Have you been to a place and thought of going back . . . soon? Then you realized years have passed and nothing happened to the plan. And that’s not part of the plan.
I’ve been thinking of going back at Vancouver in British Columbia (BC) then I remembered my plan to write a review about Budget Inn Patricia Hotel where I stayed for a night which is enough experience for me. ( You’ll find out later why.)
What holding me back is that I’m still waiting for the result of the housing loan application I submitted almost a month ago.
Well, I’m not in a hurry. And still excited because I’ve seen the good and the not so good part of Vancouver. I know I can make better decision. With my review, I hope you can do the same with my honest, based-on-experience review.
Note: I don’t have photos of Patricia Hotel which made me wonder why since I always have my mobile phone with me. Anyway you can see many photos of the hotel through comparison websites but become observant. You’ll know why in the review.
My Review of Budget Inn Patricia Hotel
I only spent one night in what is now called Patricia Hotel (formerly Budget Inn Patricia Hotel). Searching online, I can’t find any information when the name has changed. Most of the travel comparison sites still use Budget Inn Patricia Hotel.
The Patricia Hotel has been situated in the corner of East Hastings and Dunlevy Street since 1910 and that explains why it looks . . . well old. That shouldn’t be a problem right, especially if you like history and antiquities.
This post is the first hotel review that I’ve written. I wrote with authenticity which I’ll continue to do.With that in mind, let it be known that I have nothing against the company or to anyone that might be offended.
The Pros
1. The location is closed to downtown Vancouver. The bus stops are near the hotel; from there I was able to visit Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, steam clock in Gastown, and Stanley Park.
2. The price is low compare to other hotels closed to downtown Vancouver. Back then, I didn’t know much about travel comparison websites but I managed to find Patricia Hotel. I can’t find my receipt but I remember it was more than $100.00 a night for a small bedroom with two beds.
3. The staff were accommodating to the guests. I can’t add more about this since the only interaction I had with the staff was when I checked in and out. That was it. Never had any issues.
Are you looking for more? I can’t think of any more pros but I have lots to write about the cons because as I’ve said, I write with honesty though I am hesitant especially with this post.
Otherwise, why bother writing anyway. I’ll do something else like binge listening to a personal finance podcast. (It’s my current obsession.)
Although I don’t have photos of the hotel, I found a video showing the outside and inside of the Budget Inn Patricia Hotel. Watching it, amazed me in a lot of ways, one of which is that it looks neat especially from the outside.
The Cons
I felt uncomfortable doing this but I have to get use to it anyway. (Maybe that’s why it took me years to write a review of Budget Inn Patricia Hotel.) Feel free to disagree or agree with the cons or even with the pros.
1. The photos on the website are impressive. This is a disadvantage you may ask? It is for the guest. I don’t have any idea what a hotel looks like so I rely on what I can find online. The images online, virtual tour on Patricia Hotel’s website, and especially the video ad on Facebook doesn’t resemble the hotel in person.
It’s the same structure but less impressive. It could be the lighting and a very good photographer which we could all learn from. Conclusion: Things are not what it seem when relying on online photos.
2. The room of flaws. What part shall I start with. The room is smaller than what I expected for two beds. The floor made a sound with every step; it made me think at one point that my feet will get buried at any moment. The bathroom is small which is not a deal breaker for me at all.
I wasn’t paying attention when I booked online and didn’t realize that the room has NO air condition. It was only a night so I put up with it. Even though it was summer, I could have stay longer than a day.
Then I discovered something so little that made me felt happy that I won’t be sleeping for another night at the hotel.
The bed seemed clean, then at one point, I found something small crawling on the bed. Was it a bed bug? I’m not sure though. Looking back made me cringed what if it is what I thought it was. It seemed like I’m referring to Lord Voldemort or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”
This is the part that makes me more uncomfortable and maybe you are too. Honesty comes with discomfort. Some of the reviews in comparison websites also mentioned that they have found a bed bug in Budget Inn Patricia Hotel.
This experience will make me think more than twice when booking for a hotel online especially if the price is low then it becomes lower.
Is it possible that other hotels in Vancouver have these critters lurking around their rooms waiting to be discovered or remained undetected.
Did you have the same experience? How did you deal with it? I’m asking for advice so that I’ll know what to do if the unfortunate encounter happens again. I hope not.
