Room Check
Chris Marriner checks into an Airbnb apartment in Vancouver’s Mt Pleasant
Location: Mt Pleasant is a instagram-friendly neighbourhood just south of the city, populated with hipsters and young families. It’s a five-minute bus ride from the city, and not far from Vancouver’s SkyTrain.
Check-in experience: I arrived in the afternoon, armed with a code for the door that worked first time. A bottle of wine and note to welcome me were waiting in the apartment, which was spotlessly clean.
What’s in the neighbourhood? You can find good coffee all along Main St and the neighbourhood is home to a growing number of breweries and distilleries if you want something stronger. Regular mural competitions have left the area splashed with colour, with whole sides of buildings painted.
My room: The apartment is the top floor of an original home, set one block off Main St. There are two bedrooms, and everything else you’d expect. It’s entirely self-contained and private with beautiful views out to the mountains.
The bed: Comfortable but easy to tear myself from (see note on beautiful views above). Bathroom: A shower/tub, There was also a washer/ dryer in the bathroom. Toiletries: Everything I needed. Free Wi-Fi? Yes
Exercise: A neighbourhood to walk around and the trek from couch to fridge provided all the exercise I needed. Which is good because nothing else is available.
Noise: It’s a quiet neighbourhood and I didn’t hear a peep from the apartment downstairs. Price: NZD$148 per night. Food: A full kitchen is provided if you feel the need to cook, but why bother? Mount Pleasant is full of great restaurants, cafes and takeaways What’s so good about this place? It’s in a great location, and gives a good opportunity to explore Vancouver away from the tourist hot-spots. Contact: airbnb.co.nz
Would I return? I’ve been daydreaming schemes to get back there ever since I left.