Times Square Suites

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2010-03-26T16:33:00.001-07:00

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Five reasons a Vancouver apartment hotel is better than a hotel!

2010-03-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Years ago it seemed that hotels and apartment hotels were priced based on square footage. A compact hotel room of 300 square feet was less expensive than a 750 square foot serviced apartment.

This is certainly not the case anymore. When we at Times Square Suites do our daily rate comparisons with downtown Vancouver hotels, our suites with full kitchens are often priced on par with hotels which offer a room fully equipped with a coffee maker.

This prompted us to think about the value we offer and the result was our top 5 reasons why an apartment hotel is better than a hotel!

5/ Rent DVD's at the neighbourhood Blockbuster Store and make your own popcorn. Our suites have TV's in the living room and bedroom and a DVD player. This makes your entertainment options easy if you are travelling with kids or just feel like having a movie night ~ something you may only fantasize about at home.

4/ Times Square Suites has excellent security and is discreet. Anyone wishing to enter the building has to have a key or they must buzz the intercom for access. This means they have to ring the front desk or directly to a guest suite to be allowed in. The elevator also requires a key. This prevents people from gaining access to the hallways unless they are staying with us or are visiting a guest. We also have secure underground parking for those with vehicles.

3/ Each suite has a full kitchen with tableware and cookware. We have guests who bake cookies and roast turkeys! There is also a washer and dryer. The large Safeway Supermarket across the street is open from early morning until midnight ~ ample time to shop for snacks and meals.

2/ Space - our suites range from 590 - 1300 square feet. Depending on where our guests originate from, sometimes this is larger than home!

1/ Staying at Times Square Apartment Hotel saves money. It's the little things like making your own coffee and staying in for a meal or two instead of eating out every day. This factor is important for those with kids and more commonly, those travelling on business where per diem budgets are tighter than ever. Did we mention that guests have privileges at the neighbourhood fitness club. If you have regular workouts, there is no need to change your routine.

When you visit Vancouver, unpack at Times Square Suites, it really is a home away from home!

Times Square Apartment Hotel goes "live"

2010-01-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

We are heating up in 2010 ~

this week we launched our new online booking system!!

Now you can check availability and make a reservation in "real time"

Check out our link above, it is virtually effortless!

Happy New Year from Times Square Apartment Hotel

2009-12-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

All of us at Times Square Apartment Hotel wish you a Happy New Year with much joy, friendship, success, luck and visits to stay with us in Vancouver during 2010!!!

visit our new website .... coming January 2010

The innovation of non-slip

2009-09-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the innovation of Trusty Step Systems and their easy to use products Times Square Suites is pleased to announce that all of our bathtubs now have the safety feature of a non-slip surface, say goodbye to the old rubber bath mat!!!

Fall Value Special

2009-09-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

The Times Square Suites Value Special has returned for September, October and November 2009.

Stay a minimum of three nights and receive a 20% discount.

Stay five nights and receive 1 night FREE! Pay for the first 4 nights at regular (non-discounted) price and 5th night is free.

Our back yard - Stanley Park - packed with free fun!

2009-07-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Facts & Statistics
Location:North foot of Robson Street ( 2 blocks from Times Square Suites)
Area:400 hectares (1,000 acres)
Opened:September 27, 1888 by Mayor David Oppenheimer
Dedicated:October 29, 1889 by Lord Stanley,Governor General of Canada
Most Famous For:8.8 km (5.5 mi) Seawall
Number of Trees:Approximately 500,000 trees:80% Coniferous;20% Deciduous
Annual Visitors:8 million
http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/

Did you encounter a star?

2009-03-01T22:25:00.000-08:00

Did you receive memorable service at Times Square Suites?
Nominate the individual(s) who made your day a little better for a VTA
Enter your choice here: www.where.ca/vancouver/vta

Go Blue! Adopt a nest in Stanley Park

2009-02-25T10:36:00.000-08:00

"Adopt-a-Nest": A Great Blue Gift Idea!
Support the Stanley Park Ecology Society through the "Adopt-a-Nest" program, and join us in our efforts to learn more about the amazing great blue herons and protect their homes in Vancouver's unique urban landscape. Give this perfect present to a family member, co-worker or friend, or just treat yourself by giving back to the wildlife which shares space in our urban parkland.

In recent years, great blue herons have nested in unprecedented numbers in Stanley Park. During the 2006 season, the heronry grew to include more than 173 nests in 25 trees. The Stanley Park Ecology Society's (SPES) staff and volunteers have been monitoring these threatened birds to track their success in raising chicks and to provide information about them to city officials, local residents and visitors. The growth of the heronry and widespread access to information through SPES' monitoring program has allowed the annual return of the herons to be a spring squawking sensation that's not to be missed!

