Ask for a harbour mountain-view room and you can watch seaplanes take off from Coal Harbour or see the first streaks of light hit the snow-capped North Shore mountains as you sip your morning coffee.

BBC: Business trip: Vancouver

The downtown business district and Coal Harbour are popular for condo dwellers who want killer views across the water, and the Olympics gave construction a boost along Southeast False Creek, the body of water that separates the West End from the West Side.

BBC: Living in: Vancouver