Lance LaHara is a freelance writer and tour guide and has taken two family vacations based from Vancouver discount hotels

Low-Price Comfort in the Canadian Crown Jewel

Whether you’re stopping over en route to an Alaska cruise, traveling to British Columbia’s capital on business, or just slipping across the Washington state border to see what Canada is all about, many Vancouver discount hotels await the traveler willing to plan ahead.

Vancouver in a nutshell

Canada’s third largest city, Vancouver is definitely the jewel of the northern nation. With its relatively mild coastal climate, beautiful architecture, kid-friendly museums, and lively arts scene, this elegant North-left-coast town is the maple leaf answer to San Diego, L.A., and San Francisco, all rolled into one. But the savvy traveler will want to think first about a place to sleep cheap, or at least not spend more money than necessary.

So let’s get started with the top three considerations for finding Vancouver discount Hotels:

1. Money

Low-end to middle-range Vancouver discount hotels will cost between 50 and 150 Canadian dollars per night, or about $45-$110 U.S. Of course you can get deep discounts at high end lodgings, too—in fact, the higher the retail bill, the more actual cash you save on your discount. But most discounts depend on . . .

2. Time

With winters mild only by Canadian standards and early Spring a latecomer at best (T.S. Eliot may have been vacationing in Canada when he wrote “April is the cruelest month), those seasons are still good news for the have-to-go business traveler to Vancouver. Discount hotels are basically ALL hotels in the winter and early spring, so shop around for bargains on the web before you automatically book at the “business rate.”

Summer is high season, with long daylight hours, sun, and mild temperatures. So expect to pay more, even for Vancouver discount hotels. Still, you can save money by shopping on the web and booking early.

Autumn is cooler, but the fall colors are spectacular and early fall maintains the mild warmth of summer. With mid- and high-end hotel specials up to 40% off, September and October are the prime months for non-business Vancouver discount hotels, depending on . . .

3. Location

Vancouver’s most stunning view may be from the water as your ship comes to port at the Canada place cruise ship center and you gasp at the city skyline set against the rugged l mountains. Even if you’re driving in, you might want to find your best deal on Vancouver discount hotel close to the water, where the shopping, restaurants, and tourist sites abound. (Speaking of restaurants and shopping, don’t miss Vancouver’s vibrant China town!)

Business travelers will want to look first near the downtown Convention and Exhibition Center, and dyed-in-the-wool discount travelers will look first to Eastern and outlying Vancouver for best deals. Public transportation from outlying areas is not only good, but smart---traffic in Vancouver is as cosmopolitan as the rest of the city, though not as pleasantly so.

Vancouver Discount Hotel Alternatives

Hard-core discount travelers might also want to consider alternatives--- motels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels---all of which Vancouver hosts in plentitude.

But you needn’t be a discount fanatic to save big in Vancouver. You’ve taken the first easy step to saving money by reading this article; now do a bit more searching and clicking, and your research time will be well-rewarded!

Lance LaHara writes unique opinion pieces on life topics for Pulse MEDIA International (PulseMed.org)