How to Find Accommodation in Vancouver for a Medical Appointment
Image by: Martha Dominguez de Gouveia
Are you travelling to Vancouver for medical reasons and don’t have a place to stay? Fear not, because several hotels in the city offer discounted rates for medical travel or self-isolation. Keep reading to discover all there is to know about finding accommodation in YVR ahead of a medical appointment.
WHAT IS MEDICAL TRAVEL?
Sometimes patients cannot receive the medical assistance they need in the town in which they live. When a patient must travel to another city, province, or even country in order to receive the help required, it is known as medical travel. Reasons for medical travel include needing to meet with a specialist or receive outpatient medical services. Typically, when it comes to medical travel, the patient is accompanied by one friend or family member on their journey. Oftentimes, patients travelling for medical reasons do not have a friend or loved one that they know and can stay with in the city they are travelling to. The result is that they must book a hotel room. Below, we delve into what you need to know about booking a hotel room for a medical appointment in Vancouver.
WHAT IS SELF ISOLATION?
COVID-19 has resulted in an unprecedented situation in which people returning from another country may require a place to isolate. Per government rules, anyone who returns from an abroad destination must isolate for 14 days. People who live with others, that they don’t want to put at risk, may choose to isolate in a hotel. Similarly, foreigners travelling to Canada from another country may not know anyone in Canada that they can stay with, and will also need to stay in a hotel for the duration of their quarantine. Thankfully, hotels all over Canada, including in Vancouver, are offering up their services.
HOW TO BOOK A HOTEL ROOM
The first step in booking a hotel room for isolation or a medical appointment is finding appropriate accommodation options. Several hotels in Vancouver offer rooms at discounted rates for those who are travelling for medical reasons. The Government of British Columbia has a helpful Medical Travel Accommodation Listing tool that allows users to click on the city in which they’re visiting and browse a list of local hotels, all of which offer discounted room rates to those in town for medical or emergency reasons. From there, you can research various properties and then phone them or book your stay online.
UPON ARRIVAL
It’s important to note that on arrival, you may be required to present proof of your medical appointment, so please be prepared to do so. Alternatively, if you are staying in the hotel to self isolate, housekeeping services will likely not be provided, for the safety of hotel staff.
If you’re someone who needs to travel to Vancouver for medical reasons, either for an appointment or to self-isolate, then why not make Hotel BLU Vancouver your temporary home. We are currently offering a discounted rate of $85 per night for one king bed or two queen beds, and a self-isolation weekly rate of $800 plus taxes for one kind bed (no housekeeping service).