[- seb]

I could not be any more excited.

Just decided to sell a car and go to Whistler for 2 weeks. Last week of june and first of july.

I already have 2 mates who will be out there at that time, but unfortunately their accommodation is full, so I need to sort out my own.

What are my options? I don't want to spend much, but I don't want super-nasty either

How big is the place? Am I guaranteed to be within a few minutes riding of my mates wherever I stay, or might I end up 5 miles away?

See you monkeys out there - I'll be the slow one riding this: http://www.raceshoot.com/gtdhi2.jpg

 

[- seb]

I forgot to say BRRRAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!

 

[sirbikealot]

look for places that are within a few blocks of the lifts and you'll be fine

but don't book at whistler creek side,a s it is a few miles away

you can get maps of all the hotels with a simple search

 

[Roasted]

If you do a search I have posted many answers to those questions. Basically anything that says "in whistler village" is going to be your best bet. Otherwise you could end up pretty far away.

Whats cheap for you for a night?

Good time to come here. Not tooooo hot yet.

 

[- seb]

£100 a week sounds about right, which is $250CDN/week = $36CDN/night - will I get something decent for that?

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by Roasted
Good time to come here. Not tooooo hot yet.

And hopefully the trails wont have gotten ripped up too much? Morzine suffers bad from braking bumps later in the season. They need to make skidding socially unacceptable

 

[xy9ine]

Originally posted by - seb
£100 a week sounds about right, which is $250CDN/week = $36CDN/night - will I get something decent for that?

you serious? that wont even cover food... most places start @ about $100 per night. there are deals to be had, though. give central reservations a call (whistler website)

 

[Transcend]

Originally posted by - seb
£100 a week sounds about right, which is $250CDN/week = $36CDN/night - will I get something decent for that?

good luck finding that at any intrawest resort. Unless you can find a place with 8-10 friends you wont have a chance.

Look for more like $100/night minimum...

 

[Roasted]

There are some walking rates at 70$ cdn a night. But 35 is way to low. Unless you stay in the hostel or a campsite (neither of which is as close as you want)

Just look for any hotel that says in the village or near marketplace. That will get you pretty close to the base. Right now the Westin is offering a 99$ walkin rate (you can sometimes find online better)

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by Roasted
There are some walking rates at 70$ cdn a night. But 35 is way to low. Unless you stay in the hostel or a campsite (neither of which is as close as you want)

Just look for any hotel that says in the village or near marketplace. That will get you pretty close to the base. Right now the Westin is offering a 99$ walkin rate (you can sometimes find online better)

walking meaning?



Ho hum, I had been looking at places that sleep like 6 and dividing that by 6 figuring I'd be able to fidn somewhere doing a single bed for cheap

Do I have to book in advance, or should I crash with my friend for a day and shop around seeing what I can find while I'm out there?

For that $35 I wasn't expecting meals or anything, just a bed

 

[- seb]

Shoestring lodge:

Summer Rate: Jun 25th - Sep5th

Nightly Weekly Monthly
Queen $75.00 $265.00 $750.00
Double $75.00 $275.00 $825.00
4 Share $19.00 per person $95.00 $290.00

So if I can find 3 other people... hell even if I can't $75 aint too bad

"The lodge is located on the banks of the Fitzsimmins Creek, 1km north of Whistler Village"

so how far in reality is this "1km"? That should be an easy 3 minute ride, but is it on a nasty hill or something?

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by - seb
Shoestring lodge:

Summer Rate: Jun 25th - Sep5th

Nightly Weekly Monthly
Queen $75.00 $265.00 $750.00
Double $75.00 $275.00 $825.00
4 Share $19.00 per person $95.00 $290.00

So if I can find 3 other people... hell even if I can't $75 aint too bad

Thats actually also the hostel and definately one of the cheapest places. But you are a 5 min bike ride from the village (but right above the liqour store and the strip club)

Walk-in rate is a rate you get when you come to the front desk with no reservation. Its taking a chance but the rate is almost always really cheap.

 

[- seb]

OK, so if I turn up in Whistler at the end of June and spend a day walking around the various hotels, am I likely to find s good selection of places, some as cheap or maybe chepaer than 75$ a night, or will everywhere be fully booked?

What'd you do if you were me, knowing what you know and all?

 

[Guntruck]

I don't think any hotel is ever "booked" during the summer. Every time I just walk in and barter with them. The cheapest I've gotten at a real hotel was like 90CDN with 10CDN for parking at Best Western. For one night.

