Hotel at the Waldorf

I booked without reading the reviews, since all I cared about was being near the Rickshaw theatre. It was easy to get there by bus, or walk a few blocks along East Hastings. I’m glad I skipped the awful reviews, because maybe I got lucky or they’ve improved. The room was small but enough, with clean towels and sheets, vinyl flooring and bathroom tile. The mattress and box spring were inside bugproofing covers, and I didn’t see any bugs. There was a small fridge and the TV worked. The wall mounted AC looked fairly new, but I didn’t need it in February. I had a nice meal and a Howe Sound beer at the attached restaurant during happy hour, 3-6 PM. There was no loud music problem, and I had a really good breakfast across the street at "Yolks". It was all okay.

A hotel is meant to be a place to relax and sleep, and this one didn’t work for that. The room and bathroom felt unclean. I never take photos of food or hotels, but trust me, it wasn’t clean. The spring mattress had flat or missing springs in places, leaving a dip that made it very uncomfortable to sleep. Parking was away from the hotel in a poorly lit area with no security, so anyone could walk up to the car. We also had to carry our luggage up stairs. The hotel warns about homeless people nearby when you book, but they were all over the streets and businesses around the area, using drugs right on the street. If I visit Vancouver again, I won’t stay here.

After a day walking around, if all you want is a place to lie down and watch “Catfish: The TV Show,” this will do. The area is a little rough, but didn’t feel unsafe. Staff were friendly and efficient, and the room was clean. The bed, though, left a lot to be desired.

I stayed September 18-20, 2025, for business and booked through Expedia via Alaska Airlines Vacations. I hadn’t researched the property and assumed a “vacation package” would at least be okay. Lesson learned. Only after the booking could no longer be canceled did I find out that the rooms are directly above a karaoke bar and nightclub. On Thursday I heard a run of badly sung ballads until just after 1 AM. Friday brought a live band and pounding bass until just before 3 AM. The hotel did message me the day before arrival to warn that there might be noise, and complimentary earplugs are available at the front desk. But if I’d known sooner, I would have booked somewhere else. Expedia’s “need to know” section didn’t mention it. It also didn’t feel like a particularly safe property. There are worse parts of Vancouver a block or so away, as the hotel’s welcome message points out. It says you can safely walk in one direction and warns against going the other way. The room doors didn’t seem secure either. A hard shoulder check would probably pop the latch. This was my own fault for not looking more closely. Live and learn.