Axel's take on Burnaby & Metrotown: #8 of 8 in Vancouver, 4.6/10
Practical for shopping and longer stays, less compelling for a first visit. Metrotown offers shopping, casual meals and workable hotels, but sightseeing journeys, weaker value and a less distinctive visitor setting leave it last overall.
Metrotown is Burnaby's high-rise commercial downtown, not a Vancouver waterfront neighbourhood. Metropolis at Metrotown, Crystal Mall and Station Square make shopping, groceries and casual meals easy, while Central Park offers a substantial change of scene nearby. The Expo Line is the reason this works as a visitor base rather than simply an outlying shopping district.
Choose it for a practical longer stay, shopping or plans spread across Burnaby and Vancouver. Keep the station walk short: the neighbourhood's large roads and retail complexes make addresses matter. Downtown is an easy train ride, but beaches, Stanley Park and Granville Island require additional travel. Skip it if the setting outside your accommodation is part of the holiday.
- Best for: travelers on a budget, shopping
- Skip it if: You want Vancouver's waterfront outside the door; Most days revolve around west-side sights
- Getting around: Expo Line at Metrotown or Patterson reaches downtown in about 20 minutes; shops and Central Park are walkable; YVR requires an Expo–Canada Line transfer at Waterfront.
- After dark: Station Square and Kingsway retain dinner traffic, but the wider atmosphere is residential and commercial rather than a late-night entertainment district.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $274 a night
Where to stay in Vancouver: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Burnaby & Metrotown
- Metrotown Station, Central Boulevard. Keep the station walk short for downtown day trips and shopping; this is a transport-and-retail base, not a waterfront retreat. Hotels here: Holiday Inn Express Vancouver-Metrotown (Burnaby) by IHG.
- Station Square, McKay Avenue. Choose this cluster for restaurants, cafés and groceries close to the train and major mall. Hotels here: Hilton Vancouver Metrotown.
- Kingsway at Willingdon Avenue. Look around Crystal Mall for Asian food shopping and everyday meals, especially on longer self-catering stays. Hotels here: Element by Marriott Vancouver Metrotown, Hilton Vancouver Metrotown.
How to choose
- Choose Element by Marriott Vancouver Metrotown if you need cooking facilities, guest laundry and more space for a longer stay.
- Choose Holiday Inn Express Vancouver-Metrotown (Burnaby) by IHG if you want the cheaper option with breakfast, parking and a short walk to SkyTrain.
- Choose Hilton Vancouver Metrotown if you want full-service dining and connecting rooms and can overlook dated décor.
What paying more buys
Holiday Inn Express is cheaper than most here and already includes breakfast, parking and a pool. Element costs more but adds useful cooking facilities, guest laundry and spacious rooms; Hilton offers full-service dining and connecting rooms, with breakfast and parking extra. The upgrade is less worthwhile for short stays spent shopping and sightseeing. Typical rates with Axel here run from $215 a night at Holiday Inn Express Vancouver-Metrotown (Burnaby) by IHG to $280 at Element by Marriott Vancouver Metrotown (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Burnaby & Metrotown, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Element by Marriott Vancouver Metrotown 8.8/10, comfortable 3-star extended-stay hotel in Burnaby’s Metrotown. A strong Burnaby base with useful kitchens, comfortable rooms and genuinely helpful staff. Why it's here: spacious extended-stay comfort with cooking options, included breakfast and guest laundry. Accept: busy-time elevator waits and crowded breakfasts. $180 a night with Axel against $181 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $1 a night less (1%). Sign up free to book this rate
- Holiday Inn Express Vancouver-Metrotown (Burnaby) by IHG 8.5/10, practical, select-service hotel beside Burnaby’s Metrotown SkyTrain. A strong transit-friendly base with useful extras, though light sleepers should choose carefully. Why it's here: a cheaper station-side base with breakfast, gated parking and a heated outdoor pool included. Accept: some rooms hear trains, corridors or equipment. $137 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- Hilton Vancouver Metrotown 8.1/10, full-service 4-star in Burnaby’s Metrotown shopping district. A comfortable Burnaby base with helpful staff, but interiors could use a refresh. Why it's here: full-service Metrotown comfort with spacious rooms, connecting options and an on-site restaurant. Accept: dated décor and bathrooms; breakfast and parking cost extra. $194 a night with Axel against $196 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $2 a night less (1%). Sign up free to book this rate
