located on the Seawall, a jogging and cycling path that lines Vancouver’s waterfront, and is a 15-minute walk from the Vancouver Convention Centre. Stanley Park is less than a 10-minute walk away and the Vancouver Aquarium is 20 minutes away on foot. There’s shopping and restaurants on Robson Street, a five-minute walk from the hotel. Vancouver International Airport is less than 40 minutes away by car or public transportation. Expect to pay for parking at the hotel.

Rooms have basic, simple furnishings, including wooden headboards, light walls, patterned carpets, and white bedding. Floor-to-ceiling windows open up to balconies in some rooms and reveal gorgeous views of the harbor and mountains. Westin's signature Heavenly Beds get high marks. Rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and coffee/tea makers. Bathrooms come with shower/tub combos and huge rainshower heads. Past guests have recommended staying in the newer attached tower, which has modern furnishings in its rooms, rather than the lower level, more outdated rooms. Wi-Fi is available for a fee.

The Westin Bayshore has a breakfast buffet restaurant and a separate restaurant, H2 Rotisserie & Bar, with a wooden outdoor patio and views of the harbor and mountains. Room service is available 24-hours a day. Starbucks is available on the lobby level, along with a handful of independently owned gift shops and a whale watching excursion counter. There’s a beautiful outdoor pool with a bar and a second, smaller indoor pool with a hot tub in a windowed room. The hotel has a big fitness center with a variety of modern machines and weights. The on-site Vida Spa offers body wraps, massages, facials, and Ayurvedic cleanses. The Bayshore caters to corporate visitors with 40 meeting spaces, including two ballrooms. Nobody likes paying extra for Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.