Times Square Suites Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a compact apartment building on the corner of Robson and Denman in Vancouver's West End — a block packed with ramen shops, sushi buffets, cafes, a well-known donut spot, and the supermarkets locals actually shop at. That is Times Square Suites Hotel, which deliberately positions itself as an apartment-hotel rather than a regular hotel. Most rooms are studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom suites with noticeably more space than the standard hotel rooms in this neighborhood. You walk in to a living area with a sofa, TV, and dining table, and beyond that a full 5-piece kitchen with an electric stove, oven, microwave, a house-size fridge, and a dishwasher, stocked with plates, bowls, pots, pans, and utensils so you can cook from the first minute. The bathroom hides its own washer-dryer in a closet — small touches like that are exactly why families and long-stay guests love it. The decor is not slick boutique; it leans into a warm, homey feel with soft tones, plush carpet, and good beds that plenty of reviews call comfortable. People on their third or fourth Vancouver trip often come back here because it feels like coming home.

Food and amenities

What makes Times Square Suites different is the rooftop with a free BBQ grill. Guests just haul up their own meat, seafood, vegetables, and drinks; up top there is bench seating and an open feel, looking out over the West End apartment blocks with the tall trees of Stanley Park and a shimmer of English Bay in the distance. Grilling steak and fresh salmon at golden hour with the family is the kind of experience you will not get at a hotel in the same price band. For kids, the hotel provides a free crib and a high chair at no extra charge — just ask at the desk at check-in. The suites are roomy enough for kids to run around without crashing into furniture, and the front-desk team is a real strength: many reviews praise how warm they are with children, remembering kids' names and pointing parents to playgrounds in Stanley Park. There is no gym or pool in the building, but there is free Wi-Fi throughout, underground parking for a fee, an elevator, and a 24-hour front desk. For a workout, Stanley Park on the corner is a far better natural gym than any in-building fitness room.

Location and getting there

Location is the trump card that has kept families loyal for years. The hotel sits on the corner of Robson Street and Denman Street, two of the West End's busiest streets — Robson is the main shopping street running from Stanley Park into downtown, while Denman is the food street, lined with ramen shops, sushi buffets, the legendary Lee's Donuts, cafes, and supermarkets for self-catering. Step out the door and it is a 3-minute walk to the Stanley Park entrance, a city park bigger than New York's Central Park, then about 5 minutes more to English Bay, Vancouver's best sunset-watching beach. Cyclists can rent a bike on Denman and ride the 10-kilometre Seawall loop around Stanley Park. Getting around town, buses 5 and 6 stop in front of the hotel and reach downtown and Gastown in a few stops, or you can just walk, since downtown is under 15 minutes away. Burrard SkyTrain station (Expo Line) is about a 15-minute walk, and from there it is an easy ride to the airport or Richmond. It suits families who would rather skip the rental car and explore the city on foot.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The thing reviews mention most is that the building is fairly old — it was converted into a hotel rather than built new, so the decor in some rooms looks dated, from wall colors to furniture to carpet. Anyone hoping for a modern boutique vibe may find it a little grandma's-house, though cleanliness and upkeep in most rooms are still fine. Second, there is only one small elevator, so at busy check-in or check-out times you can wait 5 to 10 minutes, especially with several large bags or a stroller; arriving mid-morning or early afternoon when it is quieter is easier. Third, there is no gym, no pool, and no spa, no restaurant, and no breakfast buffet — this is an apartment stay, not a full-service resort, so you cook for yourself or walk out to the neighborhood's restaurants. Underground parking is available but costs extra per night, so budget for that if you are driving. And on rainy nights or when there is something on in the West End, traffic noise from Denman can carry into street-facing rooms — ask for a room facing Robson or an interior unit.

Our take

After reading hundreds of real reviews from Agoda, Booking, and Tripadvisor, Times Square Suites Hotel is a near-perfect answer for families who want to live like actual Vancouverites. The draw is not luxury; it is the full kitchen, in-room laundry, rooftop BBQ, and Stanley Park on the corner that together turn a long 5-to-7-night trip with small kids into something easy and affordable. If your mental picture is making pancakes for the kids in your own kitchen, walking into Stanley Park at 9am, coming back to throw in a load of laundry during nap time, then heading up for a rooftop BBQ as the sun sets behind English Bay — this place nails it. If you expect a sleek modern hotel with a pool, a gym, and a full breakfast spread, the price here may not be your answer. Overall we give it 9.0/10, best for families, long trips, and repeat visitors who want to drop the usual hotel routine and try local life in the West End.