Atrium Inn Vancouver

The Atrium Inn Vancouver is a value hotel owned by the Aquilini family, who also own the Vancouver Canucks hockey team. From the outside, the concrete building isn't exactly the kind of place that inspires gushing reviews, but inside, it's a different story. The hotel feels far more upscale than most properties in this category, and the lobby has marble floors, marble-top tables, draped curtains, and a fireplace. It all has a distinct Roman-palazzo vibe, and the look borders on over-the-top, but the on-trend colors and attention to detail keep the atmosphere classy. This hotel also happens to be one of the only lodging option in the neighborhood, and makes a fine (and reasonably priced) base to explore some of the more local-feeling corners of the city. Most guests are budget-minded travelers who want easy access to concerts at the PNE Forum or the horse races at Hastings Racecourse. 

The hotel is on busy East Hastings Street, with tons of restaurants, a Starbucks, and plenty of fast-food spots all in the immediate area. This area is known as Hastings North, or the East Village, an up-and-coming part of town that's a little gritty but is home to a growing number of trendy spots like microbreweries and coffee shops within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. The hotel sits right next to a development of entertainment and business venues -- it's a five-minute walk to the PNE Forum, and 10 minutes to Pacific Coliseum and Playland Amusement Park. Casino games and gambling at the Hastings Racecourse are a 15-minute walk from the hotel. Guests can park their cars for free in the hotel's underground garage and hop on the free shuttle to downtown Vancouver or to the cruise port. It's a 15- to 30-minute drive to Chinatown, Stanley Park, English Bay, Granville Island, and the Vancouver Aquarium. The drive to Vancouver International Airport takes half an hour and skiing and snowboarding at Grouse Mountain is also about half an hour away by car. 

Rooms are homey and old-fashioned, and while they are kept clean and well-maintained, stains on the carpeting are common. Furniture has a traditional look, with chunky silhouettes and a dark cherry finish, including dressers that double as stands for 42-inch flat-screen TVs. While interiors are mostly pleasant and done in earth tones like brown and olive green, expect to see slightly dated details like floral wall art, gray mottled wallpaper, and heavy striped drapes and window treatments. Beyond the large TVs, standard features also include desks with office chairs, free Wi-Fi, and coffeemakers. Some rooms have balconies and a select few offer mountain views. Executive Rooms and Junior Suites have sofa beds in sitting areas, plus mini-fridges and microwaves. Traditional Rooms are more affordable, but guests have to pay an extra fee for microwaves and mini-fridges. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combos, generous light marble countertops, and hairdryers. Wheelchair accessible rooms can be requested and pets are welcome for a fee. Keep in mind that rooms on the south side of the hotel facing East Hastings Street will pick up street noise.

There are a good number of features that area  surprising at this hotel, given its two-and-a-half-pearl category. The PressBox Pub -- the hotel's on-site sports bar -- is decorated with hockey memorabilia and has multiple flat-screen TVs. The menu includes a nice-size menu of pub fare and the bar holds events like Trivia Nights on select evenings. A casual breakfast lounge serves a free hot and cold buffet that includes items like eggs and make-your-own pancakes. The fitness center is compact and includes a reasonably modern (but limited) selection of cardio and weight machines. Somewhat surprisingly, there's also a small sauna. The hotel has an atrium ballroom that can hold up to 200 people, plus three other meeting rooms for smaller gatherings. The ballrooms soaring glass ceilings are particularly impressive, and the space is flooded with natural light during the day. Catering is available. There's a computer with a printer in the lobby and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Free parking is available in the hotel's underground garage, and there's a coin-operated laundry room on-site as well.