Sylvia Hotel, Restaurant and Lounge

Had an absolutely fabulous 2 night stay at the Sylvia. From the moment we walked in to the historic hotel, we were welcomed warmly by the staff (they even gave us a complimentary room upgrade). We loved all the old photos around the hotel. Location is also breathtaking (right on the beach) and extremely convenient for local tourism (literally at the gates of Stanley park). For the rooms, beds were very comfortable and everything was clean, my only note is that because this is an old building, sound proofing isn’t the best. We also had lunch at the lounge one afternoon - tasty and fairly priced. Would absolutely come back here - thank you for a wonderful stay!

The Sylvia Hotel is an iconic hotel on English Bay. Situated next door to Stanley Park, we wish we had stayed for longer than just the one night. We booked a standard room which was pleasant and accommodating. The hotel has its own car park underneath ($25/night). We ate dinner at the hotel and that, along with the service, was good. We didn't have breakfast there as there are many restaurants and cafe's in the vicinity. The area appeared very safe. Whilst it is an older style hotel it is very well appointed and we would happily stay there again.

Amazing historic hotel with lots of charm. It is located right off the water and a short walk into Stanley Park. The on-site parking was a lifesaver and had an elevator to the hotel. The staff was very friendly with an easy Check-In and Check-Out. My room was very spacious with an extremely comfortable bed and the shower had the best water pressure. I was able to eat in the restaurant with a beautiful view of the sunset. The food and drinks were to die for and will definitely be staying here again in the future.

Sylvia Hotel is located overlooking English Bay just outside Stanley Park and just a short walk into downtown so its location is excellent. The hotel itself is just charming, from the Boston Ivy covering most of the outside to the old photos on the walls showing how the hotel looked when it was first built - the history of the hotel is very interesting. Our room was spacious, clean and quiet with a large comfortable bed. It was slightly dated but that is all part of the charm! We had a fridge and coffee/tea making facilities. We did not eat at the hotel as there are lots of options to dine within a short walking distance. All in all we could not fault the Sylvia.

A lovely hotel, in the best location, with fabulous staff. Classical, impressive communal areas. Our room (a petite Queen) was definitely petite, with insufficient room for our 3 week road trip luggage. Limited by the old design, the rooms could do with being updated, however it was comfortable, clean and everything functioned. It was our last hotel of a 3 week tour, and the first with no fridge or bottled water. I would stay here again, but go for a bigger room.

Our first night in Vancouver and we selected Sylvia’s for dinner because of a write up about this restaurant but the overall experience was terrible. The food was so below par - every item ordered was flavorless, not tasty, just blah. The restaurant was pretty empty, and boring. Vancouver is known for its amazing food and we’ve since enjoyed 5 other incredible restaurants. Not sure what happened here but needed to share our experience.

Beautiful view but skip the restaurant. All the ingredients look like they were bought at the supermarket. Dishes are all served with wedges and tomato sauce. One of the servers was wearing a dirty uniform. Patio and menus were dirty and the dining room was very dated. Not the elegant dining experience we were expecting.

Awesome. We stayed at the Sylvia for 4 nights. It is fabulous and charming with serious character! It is a solid building, worn but not frayed. It's not pretentious nor fancy, nor "contemporary". It is not trying to be cool. But it is cool, as it's old school classic and comfortable and warm and charming with great people, a fabulous bar, music, and food and an awesome location. We moved to a "4 star" boutique hotel closer to downtown on Robson for 2 nights afterward and the Sylvia was far superior while the other hotel was just much more expensive.

This is a fabulous little secret just off of Denman and Davie in downtown Vancouver. It is a vintage hundred plus year old hotel and the restaurant was renovated years and years ago. It's light and airy and contemporary and the service is a spectacular and have the Stanley Park eggs Benedict. You won't be disappointed and every seat has a view of English bay and the ocean.

