British Columbia Accommodation - Best Places To Stay in BC

Vancouver Hotels:

British Columbia Accommodation:

If you are looking to combine some of the best scuba diving in the world, with one of the best cities in the world and one of the finest hotels in the world, then you are in luck when you book your scuba diving adventure holiday in British Columbia.

You can do all the booking yourself, or contact us or our preferred travel agent to plan your diving in British Columbia for you.

Here in British Columbia, we are fortunate to have the only 2008 AAA / CAA rated 5 Star Hotel in Canada, and we actually have 2 of them!

Wherever you are considering for your dive holiday, search all of the major hotel search engines at once with HotelsCombined to ensure you get the best rates:

My Favourite Vancouver Hotel

The views of Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, and the North Shore ski mountains are incredible!

They have a beautiful marina, great on-site and nearby restaurants (like Cardero's), great spas, boat rentals near by, and are within minutes of Vancouver’s world-famous Stanley Park and cruise ship terminals.

In Stanley Park, you can walk, ride, jog or roller-blade along Vancouver’s incredible Seawall, or visit the beautiful Vancouver Aquarium.

All after a fantastic day of diving in British Columbia.

The location, amenities and views can’t be beat - and the prices aren't too bad either?

Vancouver's 5 Star Hotels

This is one of Vancouver's most beautiful boutique hotels, which is a regular Condé Nast Traveler Gold List favourite and one of Travel and Leisure’s Top 500 hotels.

Several of Vancouver’s best dive shops are close by and pick-up and drop-off service can be arranged.

After your best dives, you can return to the hotel and be just steps away from the arts and entertainment districts, and within walking distance of the chic boutiques on Robson Street - one of Canada's most popular shopping areas.

Where else can you experience some of the world’s best dive locations, check out of your British Columbia accommodation Five Star Hotel in the morning, and check into another 5 Star Hotel in the afternoon, before going skiing at one of the best ski resorts in the world?

The Four Seasons Resort in Whistler has just received the AAA/CAA 5 Star Award, and is the perfect place to unwind after a day of diving and skiing. If it’s in your budget, this is the way to go for year round pampering and excitement!

You can always choose to have a trained Vancouver travel agent and a scuba diving safaris host put together your scuba diving vacation for you.

Vancouver's 4 Star Hotels

If gambling is your thing (not under the water though!) you may want to consider staying in Richmond, British Columbia, which is very near the Vancouver International Airport and only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, British Columbia.

The River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond is about 20 minutes away from downtown, and in addition to the gambling venues, there are always other exciting shows and concerts going on.

British Columbia accommodation at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport is close by and is also a great hotel even if it is right at the airport.

There are other very nice 4 Star hotels in downtown Vancouver, close to the waterfront, dive shops and within easy walking distance to some great shopping, entertainment, and sight seeing.

Some dive charter operators and my scuba diving safaris host can also arrange for a pick-up and drop-off service to your Vancouver hotel.

The following British Columbia accommodation Vancouver hotels have earned their 4 Star Award and are all worthy of your consideration:

• The Four Seasons Hotel – Vancouver

• Hotel Le Soleil - Vancouver

• Hyatt Regency - Vancouver

• Pan Pacific – Vancouver

• Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre

• The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

• The Fairmont Waterfront - Vancouver

• The Wedgewood Hotel and Spa – Vancouver

• Westin Bayshore Hotel & Resort

• The Westin Grand – Vancouver

• Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown

There are also many other hotels in or near Vancouver that are a little more economical.

If you wish to spend more on diving in British Columbia and other adventure activities while in Vancouver, and less on Vancouver accommodation, I found the following link to provide the most all-inclusive search (and best prices!) of all the major hotel review sites:

You can sort all of Vancouver's hotels by popularity, cost, stars, etc., and can read reviews to help make your decision.

If you're not booking through us or our recommended travel agent, be sure to ask for CoolDives.com pricing.

Victoria Hotels

This is our capital city and is a great tourist place to visit.

Read Rodale Scuba Diving Magazine's British Columbia accommodation's article about a two day dive holiday in Victoria, and then plan your stay here.

