If your hotel choices are usually "boring", as you say, how about trying a really nice B and B in the West End? We stayed at The Barclay House on Barclay Street two years ago http://www.barclayhouse.com and enjoyed it very much. Vancouver is very expensive, and you'll pay to stay in the West End. We were on a budget and took their smallest room, The West Room, which is very, very "cozy", but pretty. It didn't have an ensuite, but the private use bathroom is down the hall, with the toilet in one room and the bath in another. A little convoluted, but a great bargain for the area. We enjoyed it immensely, and the breakfast, around a communal table, was great.

You can walk to Stanley Park, or downtown, and to the wonderful stops on Robson Street. A good area to stay in - enjoy your trip.

Margaret in sunny Toronto