I WOULD NOT BOOK HERE EVER AGAIN. AND I MEAN IT. I stayed here from April 19th 2024 for two nights. So as of the time of this review, I am still a guest here. I feel compelled to write this review due to the customer experience I received from the front desk person on the night of April 19th, 2024 around 11:50pm. One star overall for the excellent location right on the beach. Took off the rest of the stars due to the hostile treatment I got as a guest staying here. Staff seemed to treat me with contempt as if I was an inconvenient to them whenever I asked for something. My husband went down to the front desk to ask if they could microwave a glass container for us, it contained cooked turkey meat and sweet potato. We were told earlier by a front desk staff that the hotel cannot provide in-room microwaves for guests. Fine. We were told by the same staff member if we brought the food to the front desk, the staff can microwave for us. So therefore, my husband went downstair to take the glass container with the closed air-tight lid and asked for the food to microwave. The front desk person, now a new person told us their one and ONLY microwave is broken. Surely, this is very believable for a functioning historical hotel right in the heart of Stanley Park. What a joke! Now I am not new to customer service as I have worked in retail before. If you wanted to help you would. And this front desk person DID NOT. And she was just so dismissive she gave off the vibe I am sorry I cannot help sort of attitude. She first told my husband no their only microwave is broken. My husband then went to ask the restaurant. And the person there was not helpful either, saying "I don't have access to the kitchen after certain hours". My husband came back upstairs and told me they didn't want to help. I went downstairs with him because I just couldn't believe A FULL FREAKIN FUNCTIONING HOTEL CHARGING ALMOST 400 DOLLARS PER NIGHT CANNOT PROVIDE NOR HELP ME WITH MICROWAVING SOME FREAKING COOKED FOOD IN A CLOSED GLASS CONTAINER!!!!!!! This made me so livid. My heart is still racing as I type this review. We went back downstairs to ask the front desk person again and she kept repeating, " I cannot help you, I cannot help you". "And the restaurant cannot help you because they don't want to contaminate the food". Now how did she know that when in the same breath she asked my husband "You said you were going to the restaurant, what did they say?" But I thought you already knew the answer? They don't want to contaminate their food...right? Then she calls security to ask if they can help. One staff person came out and he was totally nonchalant about the request. He said, "Yea, I can do it". NOW WHY WAS THAT SO FREAKIN HARD????????????????????????????????????????????????? IT WAS A SIMPLE REQUEST AND IT TOOK SO MUCH TIME. AND WHY DID THE FRONT DESK STAFF TREATED ME AND MY HUSBAND WITH SO MUCH CONTEMPT? Was it because we were Southeast Asian and she was White? Why did she have to dismiss us, be so unhelpful, not put the customer first, and try to help us solve our problem? It was a simple request. If a White couple came and asked, would they have gotten the same response? Did she see us and food and discriminate against us? Why was it such a difficult request with so many bureaucracies attached? Was all of that animosity towards us as guests in your property necessary? I will tell you one thing, you have lost a customer and I will be sure to tell others not to stay here.

Traditional hotel with early to mid century charm right on the water! Sometimes you book a place in another country and think, "this will be fine," arrive and it is, you know, fine. Other times, you arrive and are so pleased you somehow made a reservation because how was it not booked solid? That was my experience with SH. I didn't realize that I'd be staying at such a charming hotel, right on the water, next to a joy-inducing art installation, and so near some of the best food in Vancouver when I booked my stay. I highly recommend the Sylvia Hotel. The ivy covering the hotel was just starting to turn shades of orange and red when I was there, but I can imagine how beautiful it must be when the season changes! That being said, it was warm when I visited in the summer (end of August) and my room did not have A/C. I was completely comfortable with the provided tall fan though, especially after putting it on top of the dresser/TV stand and faced it at the tall bed. I also want to mention that the shower was hot and the bathroom was sparkly. Another tip: Many tour providers also include transportation for their tour packages from the Sylvia Hotel.

Location is everything! This hotel is within walking distance of restaurants. It is right across from the bay. What a view! The hotel is dated but clean. It has lots of history. Don't expect much from the room and you will be surprised. We stayed the night before our cruise. We braved paying for a taxi and took the city bus. The Canadians were kind enough to help us find the right bus. Once we got on and off it was easy. I would recommend the place for the price and location. Service was pretty good too

We stayed at the Sylvia for two nights while transiting from Seattle to Whistler. To start off, the location is perfect. It's located in the west end on the border of Stanley Park, and on the water. Everything is easily accessible by foot, and we spent a lot of our time walking the beautiful seawall. Although the hotel is a bit older, it had a lot of historic charm. We enjoyed the historic and romantic ambience. When we checked in, we were greeted by the very friendly and attentive staff. We were so excited to find out that they had upgraded our room to a suite. Our sweet was large, clean, and have everything we needed in it! It was so cozy, and we had such a fantastic stay. We would come back every time we visit Vancouver!

Recently we had a wonderful time at the Sylvia on English Bay in Vancouver. Right across the street, we could mosey over to see the crowds on a warm day, walk a few blocks over, find a restaurant or a bar for an inexpensive meal or snack. The rooms at this older hotel are ample and spotless, the plumbing is newly renovated, while the restaurant and bar downstairs offer terrific fare and on Thursday night live music. Parking the car below the hotel eliminated the need to drive in traffic to see the city, so we used taxis and walked whenever possible. The staff was terrific and made our stay exceptional. Do I sound like I love this place? You bet. I have taken friends and relatives here for almost twenty years and will certainly continue to do so.