My Favourite Victoria Hotel

The amenities, service, location and attitude of the employees tried to ensure I had a great stay - and I did.

This great British Columbia accommodation is just minutes from Ogden Point, one of Victoria’s best dive sites.

After you are done relaxing, all of Victoria’s best restaurants, tourist attractions, sights, brew pubs, and shopping amenities are just minutes away.

If you are exhausted from your day of diving, stay on-site or use their convenient shuttle bus.

Victoria's 4 Star Hotels

The following hotels have earned the AAA/CAA Four Star Hotel Award and are all in very convenient locations:

• Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa

• Hotel Grand Pacific - Victoria

• Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour

• Prior House Bed & Breakfast Inn

• The Fairmont Empress – Victoria

• The Magnolia Hotel & Spa – Victoria

No matter what your budget is, I found the following link to provide the most all-inclusive search for Victoria hotels (and best prices!) of all the major hotel review sites:

You can sort all of Victoria's hotels by popularity, cost, stars, etc., and can read reviews to help make your decision.

If you're not booking through us or our recommended travel agent, be sure to ask for CoolDives.com pricing.

Sunshine Coast Accommodation

My favorite place is the Sunshine Coast Resort. Follow the link for more details, and if you book with CoolDives.com for three nights or more at the resort during prime dive season you get your fourth night free.

They have several price levels, and hotel style rooms all the way up to luxurious penthouse suites and stand-alone, fully private, luxury cottages overlooking Pender harbour.

For other hotel information, check out this hotel review and pricing site:

Nanaimo Hotels

I would consider the following Nanaimo, British Columbia accommodation places as being clean and providing good service.

My Favourite Nanaimo Hotel

This hotel is quite small but the owners, Marlene and Dave, have done a great job of making this hotel in Nanaimo very diver friendly. Besides having a friendly and accommodating service attitude, the rooms and grounds are immaculate.

Combine that with a dedicated rinse station for divers and snorkelers, dryers for your wet clothes and an ‘after-checkout’ shower room to clean off before you leave for your next dive site, this is by far the best place to stay in Nanaimo – and is very reasonably priced too.

This is also a great place to use as your home base while scuba diving at great spots further north, since it is conveniently located mid - Vancouver Island, near great highways and several ferry terminals.

Marlene and David will provide you with all the information you need to have a great scuba diving holiday in and around Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Nanaimo's 3+/- Star Hotels

• Coast Bastion Inn – Nanaimo

• Best Western Dorchester Hotel – Nanaimo

• The Grand Hotel – Nanaimo

• Best Western Northgate Inn – Nanaimo

• Buccaneer Inn – Nanaimo

If you are planning on diving in Nanaimo and are planning your trip by yourself, I found the following link to provide the most all-inclusive search for Nanaimo hotels (and best prices!) of all the major hotel review sites:

You can sort all of Nanaimo's hotels by popularity, cost, stars, etc., and can read reviews to help make your decision.

If you're not booking through us or our recommended travel agent, be sure to ask for CoolDives.com pricing.

Chemainus Hotels

They also offer Romance packages, train sight-seeing packages, golf get-away packages, and theatre packages to compliment your mural viewing and diving in Chemainus holiday.

Northern Vancouver Island Hotels

With some fantastic scuba diving opportunities in towns like Campbell River and Port Hardy, there are sure to be a lot of changes made to these towns in the next few years. For now though, there are some nice hotels but not a lot of 'high-end' hotels in these areas.

There are however, some great fishing resorts and scuba dive lodges in the area, but I haven’t had the opportunity to visit many of them yet.

Since I haven’t spent time in hotels here, I can’t provide you with an opinion. However you can click on the links below for pricing and availability of hotels and resorts in the area, along with reviews from other visitors:

Campbell River

Port Hardy

If you are coming to British Columbia for several days or more of diving at one of these more remote locations, I suggest experiencing true West Coast hospitality at a scuba diving trip resort or on a recommended scuba diving liveaboard.

Please remember to complete a review of your British Columbia accommodation to help other divers plan their trip: