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COMING SOON: CANADA LINE
Vancouver is hosting the 2010 winter Olympics and the whole city is whipped into a frenzy, preparing for the international attention. Currently, one of the biggest projects underway is the Canada Line, an automated rapid transit service that will connect Vancouver to Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport. It’s expected to be completed in late 2009 and travel time between the airport and downtown will be under 20 minutes. For more info, see: CanadaLine.ca.

VANCOUVER AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN
I was going to rent a car once I arrived, but with hotel parking rates, traffic and not wanting to deal with finding directions in a new city, I just got in the taxi line. It too was long (about 20 people), not to mention that it was cold and raining. I started talking to the guy behind me and later asked if he wanted to share a taxi since we were both heading downtown. By doing this, it not only sped up the line for others, but it saved both money and the environment. FYI: From the airport to Yaletown, it took 18 minutes and cost $23 CDN.

CANADIAN CURRENCY
It’s nice that in Canada, practically everyone accepts US dollars (except, of course, if the flight attendant on my Air Canada flight lands a job somewhere in the country.) At press time, the exchange rate from Canadian to US dollars is almost equal. $1CDN = $0.94USD. For up-to-date currency rates, see: BankofCanada.ca/en/rates/converter.html

OPUS HOTEL
When I called a Vancouver friend and asked where I should stay, she said, without a doubt, the Opus Hotel because it’s the nicest and hippest. I did a quick Google search and found out that she was right. The Opus was voted one of the world's top 100 hotels by readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine in 2006 and a whole slew of A-list celebrities (like Sting and U2) have stayed there. Most stay for free (like they need to!) because for the past three years complimentary stays have been offered in the Academy Awards’ presenter gift baskets. The Opus is a contemporary designed, boutique property with 96 rooms and suites located in Yaletown, one of Vancouver’s up-and-coming, trendy neighborhoods. It opened in 2002 in a completely new, seven-story structure of granite, steel and brick. The lobby is connected to the Opus Bar, which, in 2006, was voted Vancouver’s most popular bar in a Zagat survey (a innovative touch is that they have a webcam in the bar which can be seen from but all places the urinal!). The hotel’s bistro, Elixir, is an excellent restaurant offering modern French cuisine. I dined one night on a delicious dinner of French onion soup, petit filet mignon, fries and string beans in the hotel’s lavish velvet room. To keep things interesting, the hotel offers differently themed dining areas for guests to enjoy.

MY ROOM
Each of the hotel’s rooms feature one of five lifestyle-inspired decor schemes (Here’s a good article on the Opus’ décor). The themes range from artful and eclectic to modern and minimalist. All are named after fictional characters and I was in "Susan’s" room. Her favorite color is blue and it was stocked with her favorite books and DVDs. This gave the room some personality and made it feel more like I was staying at a friend’s house than at a hotel. On top of that, the room had two flat-screen TVs, huge windows, heated bathroom floors and l'Occitane toiletries. Bonus: the water pressure in the shower was nice and firm from the ceiling rain showerhead. My bed was comfortable and when it was time to call it a night, there were two bottles of water, a bag boasting a complimentary shoeshine and two pairs of earplugs waiting on the night table near the bed. I couldn’t understand why guests were given earplugs until I woke up at 6:30am to the offensive beeping noise of work trucks reversing. Ugh! The good news is that it’s not normally like this. This was due to the Canada Line construction. They are building a rail station next door, which, once construction is complete, will be very handy. (See this link for more Canada Line construction advisories: CanadaLine.ca/constructionAdvisories.asp). The hotel offers high-speed wireless Internet for $15CDN a day, a fitness center, and 24-hour room service. Rates range from $259 to $945.00CDN. Like most Vancouver hotels, pets are welcome for no extra charge and for those who are really extravagant (or maybe just a bit nutty) the Opus offers a Bed and Breakfast package for dogs. That’s right. Starting from $364CDN, it includes a sheepskin bed, spa kit and chewable cigar. Don’t laugh – Christina Aguilera took advantage of it. Opus Hotel, 322 Davie Street, Vancouver, (604) 642-6787 or (866) 642-6787, info@opushotel.com.

A HIT OF PURE OXYGEN
Another interesting and unique luxurious amenity that the Opus offers is a hit of pure oxygen. Every room has a small, handheld oxygen dispenser that looks like a pepper spray bottle. Each one of these canisters holds four minutes worth (or 10 to 12 usages of 20 seconds) of 90% pure oxygen. Apparently, this has been proven to stimulate human cells, increase the body's metabolism and provide increased energy and exercise performance. Although I was tempted to take a hit, I didn’t after I read the price tag: $79CDN. Yikes!

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