Our five day stay was wonderful, except our last night. A family with their dog was staying next door and my husband almost called reception to complain about the dog barking around 10 in the evening. Everything else was top notch. We'll worth the money.

Historic meets the beach: That's how I would describe The Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver. I was here on business but wished I was on holiday. This older hotel is located near lots of activity and the coast which makes for great sunsets and views. The food here isn't bad either as I had breakfast with a friend of mine and it was fabulous! Better still, I was grateful for a large room with many windows. While I wish there were more elevators and greater parking, bottom line is that this fine establishment. Can't wait to come back!

The history and location of this place are both super cool. Im a little let down with my room however as it is in a later addition to the building that is really just a parkade and it lacks some of the charm I was hoping for. The bathroom especially the tiled floor are in serious need of an upgrade, and the hallway is kinda shabby with lots of scuff marks to the walls. The thing that bothers me the most in not really the hotels fault. One of the first things you are asked to do when checking is is sign a damage waver including initialing to acknowledge this is a non-smoking room, Im guessing they all are, and when I enter my room the very first thing that smacks me in the face is that someone has smoked in here, maybe not the previous guest but it has the smell of many previous cigarettes enjoyed. I know it is hard to get that smell out, especially in a carpeted room, but it irritates my throat and eyes and really takes away from the enjoyment of the room. Otherwise not a bad spot, will update possibly after my week in this room.

Loved our stay in this beautiful hotel. Great views, wonderful service, delicious food and drinks. Perfect location.

We stayed here one night. What a nice little hotel really enjoyed our time here ! They are remolding and the halls were lined in plastic and the elevators were a little scary and small but it's expected for such a historic building. Room was perfect for my mom and I we had lunch and snacks later in the restaurant. For a Sunday night it was packed especially with live music. The nachos were yummy and a okay Bloody Mary. I would totally stay here again at location right between Stanley Park and the city. Nice restaurants and bars up the street as well I really liked it here for a quiet stay! Parking $18 a day you can come and go and $100 will be added to your card for incidentals.

Older hotel so expect all that comes with that... for example no AC. But overall loved this hotel. Great staff, charm, and couldn't be a better location.

The old Gal is testing on her Laurels now. Needs a serious upgrade. Bedding is always an issue for me when I travel. And Sylvia missed the mark once again. The pillows are filled with what seems like a thousand cotton balls. No fitted sheets. Bunched up mattress cover. Food at the Hotel.. ok now I know there is a staff shortage.. but a 46 min wait for a burger at lunch with half a dozen other guests in the restaurant. The Breakfast Parfait was a joke at 14 bucks. Frozen mini muffins...?? The standard practice of charging guests a hundred dollars a day for ( incidentals) is standard extortion in my opinion. In my case that was 700 dollars...just in case I had a meal or a drink and charged it to my room. Something that did not happen last year when I stayed. Ok yes it's refunded when you check out.. but still an expense some can't endure and an unfair gouge.. Coming back late to the hotel one night to find a dozen guests waiting for the two extremely small elevators...as the stairs are blocked after a time at night..was irritating on its face as there is no need to block entry to the second floor at all. The location on the Sylvia can be an issue if you don't like the smell of pot or cigarettes.. Don't book a room on lower floors or at the (back) of the Hotel..just saying. No.. will not be staying at the old Sylvia again..

This review is for the restaurant on 10 July. We arrived and my husband got upset that the chargers in the underground parking weren't available for restaurant patrons, only guests of the hotel. Seems kinda stupid to not want our money for that. We got to the hostess and we were asking her about if it was ok to leave our car after we ate so that we could take a walk on the beach. By this point the F&B manager showed up and was telling the hostess that someone was complaining at the front desk about not being able to plug in their car. I commented that that was us, and she said that she knew that. Why would you say someone then? Seems pretty passive aggressive to me. It was my husband's 70th birthday and the Sylvia was one of his favourite places. Despite the fact that we had made a reservation, we were taken to a tiny table in the lounge area. Things got progressively worse from there. We both ordered prime rib, medium rare. I asked for the jus on the side because they render it down and thicken it, which I don't like. No big deal in itself, just disappointing. I also ordered a glass of wine. Sometime before our meal arrived, we noticed Miss F&B was talking to our server behind the bar and pointing to us. Nice, eh? Our dinners arrived and the prime rib was medium well! I sent mine back immediately and my husband was done with the drama by that point and started to eat his. About 10 minutes later, a guy from the kitchen plopped my plate on the table and high tailed it out of there. My prime rib was medium at this point. Not only that, it was piping hot so that by placing it in the Salamander to warm, it was over done again. By this time, I had had enough and just decided to eat my dinner. On a side note, the serving of mashed potato on the plate may have been 1 cup, but likely not even that. By the time the waiter came back to check on things, he did a really quick fly by, not really interested in hearing the answer, nor was he interested in offering me another glass of wine which was almost empty. I told the waiter this as I was paying the bill. Having worked in restaurants for over 10 years, I tipped him enough to cover the tip out, but not much more. Whatever Miss F&B had said to him, I can only assume led him to believe that we were just troublemakers. My husband had said we should probably leave after the beef was served medium well. I stuck to it. I really wished now that I hadn't. We were failed by the whole experience, and had to pay for the privilege. . Our difficulty about the parking situation should not have affected the way that we were treated afterwards. It wasn't hospitality, it was hostility. Goodbye Sylvia.

