Canada: Go green at Vancouver’s Pacific Palisades Hotel

Given the soaring price of gas, have you considered getting a hybrid car? For those who have already made the switch, the Kimpton Hotels group wants to reward you. As part of its Kimpton EarthCare program, the Pacific Palisades Hotel in downtown Vancouver, which has won awards for its environmental leadership (i.e., using non-toxic cleaning products, installing energy-efficient light bulbs and low-flow toilets, printing on recycled paper with soy ink), is now offering a bouquet of discounts for environmentally conscious folks.

Deal: Asking for the EarthCare Rate gets you an additional 10% off the lowest available room rates found either on the hotel’s website or by calling the reservations department. For every reservation, the hotel will make a donation to Green Kids, a nonprofit environmental education program for youth. Guests who drive a hybrid get overnight parking for half-price (around $11.50). Use rate code EOR when booking online.

More details: I checked a variety of dates in upcoming months, and found that the best available rate for rooms and suites was typically $208-265/night (excluding taxes and fees of 16%). Using the promotional code EOR, I really could save an additional 10%.

If you aren’t taking a road trip to Canada, there are a few agencies in Vancouver that rent hybrid cars (try Discount Car and Truck Rentals, (800) 263-2355, which has a fleet of Toyota Prius vehicles), though you should expect to pay more than for other rental cars.

Better yet, skip the driving altogether and use public buses or call Yellow Cab Co., (604) 681-1111 or (800) 898-8294, which has converted almost 20% of its fleet to hybrid vehicles.

When: The offer is valid indefinitely (subject to availability). No black-out dates currently apply.

Why Go: The Pacific Palisades Hotel offers a lot more for guests who want to take care of not just the Earth, but themselves on the road, from organic food in the mini-bar to loaner free yoga kits and a full-service wellness spa. It also welcomes all types of pets.

Why Not: As TreeHugger has pointed out, encouraging guests to drive to the hotel instead of taking public transit isn’t exactly environmentally friendly. Plus, the charity donation is only $1 per reservation. Still, every little bit counts, right?

Connect: There’s free WiFi access for guests.

Contact: Pacific Palisades Hotel, (604) 688-0461, (800) 663-1815

Do you know of any other truly “green” Canadian hotels? Tell us by posting in the Comments section.

Related Los Angeles Times links:
British Columbia: Vancouver lets it all hang out
Tour Vancouver Island by kayak
A supine snooze at the airport

– Sara Benson, L.A. Times Travel Deal Detective

Photo: Courtesy of Kimpton Hotels/Pacific Palisades Hotel

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 8:34 pm by Sara Benson and is filed under Weekend Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.