Vancouver International Airport (YVR): Approximate driving time is 30 minutes and distance is 9 miles (14.5 km.)

Driving directions from Vancouver International Airport: Follow Grant McConachie Way over the Arthur Laing Bridge. After the bridge, take Granville St N and proceed over the Granville St Bridge. Take the exit onto Seymour St and continue on Seymour to Dunsmuir St. Turn left onto Dunsmuir and then right onto Hornby St. Hotel is on the left.

Getting there: The Airporter shuttle does not stop at this hotel so the best bet is by taxi, which costs $16–$25 CDN in fare. Rental cars and limousines are more than $36 CDN. Fees subject to change without notice. Rental cars are available from this Web site.

Getting around: The hotel is in the midst of the downtown retail and business area, so plenty of shopping, dining, nightlife, arts, theatre, and other entertainment choices are walkable within a radius of several blocks. The Burrard SkyTrain station is a block up Dunsmuir. SkyTrains provide light rapid transit to suburban communities. The SeaBus station offering catamaran passenger service to the North Shore is 5 blocks away. Buses on several different routes stop within a block. All 3 services charge less than $5 CDN for single fares. Fees subject to change without notice. Driving in Vancouver is generally smooth although one-way streets downtown can be a little more difficult for first-timers to navigate. Driving is the best way to travel from the city up the coast or to the islands.

Amenity highlights: The hotel's biggest asset is its boutique-hotel ambience and classic European decor. Guests entering the gilded lobby with its fireplace, 30-foot ceilings, and Louis XV furnishings often feel as if they are leaving the city behind and stepping into an elegant French château. With only 120 rooms, the hotel offers personalized service to all its guests, including daily housekeeping.

Insider tip: The hotel is 2 blocks from Sinclair Centre, an atrium shopping mall inside a historic and completely restored building overlooking the waterfront. Exclusive fashion retailers include Plaza Escada, Leone Boutique, and Castle Milano. Dining options include a Morton's of Chicago steakhouse.