The Mainland is Overbooked! Come to Vancouver Island and stay in Nanaimo, BC

It was inevitable from the second that Vancouver was announced as the host for the 2010 Olympics; everyone knew that prices and space in the city were about to come at a premium. Indeed, this is something that we have already seen come to pass with real estate, as the cost of a Vancouver or Whistler home has tripled since the announcement was made back in 2002. Real estate isn't the only thing affected in terms of price and quantity by the Olympic Games in Vancouver. With the Games less than a year away now, there are many people concerned about finding a place to stay close to the city so that they can take in the events of the Games. Vancouver and Whistler were booked up long ago, and now many of the outlying Mainland areas have started to go. Additionally, there are projections that the 2010 Olympics will see an incredible increase in the rate Mainland hotels are charging for rooms; sometimes more than ten times the regular rates! Don't be dismayed if you are one of the many people who want to attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver but are worried about the feasibility of finding a room on the Mainland. You do have alternatives, close by and with transportation options that can get you to your chosen events in plenty of time. We are talking, of course, about the options offered on Vancouver Island. Specifically, Nanaimo offers those visiting for the 2010 Olympics the chance at available rooms at reasonable rates. Access to the Mainland via BC Ferries means that Vancouver itself is only an hour and a half away. That's a lot less time than you would spend in the traffic going into and out of Vancouver itself! Low foot passenger costs and reasonable taxi rates on both sides mean that staying in Nanaimo might actually be more economically practical than staying in Vancouver for the 2010 Games, in addition to being more accessible. Why not take a look at what Nanaimo has to offer for those interested in coming to the 2010 Winter Olympics? And don't forget the choice made by many value conscious travellers, the Painted Turtle Guesthouse.  This great hotel should be at the top of your Nanaimo accommodations search list.