Viva Suites Vancouver

The front entrance was left in awful shape for months, with bird droppings everywhere and broken railings and stairs. I attached photos. They were quick to leave notes and threaten fines over a dirty fork, even when the place was clean, but couldn't be bothered to maintain the entrance. For all the fees and fines students pay, it's shocking they wouldn't even fix the building's front. There was also a time a roommate got trapped in the bathroom because the old doors hadn't been maintained for years. Nobody was in the office and we couldn't get help. More than 10 people work in the admin office, yet none seemed able to solve problems or deal with students appropriately. Monica was especially incompetent. Whenever I asked her a question, she had no answer, and everything disappeared into slow, useless bureaucracy even when the person they supposedly needed to email was sitting across from them. Staff were consistently hostile to me and my roommates, which is hard to accept from a place calling itself student housing, especially for the money it charges. When roommates caused problems, management didn't offer a real fix, only suggested I move apartments, even if I wasn't the one at fault. They still charged $100 to move. I was also fined $100 because my roommate put the trash out incorrectly, on the grounds that I should have told him how to do it. Something broke almost every month, or we'd get just a few hours' notice that internet, power, or another essential service would be out for the rest of the day, with no solution offered. The common areas are laughable, just an excuse to charge nearly $300 in an amenity fee. Housekeeping was a joke too. They seemed to enter apartments looking for things to fine, and sometimes left lights on so they could charge for excessive electricity use. The location sounds convenient at first, but construction and traffic noise go on 24/7, making it hard to rest or study. The surrounding streets are full of homeless people, and walking there feels unsafe, especially at night. If you're coming to Vancouver to study, you can find much better housing elsewhere. Don't give your money to people who don't care about you or show you basic respect.

I had to leave the residence for seven hours during bed bug treatment, and there were two treatments during my one-month stay. They put students in a unit that still needed treatment because there were bed bugs, without telling them before check-in. When I complained, they avoided or ignored me. The community coordinator even talked behind my back and called me sooo annoying. The photos on the website and in reviews aren't what my room was like. It was waaaaaay smaller, and I found dead bed bugs there. More than one. Believe me, I've been there. Be careful. I hate that I have to give them even one star. They don't deserve any.

The location and view were nice, but management was horrible, the place was dirty and shabby, and there was no service. There was snot on the walls from previous tenants. I found 16 bed bugs and they expected me to sleep in that bed for four more nights while they arranged treatment. They didn't offer me a proper room, so I went to a hotel and then found other accommodation. The landlord still won't cover the temporary hotel cost or the damage from the treatment, including washing clothes at at least 55°C. They must have known about the bugs, since the waste bin was full of them before I moved in. I had a hard time getting out of the tenancy too, and had to invoke several parts of BC tenancy law that the landlord had broken.

The best part was the community. During my year-plus in a shared room, I met interesting people from around the world, and the common areas were always lively. It was easy to get around by public transit, and shops and restaurants were within walking distance. The location was a real highlight, with mountain views on one side, Granville bridge in another direction, sunset beach on the third, and Vancouver streets on the fourth. The hostel was clean and well kept, with the amenities needed for a comfortable stay, comfy beds, and plenty of storage. For an affordable student place with great views and a vibrant community, I would recommend it.