3. The environment is disturbing. I’m not exaggerating and not referring to the Budget Inn Patricia Hotel anymore.
The East Hastings Street is unlike any place I’ve seen before. If I didn’t check in at the hotel then I wouldn’t have known the disturbing reality in another side of Vancouver.
What am I saying? Here it goes. The streets are filled with addicts lurking the street night and day. Some are walking. Others are sleeping on the street. Down and out people are everywhere.
At first I noticed a few homeless or maybe drugged people near the hotel. But when I took a bus to go to Stanley Park, I saw the rest of East Hastings Street. I can’t believe what I saw.
Why in a modern, civilized society, this part of Vancouver, seemed like a scene of apocalypse from a movie on which zombies are roaming aimlessly.
From not so distant I saw a tourist bus passing by E Hastings Street and I wondered if they have seen what was going on.
What bothered me for the most part was that, the unsettling condition is the norm.
The doors of the hotel was locked at night; if you happen to arrive at the hotel at night, a staff will open the door then lock again.
At night, looking down the street, you can hear noise of stoned individuals who seemed to can’t tell whether it’s night or day. Thoughts are high up on the cloud yet bodies are trapped on the ground. When will a sensible consciousness save them in this realm. When will they save themselves, if they can?
Come to think of it, there is far more problem in the society we should be concerned of other than bed bugs in hotels.
What Others are Saying About Patricia Hotel
I’ve mentioned a lot of things in the review that I’ll leave it up to you decide if what I’ve written was believable. If you need more information, keep on reading.
When I was searching for a hotel in Vancouver, I’ve read mixed reviews in Tripadvisor. I’ve been warned about addiction in the area but seeing is entirely different than reading. Maybe I had to see it for myself to believe it. Sadly, it exceeded my expectation.
I suggest you to read the reviews in travel comparison websites. The hotel’s guests have written reviews that could pass as sci-fi non-fiction chapter of a novel. Go see for yourself and you’ll know what I mean.
After reading my review of Budget Inn Patricia Hotel and other reviews, and still you decided to book online at the hotel, I’ll show you how I booked online so keep on reading.
How to Book Online
When I was done browsing for a cheap hotel in Vancouver on Tripadvisor, I booked online for a standard twin room in the hotel’s website.
The deposit was charged on my credit card. Print a copy of the receipt so you can show it to the reception when checking in and don’t forget to ask for the Wifi account.
The deposit was refunded but I can’t recall exactly how many days after the trip in Vancouver. I did some digging in my files and found the receipt:
Room Charges – $99.00
GST – $4.95
PST – $9.90
Total – $113.85
I have to get used to pay the PST (provincial sales tax) which is twice the GST. In Alberta, we only pay the GST, the perks of living in an oil-driven economy province.
When I checked in, my card was charged $200.00 which is probably the deposit then I received the receipt for $113.85 when I checked out. Looking at the receipt somewhat confuses me now. But I can guarantee that I didn’t have any issues with the payment/refund.
The price in July to September is the highest ($109.00 and up) compare to spring and winter. Use a comparison website like Tripadvisor to get cheaper rate. Check the availability also on the hotel’s website before booking online.
As most of the reviewers have said (on which I also agree), you get what you pay for. But I also believe that you can get the best hotel deal if you know where to look and when to book online.
How to Get to Patricia Hotel
The website has different instruction on how to get there. As for me, I boarded the bus from downtown Vancouver. If you are spending several days in Vancouver, don’t forget to buy a DayPass for travelling via SkyTrain, bus, and SeaBus.
Contact Information:
Location: 403 East Hastings Street Vancouver BC, V6A 1P6
Phone: (604) 255-4301
Toll Free: 1-888-926-1017
Fax: (604) 254-7154
Email: info@patriciahotel.ca
Website and Facebook
Final Thoughts
My experience with Patricia Hotel has made me open minded of what to expect in a hotel if I choose a cheap hotel online. I may find a good deal or not.
In one way or another I have to experience this, if not, I will in other countries or hotels. The point is, it will happen at some point. Unless, I become a millionaire and book only on five-star hotel.
There will always be flaws in every places I go to but in the end the experience thought me to keep calm and make an escape/contingency plan.
Every experience makes us a better traveler every time. So I’ll keep travelling, discovering places and cultures, and meeting people. All I have to figure out now is when to execute the plan. Here’s the travel bug again. Why does it keep on bugging me?
What about you, what do you want to visit in Vancouver? Where do you plan to stay? Share your thoughts and suggestions.
Other Resource: Frugal Traveler – a New York Times Blog
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