 

[- seb]

OK cool, that's good because it means I don't have to find the money now to pay for it - so I'll just turn up and see what I can find, unless someone tells me otherwise in this thread

 

[blong]

I'll be there for a few days at the end of june into july. look for some guy wearing an ellsworth jersey on a dare.

I was just gunna go up in a van and park somewhere to sleep.

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by blong
I was just gunna go up in a van and park somewhere to sleep.

Yeah, if I lived in the US that's what I'd do too - not an option for me though

 

[Sam B]

If someone you know has a car there. You can sleep in your car for free. The overnight lot is close.

That's what I'm doing a lot this year. Seeing as I have a season pass.

Anything in Whistler's upper village is plenty close to the village. Just don't stay by Blackcombe, Creekside, or any other areas.

 

[Kornphlake]

Originally posted by Sam B
If someone you know has a car there. You can sleep in your car for free. The overnight lot is close.

That seems like a really uncomfortable way to spend a couple of weeks, you may be able to rent a van that's big enough to roll out a sleeping bag in for less than what it'd cost to stay in a hotel, otherwise I'd much prefer to sleep in a real bed after a long day of riding than trying to get comfortable in the front seat of a buddies car.

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by Kornphlake
That seems like a really uncomfortable way to spend a couple of weeks, you may be able to rent a van that's big enough to roll out a sleeping bag in for less than what it'd cost to stay in a hotel, otherwise I'd much prefer to sleep in a real bed after a long day of riding than trying to get comfortable in the front seat of a buddies car.

If the seats recline fully like in my old 200 then it can be pretty comfy

But not an option in this case.

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by - seb
If the seats recline fully like in my old 200 then it can be pretty comfy

But not an option in this case.

If you are gonna try for walking. Goto marketplace. Look for pharmasave. The hotel besides pharmasave is doing a walkin rate for like 70cdn. Last time I checked anyways.

 

[RhinofromWA]

Just hook up with some girl....a different girl everynight

they have to sleep somewhere too.........

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by RhinofromWA
Just hook up with some girl....a different girl everynight

they have to sleep somewhere too.........

LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

 

[Macrider]

Originally posted by - seb
LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

Probably depends on what part of Britain - is it a posh BBC accent? that works pretty well I'd think - Yorkshire or the West Country probably not so well ("Oh you don't wanna go dawn thar...drink nane of thaaat cider, it'll go straight to yer head!"")

also, if you are thinking about staying in a hostel or sleeping in car, you probably ain't rolling like a playa - the ladith like a man with some cash ta spend, dig?

 

[RhinofromWA]

Originally posted by - seb
LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

I don't know. I am an ugly american with no game.



Let us know how you do. Most ladies working up there are probably snowborders that are working/living at Whistler waiting for the snow to come back......they are bored, you are a fresh face in a small town, you are not american. Man, do you need me to turn on the landing lights to guide you in? j/k

*insert sleazy 70's pron music here*

 

[Roasted]

Definately a town to pickup. But keep in mind ratio here is 7 to 1 men to women. Women NEVER have issues so the men work hard to get action from the locals (which is why tourists are so welcome, they are much easier) Its a very difficult town to get action in ...but they are all athletes and fun as hell. (and will drink most people under the table)

And accents work well on some of the girls here. Just not the aussie girls. (gotta try and snag one of those, man are they fun)...

 

[Tenacious Doug]

Originally posted by - seb
LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

They LOVED my Scottish one.


Unfortunately thats about all the love I got from them

 

[formerly poobah]

I know this is ghetto but u could buy some comforters and rent a van. park it close to the lifts and put down the backseat for sleeping

 

[llkoolkeg]

Originally posted by - seb
LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

Yeah, if you're Steve Peat pouring alcohol into women at your own bar! Otherwise, you're Austin Powers with bad gadgets and worse teeth.

When I was there two Summers ago, I had this visually attractive girl from Coquitlam hanging on me for three hours...and I ain't a looker. She even bought me a coupla drinks. We left the bar and smoked up some Golden Haze in my rental Ford Explorer, but before I even had the opportunity to get shot down on a suggestion to head back to the pimp pad in Kitsilano, she "...had to get home." I KNEW I should have pocketed the wedding ring before going in there.

 

[- seb]

Thanks for all your advice everyone.