Adopt-a-Nest packages include:
A Certificate of Adoption;
Printed information about Stanley Park's Great blue herons and your adopted nest location;
Regular e-mail updates on your nest site;
An annual heronry report and;
An onsite tour of the heronry in Stanley Park during one of the two Eco Walks offered each spring; during these engaging and interpretive tours, a trained heron monitor will provide you with information and insight into the lives of these fascinating birds

Nest adoption fees are $30 annually. "Adopt-a-Nest" registration can be arranged contacting the Stanley Park Ecology Society at nests@stanleyparkecology.ca, or by calling SPES at 604-681-9453.

The Adopt-a-Nest program supports the ongoing initiatives of the Stanley Park Ecology Society, a community-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging stewardship of the natural world through environmental education and action.(Charitable No. 119166890RR0001)

New webcam monitors traffic & weather!

2008-12-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

We are so excited that our new webcams are capturing the amazing snowfall we have had in Vancouver. The camera looking at the intersection of Robson and Denman monitors the traffic flow to English Bay in one direction and to Lions Gate Bridge in the other. It also offers a unique perspective of the new Safeway Store which is a great convenience for our guests!

The webcam facing north focuses on Grouse Mountain with a fresh blanket of snow and lights from the ski runs at night!

Let us know if you link our webcams to your site!
http://www.timessquaresuites.com/webcam.htm

Bookmark this page to keep up to date on the Vancouver weather in the west end!

How do you label us?

2008-12-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Well, since the post below was written ~ Tripadvisor has decided that we do not qualify as a hotel, sad but true - we are labelled as a condominium, a label which does not completely appreciate all our features and puts us in the company of privately owned condos and hostels.

On a positive note, we are listed as #1 in this Specialty Lodging category for Vancouver.

We are now trying to determine what our label should be, as we do operate as a hotel.
One of the issues we face with the Tripadvisor criteria is they state that a hotel has daily maid service. As part of our green mandate, our cleaning services are twice per week but can be requested more often. This type of on-demand housekeeping is also becoming more common in chain hotels such as the Westin and the Ritz due to environmental policies.

Maybe some of our past and present guests can help us determine where we fit in with this "hotel" vs "condominium" labeling system. Let us know what you think!

We rank high as Tripadvisor's guest favourite!

2008-11-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Vancouver is not undiscovered, in fact, there are 114 hotels listed on Tripadvisor.com. This powerful review site can be a key factor in trip planning and also for us, as hotel operators, to learn more about guest experience and expectations. Often, even with a comment card, guests do not share the highs and lows of their stay with us. We never take this personally, as we would expect that people would rather be walking the seawall, exploring Stanley Park, shopping on Robson or dining on Denman than writing letters to us! Imagine our joy when we found that our Tripadvisor ranking hovers between 1 and 2 for Vancouver hotels, based on guest reviews. We can't tell you how we jumped up and down and hip swayed at that reality! So, what does this mean? We can relax ~ no way! We will try even harder now to ensure we keep pleasing our guests in our homestyle fashion. Thanks to our staff for their loyalty and attention to detail and to our guests for taking initiative to write about their suite, the location and the service.

More attractive during the crunch?

2008-10-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

For many years, we have been hosting business travellers, couples and families and perhaps now we finally appreciate our own special characteristics. People travelling on limited budgets can save a few dollars by having home-style conveniences such as a fully equipped kitchen and an in-suite washer/dryer. Maybe our rooftop barbeque patio is a new haven for informal dinners!

We feel that we are poised to help people save on expenses while continuing to maintain a mobile lifestyle since we include free local telephone calls, in-suite CD/DVD player, complimentary fitness passes and reduced rates for our secure underground parking.

Our location allows guests to focus on the simple things that Vancouver residents enjoy each day. Common activities such as a walk in Stanley Park accompanied by a fresh Starbucks coffee, a stroll down Robson Street to window shop or a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Guests staying for a longer duration may opt for a video store membership and rent DVD’s to enjoy while curled up in front of the fireplace as if they were at home.

In this moment of economic consciousness, maybe we are part of the solution...

Who really travels with all of their baby's items?

2008-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Face it, not only is there a mountain of items that you could pack for your baby but it will cost you an arm and a leg at the check in counter of your air carrier to bring them.

We have a solution for you!!

Stroller's, cribs, highchairs are JUST THE BEGINNING to what you could rent from these life saving baby care businesses.

Most of these companies will deliver your items to your hotel and pick them up on your day of departure. Who says babies and hotels don't mix!

If you have used one of these agencies we'd like to hear your experience..
(How was the equipment/service?)