Your Whistler Condo
FAQs

This page covers the questions we are most commonly asked but please feel free to use the "Contact Us" Link if you have any queries not covered.

1. How far are you from the lifts/village? We are located in the Village. The Whistler Gondola is a 7 minute walk away and the shops and restaurants are moments away.  The largest supermarket (IGA) in the village is 2 minutes away, in the Marketplace.  

2. Is it noisy at night? No. As part of a self contained group of condos, we are set back from the road and while close to the bars and restaurants we are not directly above or next to them. The pool and hot tub operate strict usage times, (8am- 10pm) and outside of those times residents are asked to respect ‘Quiet Time’.



3. How many people can stay at the condo? The maximum number is 8 people.  If you are travelling with other families we are happy to recommend other units in Sunpath.  

4. Can we order lift tickets in advance? It is often possible to save money and you will save time if you book your tickets in advance from the Whistler Blackcomb Website. To collect your tickets head to the base of Whistler mountain when you arrive, and look for the Guest Relations building (just to the left of the ticket counters). If in doubt, ask any of the Ski School instructors to point you towards Guest Relations.

5. What do we do if we have problems during our stay? Contact our Whistler agent, whose number is in the condo. He will be happy to help you.  If you have a noise or security issue contact the condo security team – again the number is in the condo.

6. How do we get into the condo? We have a coded key system.  We will give you the code before you leave and you use it for the time you stay with us. The keys to the garage and pool are kept in the condo.

7. Where do we park? We suggest you park on the street outside Sunpath while you unload. Once in the condo, retrieve the garage key hanging up in the kitchen and you can use the reserved spaces #16 and #17 in the underground car park.

8.We may decide we need ski guiding or lessons when we arrive. What do we do? Mountain hosts offer a free tour guiding service in the morning and afternoon on both mountains, for all abilities of skier – just turn up and decide which group to join.

Lessons  - either private or group are obtainable at Guest Relations by the Whistler gondola, and in our experience do not need to be pre-booked (although if you are going over Christmas, New Year, BC Spring Break, or Easter, you may want to pre-book to be on the safe side). If you want your children to have the same instructor and group of kids every day you have book them into a week (Monday to Friday) long package of lessons called Adventure Camp. We recommend this highly – and suggest booking in advance, because if you are visiting at peak times it can be very popular. If you are taking children out for a fortnight, look on the Whistler Blackcomb website for the 15 day kids lesson pass.

9. What kit will I need? After 19 seasons’ skiing in Whistler we would say be prepared for anything! Layers work best so that you can discard items if you get too hot (there are handy lockers available at the base for shoes, bags and whatever).  We’ve skied in boiling sun in early Jan and powder in April, and sun, rain and a blizzard on the same day. The weather reports on the Whistler website are helpful, as is the daily snow report on 604 932 4211, but as the saying goes ‘the weather can change quickly in the mountains’.  If you do find you have left home without some essential kit there are lots of brilliant shops which provide the necessary retail therapy. The outlets on the mountains are surprisingly reasonable too, if you suddenly decide you need an extra layer in an emergency.  If you are new to skiing in North America, you’ll notice that helmets are far more commonly worn (and are compulsory in kid’s ski school). They are widely available to hire or buy.

10. How much should we budget to spend on top of lessons and lift passes during the day? The mountain restaurants offer a wide range of dishes – from simple snacks (such as a bowl of soup or slice of pizza) to hearty meals, (stir fries, burgers, salad bars, chilli etc) to fine, sit-down dining experiences. We have to admit never having tested the latter option (we are there to ski!) but find that we generally spend around $10- 15 pp at lunchtime. There are some great places to eat at the base (GLC, The Longhorn, Dusty’s and Merlin’s) where you generally end up eating and particularly drinking more, and so spending more ($25/head).  There are also some great places to stop for coffee/ hot chocolate and cake on the mountain.

In the evenings there are an enormous range of cuisines and styles of restaurants available – from cheap and cheerful to blow the budget. We are happy to make recommendations. If you are part of a big group reservations are recommended but can be done once you there.

11. There are lots of restaurants to choose from. Any to recommend? Lots, depending on your preference. What follows is entirely our personal opinion:

Lunch in the Village: Earls, The Longhorn, Merlins, GLC
Apres ski: The Longhorn, GLC, Merlins, Cittas, La Bocca, Blacks (note that certain bars, eg Cittas, don’t allow under 21s. Others, eg The Longhorn, have a specific area for under 21s).
Burgers: Spitz Grill (take out), The Longhorn.
Hearty: Dubhlinn Gate, The Brewhouse (beware the Big Ass Ribs!)
Sushi: Sachi Sushi (our favourite); Sushi Village (excellent too!)
Other Japanese: Teppan Village (dinner and a show!)
Pizza: Carumba (eat in), Avalanche (take away)
Curry: Tandoori Grill above 7-11
Fondue: Bavaria, Crep Montagne
Steaks: The Keg (value), Hys (upmarket)
Beer: The Brewhouse (ask for the sampler)
Fine dining: Araxi, Umbertos, Quattros
Blow out brunch: The Westin
Specials heaven: Wildflower at the Chateau
Breakfast: Wildwood at Whistler Tennis Club
Ice cream: Cows
Apres-ski chocolate treats: Rocky Mountain

12. How will the Olympics affect Whistler this season? Great question! During the Olympics (12-28 February 2010) and Paralympics (12-21 March 2010) themselves, the Village will be busy. The ski area will be 90% open over those periods, though, and what we have gathered from people who’ve been to previous winter Olympics is that the ski areas are likely to be relatively empty over those periods.

The ski resort will be completely open before and after the games, with 100% access to the mountain. Whistler is expecting smaller crowds, so there are some good deals to be had in and around the village, and that means that queues should be short and you should plenty of space on the slopes. The Highway will be construction free, and there will be increased public transit – so travel will be the swiftest and easiest it has ever been.

For up to date information :
www.vancouver2010.com
www.whistlerblackcomb.com

 
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