"This retro 1950s motor hotel sits on a busy street in Vancouver’s downtown core, just steps from the financial district and bustling shopping areas of Robson and West Georgia streets. With its eye-catching neon sign and pastel paint, it stands out from the crowd. After a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Burrard was lovingly restored to its original mid-'50s glory and reopened in July 2011. The vibe is mid-20th-century L.A. (think Melrose Place , but without the pool and the drama). The compact rooms all have gleaming white bathrooms with mosaic-tiled floors, and most are accessible from the central courtyard, which has a fire pit, ping-pong table, and lush, junglelike tropical garden with plenty of space to lounge during summer months. Amid the kitschy period detail, a pleasing raft of modern-day extras come included with each stay—Wi-Fi, HDTV, free calls in North America, a Nespresso machine in each room, bottled water, and a complimentary fleet of cruiser bikes for guests to use at their leisure."