Park Hyatt (1128 W Georgia) | 197m | 62 fl | Completed

[Yume-sama]

I'm surprised, there are no condos from Shangri-la currently listed on MLS. Considering owners have taken possession... does this mean people are actually LIVING in them? They would have made an absolute KILLING by now, if they were to sell. I mean, a $300,000 unit is now worth $900,000 - $1 million. But yes, I wanted to see pictures, and I am now disappointed. You people hurry up and start selling

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by rather_draconian

What do you mean by Asian tacky?

Like a contrived grand thing i.e. chandeliers, pianos, and grand staircases?
Or are you talking about Chinese restaurant decor?

Please describe.

It's the chandeliers. Several very large liberace-esque chandeliers in the main lobby installed so far. it reeeealy doesn't match, especially for a modern, sleek building.

[SpongeG]

Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver to Leverage Nortel Technology

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts will open its first hotels in North America when it opens in Vancouver in January with technology including Unified Communications from Nortel.

The 119-room hotel, located in a new building in Vancouver, will feature access to personalized services - from messaging and mobility to room service and reservations - using Nortel technology but without allowing technology to intrude.

Nortel and channel partner Telus will provide Nortel Unified Communications technology to integrate voice, data and mobility services. This means staff will be reachable and available anywhere in the hotel at any time, allowing them to receive and respond to every guest request on a timely basis.

"Enhancing the guest experience is our top priority, and having staff reachable anywhere in the hotel at any time through intuitive, easy-to-use technology is a key part of our strategy," said Stephen Darling, regional vice president and general manager, Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver. "We have confidence that Nortel's solution will play an important role in helping us deliver both guest and employee satisfaction."

"Nortel is helping Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver create a unique retreat from a busy, frantic, hyperconnected world," said Joel Hackney, president, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel. "The real challenge is to do this without losing the benefits of being connected. That's a tall order, but Shangri-La trusts that we're up to the challenge."

The unified communications solution for Shangri-La Vancouver will include Nortel's Communication Server 1000, Ethernet Routing Switch 5500 Series and 4500 Series, Hospitality Messaging Server 400, Contact Center 6.0, Wireless LAN 2300 Series and a variety of fixed and mobile IP phones.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/...0News/2007367/

[Yume-sama]

So, pretty much they're giving all the staff walkie talkies.

[thefly]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

I'm surprised, there are no condos from Shangri-la currently listed on MLS. Considering owners have taken possession... does this mean people are actually LIVING in them? They would have made an absolute KILLING by now, if they were to sell. I mean, a $300,000 unit is now worth $900,000 - $1 million. But yes, I wanted to see pictures, and I am now disappointed. You people hurry up and start selling

Titles only went up in the LTO on the 6th, so that would be the earliest closing date possible.

[duener]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

I'm surprised, there are no condos from Shangri-la currently listed on MLS. Considering owners have taken possession... does this mean people are actually LIVING in them? They would have made an absolute KILLING by now, if they were to sell. I mean, a $300,000 unit is now worth $900,000 - $1 million. But yes, I wanted to see pictures, and I am now disappointed. You people hurry up and start selling

Check out the units up for rent on Craigslist with photos like this:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/apa/912024706.html

It's interesting to note that a nice luxury 600 sf suite like this would rent for $1900 /mo. Plug $400K purchase price into MLS mortgage calculator with 5% down and the monthly mortgage payment is $3000. An investor would lose $1100 /mo. So realistically, as an investment, these condos are worth $220 - 250K not $900K+.

Fortunately Vancouver real estate prices are dropping like never before, making these little shoe boxes in the sky soon affordable for everyone.

[eduardo88]

omg, i'm so amazed at how cheap vancouver actually is....5000 a month for a 2 bed 3 bath, 1500 sq foot flat in this building...that's what i'm paying for my flat here in london and we don't have the hotel ammenities...not fair why can't london be as cheap

[mrjauk]

Originally Posted by eduardo88

omg, i'm so amazed at how cheap vancouver actually is....5000 a month for a 2 bed 3 bath, 1500 sq foot flat in this building...that's what i'm paying for my flat here in london and we don't have the hotel ammenities...not fair why can't london be as cheap

Look, Vancouver is not the crap-hole that many make it out to be, but it's also not London, New York, or Paris. I think both the boosters ("greatest place in the world") and the detractors ought to get their heads out of their rear-ends and step back and make a realistic comparison of Vancouver with other cities.

