Best Budget Hotels Near Sperling-Burnaby Lake
Four budget stays on the Sperling-Burnaby Lake page make a short, honest list: Queens Hotel at 8.8, The Simon on the Simon Fraser University campus at 8.0, Hotel At The Waldorf at 7.2 and St Clair Hostel Vancouver at 7.0. They are simple places, two of them 2-star hotels, one a hostel in a converted 1911 hotel. This is a SkyTrain corridor, so a cheaper bed is only worth it if the ride into Vancouver stays easy. I kept the page to these four listings and I say below where the data is thin and what I would confirm before booking.
Burnaby's hotel corridor runs mostly toward mid-range chains and conference properties, so the budget tier here is smaller and more distinctive than in cities with a wider hostel and motel scene. Each of these four properties has its own character rather than blending into a generic low-cost strip, from a university campus setting to a converted century-old building.
Where to stay
Four simple budget stays on the SkyTrain line
Budget stays near the Millennium Line trade polish for price, and the main thing to check is how the bed connects to the SkyTrain. The four listings here differ a lot in style, from a hostel to a campus hotel.
The Millennium Line runs through Burnaby, and Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station sits a few stops from Metrotown, so the budget stays in this corridor work best for travelers who plan to use SkyTrain for the whole trip. All four listings are simple and say so: two 2-star hotels, a campus hotel and a hostel. Free Wi-Fi is stated at Queens Hotel, The Simon and St Clair Hostel. That keeps the basics covered, and I would treat anything beyond them as a bonus, because the descriptions are honest about being plain. I would read each listing as plain value, not as a promise of extras.
Queens Hotel is the best rated, at 8.8 from 407 reviews, and is described as a no-nonsense 2-star budget hotel with low-key rooms, some with microwaves, plus airport transfers, free Wi-Fi, free parking, a pet-friendly policy, a fitness center and a restaurant, one minute from Kalash Indian Kitchen. The Simon is rated 8.0 from 122 reviews and described as a modern 2-star hotel on the Simon Fraser University campus with scenic views, complimentary Wi-Fi, free parking and a restaurant, three minutes' walk from the SFU Transportation Centre. I would pick Queens for amenities and The Simon for a quiet campus setting.
Hotel At The Waldorf is a hip 2-star budget hotel rated 7.2 from 817 reviews, with an Italian café, a kitschy tiki bar, a craft brew and liquor store, free parking and a pet-friendly policy; breakfast is available for an additional charge. St Clair Hostel Vancouver is rated 7.0 from 436 reviews, a nautical-themed hostel in a converted 1911 hotel with simple private and dorm rooms sharing baths, free Wi-Fi and a kid-friendly policy, two minutes from a bus stop on West Pender Street, a street in central Vancouver, so it sits well away from the Burnaby stations.
Some honesty belongs here: these are the lowest-rated listings of the area, and two of them, the Waldorf and St Clair, are described by reference to places away from the Burnaby stretch, so the ride to Sperling-Burnaby Lake is longer than for the others. Our data gives no breakfast terms except that breakfast costs extra at the Waldorf. I would choose Queens Hotel for the best score and the most amenities, The Simon for a campus stay, and St Clair only for a shared-bath hostel bed. I would ask each about distance to the nearest station.
A traveler's perspectiveI would choose Queens Hotel as the most sensible budget pick: it is rated 8.8 from 407 reviews, with free Wi-Fi, free parking, a fitness center, a restaurant and airport transfers. If I wanted a quiet campus setting, I would look at The Simon, rated 8.0, three minutes' walk from the SFU Transportation Centre. In both cases I would ask how far the nearest SkyTrain station is before booking.
4.4Guest scoreBudgetQueens Hotel
No-nonsense rooms with airport transfers at a budget price
View hotel →Why guests love itQueens Hotel is a no-nonsense two-star budget hotel with low-key rooms, some with microwaves, which helps families heat simple meals. Airport transfers, free Wi-Fi and free parking are included, and a fitness center and a restaurant are on site. Pets are welcome, and Kalash Indian Kitchen is one minute away. Guests rate it 8.8 across more than 400 reviews, a strong score for a budget hotel, so I would book it for the practical inclusions.
4.0Guest scoreBudgetThe Simon
Modern rooms with scenic views on the SFU campus
View hotel →Why guests love itFor a family, I see The Simon as a calm, practical base: it sits on the Simon Fraser University campus with scenic views, free parking and a restaurant on site, and the SFU Transportation Centre is a three-minute walk for buses off the mountain. Rooms are modern and Wi-Fi is complimentary. Metrotown's shops and most restaurants are a ride away, so plan dinners at the on-site restaurant or drive down for a wider choice.
3.6Guest scoreBudgetHotel At The Waldorf
An Italian cafe and tiki bar at a budget-friendly hotel
View hotel →Why guests love itHotel At The Waldorf is a hip two-star budget hotel, and its character is the point: an Italian cafe, a kitschy tiki bar and a craft brew and liquor store are on site. Free parking is included and pets are welcome, while breakfast costs extra, and Cafe Rosemary is one minute away. It suits adults and groups of friends better than young children. Guests rate it 7.2 across more than 800 reviews, a fair score for the price tier.
3.5Guest scoreBudgetSt Clair Hostel Vancouver
Nautical-themed rooms in a converted 1911 hotel
View hotel →Why guests love itSt Clair Hostel Vancouver is a nautical-themed hostel in a converted 1911 hotel, with simple private and dorm rooms. Bathrooms are shared, which I would say plainly to families, though the property is described as kid-friendly and smoke-free, and free Wi-Fi is included. A bus stop on West Pender Street is two minutes away, and the Vancouver Lookout is close. Guests rate it 7.0 across more than 430 reviews, so I would book it for budget and location only.
Local tips
- 1Check how far each stay is from the nearest SkyTrain or bus stop; the descriptions name nearby places rather than a fixed walk to the station.
- 2Queens Hotel lists airport transfers, which can save a ride on arrival; confirm how the service works and when it runs.
- 3The Simon is three minutes' walk from the SFU Transportation Centre, so I would plan trips around that connection.
- 4St Clair Hostel Vancouver shares bathrooms in its simple rooms, so I would pick it only if that suits you.
- 5Hotel At The Waldorf lists breakfast at an additional charge; Queens and The Simon do not mention breakfast in our data.
- 6Free parking is stated at Queens Hotel, The Simon and Hotel At The Waldorf, which matters only if you arrive by car.