The Sylvia Hotel is a charming hotel with a spectacular location. Our whole family was able to stay in the large suite. The beds and sheets were very comfortable. We loved the stories of the hotel cat Mr. Got to Go that are available for reading in the lobby. Yes there is not air conditioning but the rooms had fans which kept us comfortable. We would definitely stay here again.

Well... here we are again! We're regular visitors here and although the service is sometimes erratic, some of the staff are great, and this is why we have continued to support the hotel. It's a very special place for us. Sat 14th August we arrived at 7:30pm and was turned away by Diane the new Manager, at the main restaurant entrance. There was a free table on the patio and we were told in an abrupt manner " we're closing early and we're at capacity"... no apology, just a rude woman ( not knowing this was the new manager at that time) I pointed out that there was an available seat on the patio and asked if it was possible to sit there. "No, I just told you, we're at capacity" she replied. We left and went elsewhere. Friday 20th - we arrived early evening at the main restaurant. I continued into the bar and was met with a stern, abrupt voice " you can't just walk in there, you have to wait over here! ". I said "excuse me"? and she ( Dianne the manager) Pointed at the Wait To Be Seated sign saying " there, as it says!" - which has always related to the dining area ONLY to the right of the entrance lobby. She was, again, very rude and arrogant. We have supported The Sylvia restaurant for many years and especially through the pandemic to help it survive. I only wish that a new manager would show respect to many of us who are regulars. While other regulars have all had different experiences with her, we have all found her to be rude. I can only imagine how she treats her staff if this is how she treats her regular customers.

I think the place has potential, but for the price I am simply not satisfied. From research I gather Vancouver hotels raise prices during tourist season, and I will be honest in saying I have no idea what business is like in the off-season. First the pros: -The staff are super friendly and eager to be helpful. -The hotel is in a great location. -There is convenient on-site parking. - The room has good blackout curtains. -Shower has plenty of pressure and hot water. Now the cons. -If this were not in Vancouver we would've gotten a much better room for the same price. At $250 US plus tax, you get a decent room in most places. - The bathroom door was missing when we checked in, but at some point in the afternoon someone must've come and replaced it. -Skylights in hall are nice, but need repair. - There are paint chips missing from the window sill. This seems to be a tiny thing, but bear with me. Everything is scratched and chipped and old. - There are few common hotel comforts. For instance there is no mini-fridge, no microwave and the only ice machine is in the lobby. -Being Vancouver, there is no AC. This would be fine as it is probably not needed all that often, but leaving the windows open means no privacy. This could be fixed with curtains covering the lower pane of each window, as the windows open at the top. I guess my biggest gripe is price for what you get. But I suppose supply is low enough they can charge what they want.

Accommodating and friendly customer service. We arrived before 10 in the morning and they let us check-in right away even though their checkout time is noon. The view from our room overlooking English Bay Beach is fantastic. This is a historic hotel with vines on its vintage brick exterior. The rooms are clean, spacious, and well cared for, but don't expect state of art accommodation in some modern hotels.

I am really picky when it comes to hotels so this is high praise indeed. I am an extremely light sleeper so I shopped around for some place that was quiet and based upon recommendations from a travel website, I selected this hotel. I was not sorry. Let me tell you what the room DID NOT have (for which I was grateful): a refrigerator (although some of their rooms which have separate kitchens, do), central A/C (or any type of A/C), a nearby elevator, or housekeeping starting early in the morning, slamming doors and chatting loudly in the hallway. They did have housekeeping but they were quiet and started pretty late, at least on my floor. So, the only other noise I heard were birds at sunrise which was acceptable to me. The idea of getting an actual full-night's sleep at a hotel was a true joy (and I didn't have to use the ear plugs I brought with me). The hotel is at the west end of the City adjacent to massive Stanley Park and a neighborhood beach (English Bay Beach) which was heavily used. The feel of the beach was different than beach areas at home (in southern California) because it felt like most people were locals rather than those from other parts of the city. I got this impression because there wasn't much in the way of vehicular traffic in the area. In L.A., there are massive car parks with long queues near the beaches. As far as I could tell, other than the one attached to the hotel, there were no car parks in the neighborhood. Of course, some of the beach visitors could have arrived by bus from other parts of the City (the #5 bus became a familiar friend during my visit). Because it wasn't 'swimming weather', the beachgoers were dressed in 'street clothes', having brought food or drink or a handful of friends. It was a 'town square' of a sort with spectacular views of the Burrard Inlet which, by name alone, doesn't sound like it's that appealing but it is. The hotel is old and the door to the bathroom, for example, had it's share of lumps and bumps but I enjoyed the character of it. There were improvements that made sense like the dual pane windows throughout but, for the most part, lots of the original look of the place remained. The staff was amazing. Every person there was caring and knowledgeable. On my arrival day, I called twice to warn the hotel that my flight was to be late in arriving (it ended up being 5 hours late) and requesting that they don't give away my 'quiet room'. Sure enough, when I arrived, it was waiting for me. The hotel restaurant was also great (I'm not usually a fan of hotel restaurants). Good food, and good views of the beach. I'll give a tiny demerit to the hotel and say that I emailed it twice in the weeks before my arrival and never got a response. Not sure what happened there. But, I did end up calling them with my questions which they happily answered over the phone.

bed bugs! I had bugs eating me during my stay and when I complained they brought in a. dog and found bedbugs. a nightmare! they WOULDNT REFUND ME -and made me pay for 50% of my stay. it is outrageous! don't stay here- be ware!

This review is for the brunch only. The four of us had brunch on Sunday morning and it was pretty quiet. Despite this we had pretty crappy service where I had to flag down multiple different waiters for water, milk and to ask for extra maple syrup. We had the chicken and waffles which was dry and disappointing. The salad that came with it was limp but the chicken was really good. The only thing that saved the waffles was the extra maple syrup which came in a tiny bottle that cost an extra $2. Not very hospitable of this Canadian hotel restaurant to charge extra for the tiniest condiment bottle of maple syrup. All in all this was a pretty disappointing brunch despite the nice water views.

Quaint* comfortable hotel full of character in a historic ivy-covered building conveniently located downtown. Walking distance to everything, good restaurants and shopping close by. Friendly, helpful staff. Pets allowed. Reasonable WiFi. Kitchenette rooms have stove, oven, full fridge, cutlery, pots and pans, and you can wash and dry dishes. *We've been coming here every year for decades. This hotel isn't for everyone. If you need fast WiFi, modern heating and plumbing, fast spacious elevators, this won't be for you. Part of it's charm is it's old and quirky with tiny elevators that only hold 3 people, and tiny bathrooms that wouldn't meet current building codes, and so on.

Love the old world charm of the Hotel, yet the room feels clean and bright. The staff was great and helpful and pleasant. The bed and pillows were perfect. There is nothing wrong with this hotel at all and would love to stay again

We spent 5 nights at the Sylvia and thoroughly enjoyed it, Our family size room was quite spacious. It felt like a condo. Windows wrapped around and let in plenty of fresh air. There is no A/C. The room was furnished well, My only complaint about the room was the bathroom sink faucet - the water pressure was terribly low. The shower was fine. And a small complaint about the two elevators. They are clearly old, which fits the historic hotel, but one broke down for a day while we were there. The restaurant, bar was wonderful. The view of the beach was perfect. The food was great and the live entertainment made for an unforgettable visit. The staff was also quite friendly.

Cute, historic , but expensive! For the price you'd expect a lot more amenities like WiFi that actually works. But, it's a gorgeous location and beautiful to look at. We had a suite that was big enough with windows that looked into the bay. It's noisy outside with fountains from next door and Canada geese that go mad at 5:30 a.m. Fun, if you've ever lived in Europe but I could see people who are used to modern amenities getting annoyed. Great for 1 night!

This is a magical place, in one of the prettiest locations on earth. It's been around for over 100 years, and the charm and character are full intact. Even though the coffee and TP in the rooms is subpar, it's otherwise a wonderful place to stay. The location is right on English Bay, near Stanley Park, with shopping and nightlife in walking distance. Our King bed room with a view was $169 (plus about $30 tax), but that's Canadian money. Reserve early because they're always full.

This is a very old hotel with its own history, so if you're used to the fancy-fresh-looking hotel, this is not it. Everything is super old school. They have deadbolt lock for the room, so you will be using an actual key to get in your room. They have paper filing system. Elevators are old and super tiny. We got a family room with 2 double bed and a separate room with an extra bed. It's very spacious and cheap for the price that we paid. Service was meh. We checked in and were given the key to our room. Upon entering the room, I noticed there were bags and luggage already in the room. Umm this is not good. I went back to the front desk and the girl realized that she gave us the wrong room! Briefly apologized and gave us another key. Overall, I thought the location was great. It's right across the beach, located near all the central places that we wanted to check out. However, I didn't like the vibe of this hotel. It feels dirty with the old walls and weird smell. There were also soooo many old people stay at this hotel haha. This is probably not the right place for us to begin with. I think the customer service just killed it for me.

The Sylvia Hotel and Restaurant staff are Great ! A Thank You personally from me to Mr. Holmberg and "Whalley". My Mother's Birthday in the Pendrell Room was set up ready to go and appointed with very nice details. Everyone had a beautiful time reconnecting and reminiscing from times over a half century ago. The pictures and the history on the walls are as a little museum of English Bay and Vancouver history. Menu and food selection is well done. Thank You Again, We will be back.

Beautiful historic hotel in the heart of the West Side. Pros: Location, location, location Near Stanley Park and the Beach Ave. walking trails Walking distance to a huge variety of restaurants on Denman St. Very kind staff - we got a room upgrade upon check-in Comfy kingsize bed Free Wifi - but spotty reception Cons: Summertime car / pedestrian traffic is tough Small fit parking garage $18/ day parking fee Design upgrades are not consistent with the decor of this historic hotel Furniture in rooms is cheap and beatup In spite of everything.. we will be back.

No porter service, carry your bags from the curb, up the steps into the front lobby and go back in time, front desk staff friendly and informative. Amazing that this hotel/building was originally built in 1912, only 2 small elevators, enough to squeeze in 6 people at the most, fortunately only 8 floors to travel. No in room safes, all valuables can be left at front desk which has a bank security vault box system just like hotels in the old days. No a/c in the rooms so beware if you visit during the summer months. I stayed due to a recommendation from a friend, so I fully knew what I was getting in to. No bells and whistles, just pure enjoyment and living for the moment knowing you're staying in a building over 100 years old! 5 stars for the location, across the street is the English Bay Beach Park and further up the road is Stanley Park. Hungry, walk to Denman street and pick your choice of the many restaurant and bars. One of the most unique and memorable hotels I've ever stayed in, do it and you won't regret it

This hotel is straight up charming and a gem! My usual hotel when I'm in Vancouver is the Westin at the Bayshore. But when it's booked or too expensive, this hotel is my immediate choice. I've stayed at this Hotel multiple times. And every time, I fall in love with its old historic charm. During the warmer seasons, the vines on this hotel is green and gives the walls of the hotel that amazing green carpet of vine leaves. And during the colder season, the dried out vines gives it that old world hotel look. Don't expect any extra modern amenities from this hotel that you usually get from the bigger or more modern hotel chains. And that's part of the experience of staying at this hotel! The old historic charm of this hotel is what makes it unique. Also, you'll see pictures of the hotel and it's guests from the good ol' days. And that always a delight. The hotel bar is also worth a try. The bedrooms are average in space, the bed and pillows are soft and comfortable, the bathroom is neat and clean. Overall, for the price you pay (which is much cheaper compared to the bigger hotel chains), you get a straight forward and high quality hotel with the old historic charm.