In a recent issue of foreign policy magazine, Vancouver does not even make a list of the world's 60 Global Cities Index. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/c...id=4509&page=1

I'm someone who loves this city, but has travelled and lived in enough places around the world to understand the city's advantages and disadvantages compared to other cities.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by duener

Check out the units up for rent on Craigslist with photos like this:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/apa/912024706.html

It's interesting to note that a nice luxury 600 sf suite like this would rent for $1900 /mo. Plug $400K purchase price into MLS mortgage calculator with 5% down and the monthly mortgage payment is $3000. An investor would lose $1100 /mo. So realistically, as an investment, these condos are worth $220 - 250K not $900K+.

Fortunately Vancouver real estate prices are dropping like never before, making these little shoe boxes in the sky soon affordable for everyone.

Investors usually don't carry a mortgage (never met one, anyways... not a smart business plan), or have to borrow money for anything. A huge percentage won't even rent out the unit, either.

Your average Joe who would need a mortgage is not plunking down millions of $$ for investment units they have no intention of living in.

[eduardo88]

Originally Posted by mrjauk

Look, Vancouver is not the crap-hole that many make it out to be, but it's also not London, New York, or Paris. I think both the boosters ("greatest place in the world") and the detractors ought to get their heads out of their rear-ends and step back and make a realistic comparison of Vancouver with other cities.

In a recent issue of foreign policy magazine, Vancouver does not even make a list of the world's 60 Global Cities Index. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/c...id=4509&page=1

I'm someone who loves this city, but has travelled and lived in enough places around the world to understand the city's advantages and disadvantages compared to other cities.

Was I trying to put vancouver down in any way? I was just saying how i'm amazed at how much cheaper Vancouver is compared to London (which is f*cking overpriced)

[Yume-sama]

Wow Craigslist is flooded with them now.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/se...=max&bedrooms=

Nobody actually bought to live there ? It's actually nowhere near as nice as the Ritz Carlton would / will be inside.

[officedweller]

You really realize how transient interior design trends are when you look at the Shangri-La bathroom pics and think that the countertop bowl sink already looks out of date. i.e. the motel we stayed at in Kelowna had those types of sinks...

[squeezied]

thanks for the link. the suites look alright. admittedly, i was expecting a bit more, but then again most of the pictures are of the 1 br suites. maybe it's the lighting. if i recall correctly, when the units came on the market, they started at the high 300's.

[mrjauk]

Originally Posted by eduardo88

Was I trying to put vancouver down in any way? I was just saying how i'm amazed at how much cheaper Vancouver is compared to London (which is f*cking overpriced)

Hi Eduardo: You have misunderstood my intent. In fact, your comparison of London rents with those in Vancouver is a way of implicitly praising Vancouver. What I meant to suggest is that rents in London are more expensive than in Vancouver for very good reason. To reiterate, Vancouver is a nice/beautiful city, but it is not London.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by officedweller

You really realize how transient interior design trends are when you look at the Shangri-La bathroom pics and think that the countertop bowl sink already looks out of date. i.e. the motel we stayed at in Kelowna had those types of sinks...

Yeah. It's really not as luxurious as I would have expected.

The luxury at Hotel Georgia, Ritz Carlton, Harbour Green blows me away, though.

[agrant]

Originally Posted by eduardo88

Was I trying to put vancouver down in any way? I was just saying how i'm amazed at how much cheaper Vancouver is compared to London (which is f*cking overpriced)

People generally get paid more in London, so that's something to keep in mind.

[AgentWill]

There's a listing on the MLS now. Only one so far. It's a 677sq.ft. place asking $599k for the 23rd floor.

[phesto]

Keep in mind that the units that have been completed/closed so far are only a portion of the live-work units on the lower floors. I'm not sure about all the interior finishes, but the estate units are certainly nicer and roomier.

As of last week there were 4 units left unsold from the original offering. Maybe they'll try and sell these the old fashioned way by building a show-suite within the building.

[Metro-One]

are you telling me one can buy a unit in the Shangri-la for 405 523 dollars?

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

are you telling me one can buy a unit in the Shangri-la for 405 523 dollars?

$405,523? I doubt it.