Vancouver Olympic Accommodations

Maybe this will be your first Olympics or maybe you have postcards and memories hailing as far back as Salt Lake City, Nagano, Lillehammer, Albertville or even Calgary. Either way, if you're a lover of the luge, sucker for speed-skating, dangerously into downhill or huge on hockey, you will want to find yourself on Lower Mainland or in the Sea To Sky Corridor of Canada's most western province.

The responsibilities of the events themselves are split amongst Vancouver proper, its suburban satellite communities and the world-acclaimed alpine resort of Whistler. And while great lengths have been gone to in order to provide the Olympic athletes with the latest and greatest facilities on the planet, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that the city has no shortage of top-notch accommodations for avid spectators like you as well. We're talking about beautiful Olympic Accommodations that not only provide you and your winter sports-loving crew with a peace and privacy hard to find during an Olympic event but also accommodations that are tailored to you needs and wants - because with this many to choose from, you're chances of finding the Olympic Accommodation of your dreams are as good as the Canadian hockey team's chances of making it to the podium. (for all you first-time Winter Olympic fans, Team Canada's chances are... golden)

Vancouver and Whistler's communities are set against some of the most picturesque areas of the province. So whether you're looking for crazy mountain vistas, ocean panoramas or soaring city views, you'll be no less disappointed looking out as you will be looking in. Coastal British Columbia's Olympic Accommodations will put you as close as you need to be to the events you've come to see. Let's begin in the mountains...

Just 2 hours north of Vancouver along the stunningly beautiful Seas to Sky Highway is the picture-perfect alpine town of Whistler. A European-style resort destination with over 100 restaurants, bars and nightclubs and dozens of shops, Whistler is as much fun off the slopes as it is on. But it's the mountain, or should we say mountains, that provide the main attractions. Whistler shares the recreational responsibilities between its 2 sister peaks, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. And with over 8 thousand acres of skiable terrain, over 200 runs, 38 lifts, 5 snowboard parks, 2 super pipes an 11 kilometre run and a vertical drop of over five thousand feet it's easy to see why this is a town that exceeds any and every expectation. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler will be ground zero for some of the games most exciting events. The Whistler Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain will play home to the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events. After the last medal has been handed out and the cowbells have been put away, the facility will double as both a tourist attraction and a high-performance development centre featuring youth and club programming. Only a few minutes' drive away, Whistler Creekside is home to the alpine skiing events with the Dave Murray Downhill and the Franz Run serving up slalom courses that will thrill the 8 thousand-plus spectators who will be packing onto the mountainside. This area has also been home to many downhill World Cups, hence the aptly-named World Cup Plaza - a strip of bars and restaurants at the foot of the Whistler Creekside Gondola. But it doesn't stop with downhill... By far the most impressive of the new Olympic facilities, Whistler Olympic Park caters to cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping, all within an easy 400 meter walk of each other. Some of the facilities highlights include two sizes of ski jump with state-of-the-art track setting systems and snow refrigeration and the 30-lane fully electronic biathlon stadium. Many of our Olympic Accommodations in this area include fantastic views and most even ski-in, ski-out access.

One of our Whistler Olympic Accommodation we are showcasing is a 7 bedroom luxury home located minutes from the Whistler Sliding Center. This spectacular example of fine Whistler architectural splendour spreads 6000 square feet across 3 levels of luxury living. The vaulted ceilings and great room offer open spaces and comfort, the perfect meeting places for your family or group of friends after a busy day enjoying Whistler. This home has unique features throughout which include an integrated, multimedia room CD-R music system, wine bar, ski/snow boot drying rack, a pool table, an air hockey table, and an outdoor covered 6-person hot tub. For $3,500 CAD per night, this ideal location for you and your family to enjoy everything there is to see and do in Whistler.

Looking for the action of the alpine sports with closer access to Vancouver and the other events? On the North Shore, Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver is home to the freestyle skiing and snowboarding events. Thanks to the Cypress Legacy Project many new opportunities have arisen for First Nations art and culture while venue upgrades have included run modification, a new in-ground half pipe, a freestyle aerial and mogul site and a parallel giant slalom course as well as a snowmaking system. From here, you can look down on the twinkling skyline of Vancouver, home to even more medal-contending excitement. Many of the Vancouver Olympic Accommodations in this area are fine homes tucked away in the many residential neighbourhoods world renowned for their natural setting and beautiful vistas of the city and ocean. Pick from new townhouses, quaint character homes, stately mansion or mountainside estates. Prices range from $800 CAD a night to $2500 a night and beyond.

Canada Hockey Place and Thunderbird Arena are splitting the ice hockey events. Canada Hockey Place usually goes by the name General Motors Place and has a capacity of almost 19 thousand, while the second venue, the 7,200-seat Thunderbird Arena, is only a short drive away on the sprawling campus of the University of British Columbia. Also central to the city is the Vancouver Olympic Centre, home to the curling and wheelchair curling events - a 6,000-seat capacity venue that will double as a multi-purpose community recreation centre come Spring. Stay downtown Vancouver and you can enjoy amazing access to these events as well as an up-close-and-personal encounter with the city's legendary nightlife and dining scene. Downtown Vancouver and the area around Canada Hockey Place offers a wide selection of condos. There are literally hundreds of condo developments to choose from that range in height from just a few floors to towers of more than 40 stores offering unparalleled views of the mountains and the city below. For small groups, these accommodations will be the most affordable starting at $500 a night.

Head 14 kilometres into the southern suburbs that comprise the Fraser River Delta and you'll find the impressive Richmond Olympic Oval, an 8 thousand-seat event-centre that will host the speed skating events. Designed to allow for an easy cross-sport transition, it includes 2 international-size ice rinks, a 200 meter running track, 8 gymnasiums plus over 23,000 square feet of fitness centre. All throughout this rural, almost rustic region, vacation rentals will cater to those less inclined towards the fast pace of city-dwelling. The Accommodations in this area are some of the most affordable in Vancouver as this is considered outlying areas. That said, these residential neighbourhoods are an excellent location from which to commute into Vancouver or up to Whistler thanks to the new SkyTrain service, a commuter train that takes you into the heart of the Olympic action and beyond.

You must realize the spectacular beauty of Vancouver is the best possible backdrop for an event like this. Visit Vancouver and select from our hand-picked Olympic Accommodations to create memories that will last forever. We guarantee that you will be back for more next summer