We held our wedding reception at Sylvia Hotel in August 2021. They mishandled this important event in our lives to a gross degree and treated us with utmost disrespect. Here are the series of deficiencies that took place: In the morning of our wedding, the venue was not set up as agreed, that tables will be set the night before. My wife and her bridesmaids went there in the morning to set up centrepieces. There was nothing on the tables and they were not set up in the configuration we had instructed them to do. The hotel's event manager was nowhere to be found. We had agreed that he would be there all day to oversee our event. When my wife called him he said he is on his way. An hour and a half later, he still wasn't there. Staff started to put linens on the tables but these were all wrinkled. My wife had to stop them and ask for these to be ironed. These are basic services. This stressful morning turned into an even more stress afternoon. At 1 pm, this event manager texted my wife to say he was going to the emergency room and that restaurant manager was 'on the floor'. There was no follow-up communication from the hotel about a plan B. On top of this being stressful and unprofessional, we believe Sylvia hotel did not provide an adequate replacement. We did not see this restaurant manager all night as she was obviously busy doing her job managing the hotel restaurant and not our event. As a result many things fell through the gap. When we arrived at the reception, no one from the hotel actually received us. we and our families had to look for parking as their underground parking was full. Only after time wasted looking a family member went inside to inquire and they gave him a parking slip that let us park in front of the hotel. At dinner, our family's table and two other tables were not served their food until half an hour after everybody else was finished. They were disorganized and understaffed. Servers were going around asking our friends/family for direction. We had agreed on installing a divider on the patio separating the side that we had rented from the restaurant patio , in order to ensure our event is private and that our guests stay safe, given that we are in the middle of a pandemic. This divider was not implemented. There was no security or anyone looking over the floor. There were non-guests seen wandering through our wedding unmasked. Our family had to ask them to leave. This is unacceptable. We trusted Sylvia with our health and safety. We had also agreed that the centre table would be removed after dinner to add safe space for dancing. This table did not get removed even after this was requested multiple times. At some point our guests took it upon themselves to clear the table! When we met with their event manager initially and decided to go ahead with the booking, we asked to leave a deposit. He said that is not necessary. They did not write up a contract for us and we trusted that they will live up to the standard promised; especially because they charged 18% gratuity on top of everything. But the level of service fell very short. We are shocked that they treated our big milestone with such negligence. We had agreed to meet with the event manager after the wedding to go over the bill. He was absent the next day and the hotel manager never connected with us about anything. When we came downstairs to check out the morning after (Sunday) we were presented with the full bill at front desk in the amount of approximately $14000. We explained this is not how we expected to do this. We expected to have a meeting to go over our event , not deal with this at the front desk where hotel guests are coming and going. We explained we had to move on as we were running late for an important family gathering. Even though we had been corresponding with the hotel for over 2 months, we offered to leave ID/credit card and settle the invoice when we came back later that day to collect our rental stuff. This front desk person said no that is not an option. We couldn't even leave to go to the bank. We were once again shocked and speechless. We felt we were being taken hostage. We could have walked out because we had no agreement/contractual obligation to settle up that very morning. We felt hostility from this employee. She seemed to have no understanding/empathy for our situation and offered absolutely no solution. This is all very wrong. They botched our wedding and they are still failing to own up to their mistakes. We have asked management for a refund for a percentage of the bill. Their refund offer is so low and inappropriate it is insulting. We have asked for the contact information of the hotel president but have gotten no response. Alas, the memory of our wedding is forever tarnished; but we are sharing our experience so other couples do not go through the same thing we did.

Great place to stay! Affordable and right across from the water; great place to watch the sunset. There's a bar that does live music that doesn't get overly crowded like the other restaurants by the water. It's about a 15 min walk to downtown, also just a 15 min walk to Granville Island ferry. Stanley Park is about a 30 min walk but easy cab ride if you're not up for the walk. Great walking neighborhood as well. We had a king room that was really spacious. I would certainly recommend this hotel.

The Sylvia has a pretty vine-covered exterior and a historic looking lobby and restaurant, plus it's in a great location. Walk across a narrow street and you're at the seawall. Walk five minutes down the sidewalk, you're in Stanley Park. The rooms are nothing to get excited about, other than the great views if you're facing the seawall. They're a bit basic, with the couch creaking like mad and the heating putting out just slightly warm air into the space between the curtains and the wall. It doesn't matter really when the location and the hotel bar & restaurant are this good. From the maid service to the front desk to the bartender, every Sylvia employee we came across in our week here was so friendly and welcoming. Every single one of them. This is the place I'd stay anytime I return to Vancouver.

The bed was amazing! Everything else was ancient-looking and the in-room extras were minimal to say the least. And the dark closet sure could use a light. The funny thing is, the bathroom looked renovated (clean grout and no chips on the laminate). It was done in that out dated look everybody likes (not). Even the brand new carpet was dreary. But the green paint!! Oh my gosh. Having to leave your key each time you leave is bizarre. The only good things are the restaurant and the location. And, as mentioned, the amazing bed.

I enjoyed my stay here for 3 nights while visiting Vancouver. It is a rustic hotel but functions well. And the location is prime!! You can walk to the beach, Stanley park, restaurants and several bus stops going every which direction only a block away. Due to its older style, they don't have electronic keys and just issue a single regular door key. With multiple people staying, this can be an inconvenience. We had the last person leaving leave the key at the front desk for who ever came back and needed it first. This worked well. The rooms have mini fridges which is nice and not common in hotels. No safe in room available though. The hotel has no AC but when we visited (start of June), we didn't need it. We had one fan and it was hardly utilized. The beds were comfy enough and room service did an as expected job. I enjoyed my stay at The Sylvia and would recommend it to anyone wanting to stay on the Stanley Park end of Vancouver.

Okay, I'm giving this place 3 stars, just because.....1) We didn't encounter bedbugs. 2)The windows opened just enough to let the natural gas smell out of the little kitchen area. 3) The view of the water, from the lobby, is not to be missed! Granted we stayed here but once, and that was quite a while ago. I just looked at the website and from it I'd guess a few things have changed. As in they have taken out the little kitchen areas in the rooms and the bed spreads have changed from the 50's to the 70's era. For an adventure, meaning being really close to Stanley Park, bring your camping gear and check this place out...

