My husband, 20 y/o son and I stayed at Sunset Inn and suites on 3 occasions on our recent trip to Canada in May. I found Sunset Inn on Tripadvisor and booked due to the excellent reviews. It was our first trip to Canada and we were meeting our son there who was traveling around Canada and Central America.

Initially we stayed 4 nights in an Executive one bedroom apartment. We were thrilled with the size, layout and decor. The location was close to everywhere we wanted to explore by foot and Vancouver is pretty much flat so is very pedestrian friendly. Our room was at the back of the building (level 8) and as warned by a previous reviewer, you could hear garbage trucks each morning servicing the businesses lining Davie Street. It became a ritual that we accepted...the hotel is in the heart of a major city after all. The views from our apartment overlloked the city and there were limited views of the mountains surrounding Vancouver. We were quite charmed.

The second stay was just overnight before a cruise to the Inside Passage when we returned from a 10 day self drive trip through the Rockies. The staff welcomed us back and made us feel like regular guests and very welcomed. This time our room was in a corner executive one bedroom apartment. It was a slightly different layout to the first but was positioned at the front of the building. It is much quieter on this side and the views were gorgeous. We overlooked Burrard bridge and I particularly enjoyed sitting on the verandah as the weather had warmed up considerably in just 2 weeks.

After the cruise and a short visit to Seattle we returned for our final 2 nights before traveling back to Australia. I think the best was saved until last. Our apartment was on level 11 (top level) in room 1104. The views were stunning. From the living room and kitchen windows we could see both Burrard and Granville Islands. It was Memorial Day weekend, the weather was wonderful (summer weather) and sitting on the verandah and watching life unfold on the streets, nearby rooftops and the waterways was sheer bliss. Would absolutely request this room if we return (and although we had not planned on returning to Canada, we loved it so much that we will return in a couple of years).

So, here is a breakdown of Sunset Inn and Suites as we found it.

Location: Central to Downtown and offers options on walking or is close to public transport. We visited in Spring so walking everywhere was a delight for the senses. Flowers were everywhere in abundance and the trees were green with new growth. The locals were taking advantage of the balmy weather so 'people watching' was a delight in neighbourhood parks, squares etc. We were so close to take away and 'eat-in' restaurants that we took advantage of both and ate in our apartment on a couple of nights.

Apartments:
We could not fault the lay out, decor or cleanliness. A friend who visited (she lives over in Kitsilano) was so impressed with all 3 apartments that she is going to recommend Sunset Inn and Suites to all of her overseas and Canadian friends if staying in Vancouver. The decor is very cozy. It really did feel more like a home than a bland and sterile hotel. The furniture was comfortable and attractive. So much cupboard room...more than we have at home. Spacious and well laid out.
Each of the apartments was slightly different from the other so it was fun returning to a slightly different layout to the previous. There is only a shower over the bath which was not a problem for us bit if you have mobility problems and can't manouvre this situation, you may have difficulty here. I did not inquire if there was a 'wheelchair friendly' apartment but there may be one.

The full but small kitchens (these are apartments in the city so this is to be expected) were beautifully furnished and equipped. Black marble bench tops over wood cupboards. There was ample crockery, utensils and cooking equipment for a family of 4 people.

Sunset Inn does not have 2 bedroom apartments and our son slept on the foldout couch in the lounge room. This was comfortable and he slept well.

Cleanliness:
Immaculate. The team of women who service the apartments are friendly, efficient and very hard working. Our last weekend was a holiday weekend and the hotel was absolutely full but the standard was still exceptional. Each day our room was serviced beautifully. Thank you ladies.

Parking:
We only took advantage of the free parking at the end of our first stay when we collected our hire car. This is an absolute bonus for those with their own vehicles as parking in other Vancouver hotels does add on considerably to your holiday costs.

Breakfast:
Breakfast is collected by the guests from the front foyer area each morning and taken up to enjoy in your own apartment. The first couple of times I only saw one or two others there but on the last weekend there was quite a long queue waiting to load up their trays. This very small, and not very convenient location to gather breakfast items is very 'tight'. It is situated near the lifts and is on the main passageway in and out of the hotel. Staff linen trolleys need to access this route also. Obviously the management have limited options to locate the breakfast items but it would be a real bonus if a larger space was available.

As stated by previous reviewers breakfast consists of 2 choices of cereal, quite a few options of breads and fresh fruit (apples, oranges and bananas). There is also tea, coffee and orange juice although you can make your own hot drinks in your apartment

Access to apartments:
Two elevators service the hotel. They are very slow and are used by the housekeeping staff so there can be 'longish' waits...especially frustrating at breakfast time when trying to return to your apartment. This should not deter you from staying here. It adds to the character of the hotel.

Front desk staff:
I can't rave about the front desk staff enough. They were always helpful and friendly, even when we first arrived at midnight after our trip over from Australia. We always felt welcomed and indeed each time we left or returned, we felt like family as the staff chatted about where we were headed off to or asked about our adventures on our return.
Despite being exceptionally run off their feet on our last stay, they still managed to be friendly and efficient. Despite the 4 o'clock check in time, we arrived back from one of our trips late in the morning and were provided with the keys to our apartment on arrival. What an unexpected bonus! They were more than eager to accommodate our requests and happily stored our luggage for a few hours after check out before we were ready to head off to the airport on our final day.

Overall impression and recommendation:
We were all so impressed with Sunset Inn and Suites. The staff, location, decor, cleanliness and apartment amenities exceeded our expectations. We are back home in Australia and still miss the Sunset Inn!!! Staying here really was one of the highlights of our trip. Would I recommend the Sunset Inn and Suites to others? In a heart beat. Do not pay the inflated prices for a sterile and impersonal luxury hotel. Stay here and feel welcomed by the wonderful staff and nurtured by the beautiful accommodation. You will LOVE it here. We certainly did.

Thank you Michael and please pass on our thanks to your wonderful staff. You run an excellent establishment.

Visited Vancouver with my family of four for a week of exploring the city. Sunset Inn and Suites turned out to be a perfect choice for our particular plans. It is very close to Sunset Beach, which the kids loved and visited every day. It is a 10-15 walk to downtown Granville street and the skytrain station. The water taxi (False Creek Ferries) has a stop right on Sunset Beach to get anywhere on False Creek, including Granville Island. And the location is just far enough off busy Davie that it is quiet at night. We all slept soundly and had no trouble getting around the city without a car.

Vancouver is a walking city and Sunset Inn is located in a very pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. We traveled with my 9 month old grandson so the size of the room, the convenience of the kitchenette with large dining table, LARGE sitting area, beautiful bed linens and the quiet hall made our stay 5 night stay "almost like home!" The hotel staff was very friendly and the complimentary breakfast was also a good bonus. Great views from one of the rooms, free dvd rentals AND a pack and play in-house made us very glad for our choice. Every night we chose a terrific carry-out from restaurants that lined the street two blocks away. Would definitely stay there again.