In summary:

1) Just apid my £386 for return direct flight, London Stansted --> Vancouver

2) Not sorted a transfer yet

3) Going to sort accommodation the day that I turn up

4) And hopefully buy a new helmet then too

5) Along with a brocard and liftpass


So 2 is the only one I need help on - how do you suggest I get from vancouver to whistler, short of a helicopter which seems a bit pricey

 

[Leethal]

the trails in North Van and Squamish you are missing a big piece of the picture, BTW you can camp in Squamish for relatively cheap, just buy a tent at Canadian Tire...

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by - seb
Thanks for all your advice everyone.

In summary:

1) Just apid my £386 for return direct flight, London Stansted --> Vancouver

2) Not sorted a transfer yet

3) Going to sort accommodation the day that I turn up

4) And hopefully buy a new helmet then too

5) Along with a brocard and liftpass


So 2 is the only one I need help on - how do you suggest I get from vancouver to whistler, short of a helicopter which seems a bit pricey

Perimeter. Takes you right from the airport to whistler. A little more expensive than taking the airporter to the bus station then to whistler but a lot less hasstle. Do a 'google' for whistler and perimeter and you will get pricing (a bike will cost you something to transport though)

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by Leethal
the trails in North Van and Squamish you are missing a big piece of the picture, BTW you can camp in Squamish for relatively cheap, just buy a tent at Canadian Tire...

You see I know nothing - how far are these trails from whistler? How would we get there? Is it a case of having to hire a van for a couple of days? What are the age limits on hiring stuff out there?

 

[- seb]

Originally posted by Roasted
Perimeter. Takes you right from the airport to whistler. A little more expensive than taking the airporter to the bus station then to whistler but a lot less hasstle. Do a 'google' for whistler and perimeter and you will get pricing (a bike will cost you something to transport though)

http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/getting_here/trains-buses-taxis/perimeter/index.htm

$130 for return - seems reasonable to me. Is that bus going to be able to cope with a huge bike bag/box though?

Seems a bit slow at 2hr45min though, I kinda figured whistler was only about an hour away _ I guess I was wrong

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by - seb
You see I know nothing - how far are these trails from whistler? How would we get there? Is it a case of having to hire a van for a couple of days? What are the age limits on hiring stuff out there?

Squish is 45 minutes and the shore maybe 1.5 hours.

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by - seb
http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/getting_here/trains-buses-taxis/perimeter/index.htm

$130 for return - seems reasonable to me. Is that bus going to be able to cope with a huge bike bag/box though?

Seems a bit slow at 2hr45min though, I kinda figured whistler was only about an hour away _ I guess I was wrong

1.5 hours at full speed. This bus makes stops along the way (one in squish) and also that 2 hrs 45 from the airport which is really far into vancouver

And yes they are used to taking bikes. You should be fine. (you will probably have to pay extra though, keep that in mind)

 

[shootr]

When you get here.. there is one more option for really inexpensive housing...
You can go up Glacier drive on Blackcomb (there is a bus too, which takes bikes) and see if you can rent rooms in Staff housing..
If you can, it will likely be around $15 can. daily.
It is not right in the village, (as it is up on Blackcomb), but the ride is downhill right to the lift. (and as I said earlier there is a bus for 50c that takes you back up).

I am not sure if they are still doing this, but last year and the year before that and so on.. you could get temporary short term stays in staff housing in the summer, as they are almost completely empty.

PM me before you leave, I will give you my digits and see if I can get some more info on cheap places to stay in town..
I have some friends who live in town who may even have space for you for a few weeks at a very reasonable rate.

 

[CraigH]

Originally posted by Guntruck
I don't think any hotel is ever "booked" during the summer.

They do hold conferences up there during the summer that can fill up a lot of hotels. I'm not sure if they are finished with the convention center renovation though. If not it would be unlikely that there would any big conventions happening.

 

[Roasted]

Originally posted by CraigH
They do hold conferences up there during the summer that can fill up a lot of hotels. I'm not sure if they are finished with the convention center renovation though. If not it would be unlikely that there would any big conventions happening.

The westin actually has the same amount of conference space, so conferences continue without the conference centre

But the renovations are complete too

 

[CraigH]

Originally posted by - seb
LMAO, do canadian chick dig the british accent?

I don't know the current stats, but a few years ago Whistler had the highest STD per capita rate in Canada (North America?), so....

That being said I met my previous girl friend there (about 10 years ago).

It is a party/holiday town so people are usually in a good mood.