Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Hi guys, wondering if you can give me a bit of advice.

Friend and I will be arriving in Whistler in September on our first IEC visas. We land in Van on the 26th and will be staying in a hostel there for one or two nights (yet to book) whilst we get everything sorted before getting the Greyhound to Whistler and searching for accommodation and jobs.

Just wondering what the recommended form of accommodation is whilst we are job hunting and looking for a place to rent long term? (we will be sorting out the latter first)

First ones I've been looking at are hostels but then I've found a couple of lodges that work out cheaper or at the same price.

For anybody who has experience in working at Whistler, how long do you think we will need to stay in short term accommodation before we find long term? At the moment I've just been looking at the prices for a week but maybe two weeks would be better in case we don't find something right away?

Thanks very much for anybody who can help. I'm constantly asking questions on here, thank you all for your never ending patience :thumbsup:

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Not sure which is better, but wherever you are going to book, use TripAdvisor to check out the reviews. IF you read through reviews you'll probably find reviews from people who have stayed for a few weeks and that should give you a bit of insight.

Good luck!

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Some of the chain hotels will give you reduced rates for longer stays, you get less housekeeping, maybe once a week but that's fine. You would need to contact them direct. Motel 6 is always the cheapest in a town, it's part of their policy.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

As for Vancouver, I stayed in a hostel close to Main Street Station opposite the Ivanhoe pub. I was quite surprised to find that there was a metal bar on the ground floor with live music.

I wouldn't recommend it.

I believe there is a hostel above Finch's Cafe, which has the best sandwiches in Vancouver. That's much better than a live metal band every night.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Thanks very much everyone. We're going to book them next week. The flight date is getting ever closer :)

Thanks again Matt! I appreciate the recommendations, we will avoid the heavy metal one like the plague!

Seeing as you've been there and done it, how long do you recommend that we stay in temp accommodation for once we get to Whistler? Did you manage to find a place to live and a job fairly quickly or was it a bit longer than you thought it would be?

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

For Vancouver look at the YMCA Hotel.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

The hostel on Granvillle downtown in Vancouver is not bad, stayed there for a week 2 years ago, clean, quiet, and they don't permit locals to stay, so everyone is a visitor to the city, mostly Australians when I was there and some British folks.

Its Hostelling International or something of that sort.

As for Whistler, I know of people who get a job in a day, and I know of people who are never able to secure employment there, so all depends on you and luck.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

No Motel 6 in BC as far as I know, none in Vancouver or Whistler region, and none come up on their website for BC.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

I never lived in Whistler, so I can't really give much info. I stayed in Vancouver as it's a decent sized city (it's about the same size as Manchester, which is where I grew up) and it had mountains for skiing, beaches for the summer, etc.

But, anyway, I stayed in the hostel for two weeks (I even checked out the metal bar, which had questionable bathrooms) and I found a job a week after moving into an apartment.

I did work for a timeshare based in Whistler, I've been trying to get ahold of the operations manager for someone on here but she doesn't appear to be around much, however I'm told that the best jobs are I'm restaurants or bars, as tips are quite generous. I don't know if you want to focus in that area or whatever.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

The most cost effective option in Whistler would be for you to find a sublet for a few weeks. People often rent out there rooms whilst travelling of whilst away for something else.
You could also check out the UBC place which is currently renting rooms for just over $400 a month on craigslist, That's a month for the price of 2 weeks in a hostel.

How long it takes you to find a place really depends, but I'd say your looking at 2 weeks at least in temporary accom. Your arriving dead season but theres still always lots of people looking to move. Your more likely to find a place for the 1st of the month

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Hi Nymeria

Which airport are you flying from?

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Thank you to everyone who has replied! You're all so helpful.

Thanks very much Matt. Looks like two weeks in temporary accommodation is going to be our best bet once we get to Whistler.

I have been thinking about bar work more than any other job, I have bar experience and as you said, the tips would be welcomed! Going to apply for the Serve It Right certificate in a few weeks. I would take any job though but a bar job would be great.

Thanks so much tee for the helpful recommendations! I'm going to look into the UBC. Is that in Whisler or Van? Two weeks in temp acom it's going to be for sure I think!

Me and my friend will probably want to move on to somewhere else come summer so I just hope we don't have a lot of difficulty finding somebody willing to rent just for six months or whatever. That's my biggest concern :unsure:

Hi! We're flying from Manchester! How about you? Where you headed to?

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

UBC is in Vancouver.

If you take a 12 month rental agreement, you're entitled to sublet in BC. Once a rental agreement is 6 months or more, it's your right as a tenant. It's not to be taken lightly though - you're ultimately on the hook for the hook for the terms of the rental agreement.

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Hi

Flying from Manchester are you on the 12 noon flight? Headed to Vancouver

Re: Most cost effective accommodation? Hostel, lodge, hotel?!
 

Just to let you know, I did my serving it right certificate a few weeks ago. Really easy and it's multiple choice at the end but do allow an hour or two to read through the online learning material and take the little mini tests after each section

Also if you can and when you have printed and signed it, I would advice laminating the certicate ( it's credit card sized) but stops it getting damaged or ruined with water or you could just email it to yourself and print another one out :)