We have been going to the Sylvia for years staying in the hotel every year for the awesome Christmas dinner. Breakfast is usually great as well (my fav is the seafood benny) and then we walk on the beach. We generally go to the pub on Sunday for the prime rib dinner and the live band. As far as ratings go I give the view 100 out of 10, the staff and service 100 out of 10 and the food a solid 4 out of 5. Great ambiance and you never know what celebrities will show up. Back in the old days Errol Flyn was a regular in the pub and in .modern times we have seen Greg keelor of Blue Rodeo and some of the Supernatural cast in there plus some big name movie stars filming in town as well. All in all a good experience!

This was a last minute find and I'm happy we found it! The room was spacious and classic. Felt like an old apartment building that was turned into a hotel, but with the classy aspects retained. With the windows open and a breeze moving through, it was awesome. Would definitely stay there again. Staff was courteous, rooms were very clean. Restaurant attached was kinda strange, but I live in New Orleans, so I couldn't imagine a New Orleans themed restaurant to be anything but strange. This hotel is situated near so many restaurants, though, that you will have no problem finding any kind of food that you want.

Great location and great views. That's what sells this hotel. The building itself is very pretty. The inside needs some updating. Thin doors. Musty smell. Old dirty feel. The price was decent. Location is the main perk to this hotel.

The Sylvia hotel is a wonderful spot with fantastic views. Established in 1912 this hotel is cozy and is more like living in your own apartment. Very similar to some of the flats I have lived in, in San Francisco. I love that we are across from the English Bay, very near Davie Street in the West End and Stanley Park.

Great stay at the Sylvia! Directly across from the water this quaint, albeit older hotel was wonderful! Room size is reasonable, dining and bar terrific. Staff was friendly and very helpful. Thank you Michael for being so kind to our group! Great stay!!

This hotel came highly recommended by a friend who frequents this location. We planned a long weekend trip and really enjoyed our stay at the Sylvia Hotel. The hotel staff are very helpful and friendly. Front desk is available 24 hours. What we love the most about this hotel is the location and that it's dog friendly! We got a corner room facing the bay, and was able to have our dog with us for the weekend-- and not additional pet cost. We went for walks along the beach (tons of walking and bike paths) and so close to Stanley Park. BC has so many dog friendly spots that we took our dog everywhere-- even Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We were able to walk a block to Denman street-- and only a half a mile from Robson Street. They also have a parking garage which allows in and out privileges at $18 a day (not bad). Older hotel, but the service and location are fantastic. It's got it's old english charm. We will be back!

Great location but the rooms and bathrooms are seriously outdated. If you like a little bit of luxury...this definitely isn't it. That being said they have a great bar overlooking the bay and the food was pretty darn good!

I give this place a 4.5 out of 5 if I could! The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star review is that it is an older building that needs repairs and every time I have stayed there, it's been under some kind of construction. Other than that, it is a truly wonderful location near Stanley Park, lots of restaurants, shops and the beach. It is an old building covered in ivy vines so it is very classic looking. The inside has lots of dark woodwork and antique furniture. The rooms are pretty basic and for the location in Vancouver's west end you can't get a nicer place for the price. The guest services counter will exchange money. There's a parking ramp under ground for guests. A bar is next door in the same building but we have never tried it. We plan to be back for another stay!

Love it . . . Except . . . The location is perfect for us, on the beach, near excellent biking and walking, restaurants nearby. The room was spacious and quiet, great bed. The exception? WiFi. Infuriatingly inconsistent, more often unavailable than able to get on. Hard to research anything or keep in touch with essentially no connection. They fix that, and it's the prefect place to stay.

This lovely hotel is a throw back to a different era. It's gracious but a bit worn. The keys are real, not plastic cards. If you want everything new, don't come here. This historic hotel is in a great location near Stanley Park and lots of shops and restaurants. We love to park and walk from here. The rooms and beds are comfortable, the staff friendly and the price is right.

Bed bugs stay away especially in the linen closet room. Not a place I stay moody staff also

What happened? We've been coming here for years and the last two times have been disappointing. Who cleans rooms at 4 pm as part of standard procedure? Rooms are not cleaned thoroughly; dirt on moldings and ledges -- where else? The bathroom door would not shut and the room was so tiny for the price. It is the perfect location, but management needs to put more attention into the hotel.

We stayed here for four nights, and loved every moment of it. The Sylvia has history, tradition, and character, plus a beautiful view. It's also within easy walking/bus distance from the Art Gallery, Gas Town, and Granville Island ferry, plus perfectly located for any kind of food your heart desires, all more affordable than the tourist areas. To boot (in addition), the restaurant and lounge have a gorgeous view of English Bay, a friendly staff, and a nice, varied, and affordable menu. The staff of the hotel are friendly, courteous and helpful. When there was a problem with the shower plumbing upon our arrival, they upgraded us, no questions asked. I cannot recommend this place more highly.