Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Vancouver (City Guide)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A very good book and a big help on our recient trip, but I do want to update one section in particular. We went up the tram to Grouse Mountain and were lucky to have a clear winter night and the view was spectacular, the snow, lit for skiers was a fairyland, the city below, a carpet of sparkling light, however, I would like to state that the restaurant was far better than you suggest. It has been renovated and has a new chef and management. It was terrific in every way, service, decor and food. While somewhat up-scale, it is well worth the cost. We told them we would let you know of the changes.

I read reviews of the last version and the Lonely Planet people have really taken on board the feedback people gave. Its easy to read, VERY up to date and has some great additions. A great top 10 things to do in Vancouver, it details the top restaurants, good summaries of local areas etc. Its a brilliant overview and now we have our trip all maped out! Its well laid out and the use of color is helpful too. One of the best city guides I've seen.

This is an excellent, well-written book which identifies the best that the city of Vancouver has to offer. It is clearly written with current references. The author has a smooth, exuberant style which makes the book a "keeper". Highly recommended for both tourists and natives alike.

Whether you are planning to visit Vancouver as a tourist, or you are doing preliminary research about it as a potential permanent destination later in your life, Lonely Planet Vancouver sums it all up nicely for you. The first few pages do a great job of giving the newcomer a birdseye view of the city's composition, lifestyle, culture, etc. The book moves on to cover other aspects from dining to outdoors activities and much more in a detailed yet not overwhelming way.

The only shortcoming this guide (as well as other Lonely Planet books) has is a lack of more pictures, which other series such as DK's Eyewitness Travel Guides excel at. However the competing book about Vancouver in that series is nowhere near as comprehensive as this one.

The book contains a lot of information for sure. The thing is for a first time visitor it does not really provide a big help. Which things are a must to see? The book does not say. Instead the reader is forced to read each every section of the book because the book is divided into sections, each covering a part of the city.

All in all it is a bit disappointing.

The book is organized and is easy to follow. E mail addresses are included when possible. Could update the Chinatown area as it not a safe place for tourists, and this was not mentioned in the book.

I tend to buy a small guide to carry around and a bigger one such as lonely planet that has more indepth information, but this trip I didn't use the lonely planet that much and stuck with the Top 10 travel guide most of the time, although I suppose it helped that I was visiting someone who lives in Vancouver. I highly recommend the top 10 guide (much better to carry around for quick access of info.) The benefit of the Lonely planet guide I think is to use it ahead of time when planning things out and using the book info to supplement internet research.

Perhaps erroneously, I expect Lonely Planet guides to cater to the smart and budget-conscious traveler. Far too many of the hotels and especially the restaurants in this guide were waaay out of my price range. Further, the writer recommends Granville Island as a must-see of artists studios and a farmer's market, when it was actually a Disneyland version of such. Lastly, her chipper enthusiasm for diversity-as-consumer-product chafed. Better to get Douglas Coupland's City of Glass; it's not a guidebook per se, but it's a better guide.

I read the review for the Lonely Planet's Vancouver edition and I would like to clarify one thing. Chinatown is great during the day! There is a point around the main intersection of Chinatown that is unsafe at night but as long as you mind your business you will be just fine.