Gastown

What you gain

• ↑The architectural character of Gastown is genuinely unique in Vancouver — almost every block has heritage-designated buildings from the 1880s-1910s, giving the neighbourhood a sense of history that is otherwise absent from a city that has aggressively redeveloped itself in every other direction. The cobblestone of Water Street and the surrounding blocks feel entirely unlike the glass-tower Vancouver of Coal Harbour.
• ↑The food and drink scene in Gastown is the most concentrated of any Vancouver neighbourhood — L'Abattoir restaurant (housed in the city's original jail), Ask for Luigi (Italian, perpetually one of the city's best), Juniper, and the Guilt and Co. live music venue and bar are all within a 5-minute walk. The neighbourhood has the same relationship to downtown Vancouver that Shoreditch had to London before rents made it inaccessible.
• ↑Proximity to Waterfront Station (the city's main transit hub, with SkyTrain, SeaBus to North Vancouver, and West Coast Express) makes Gastown the most transport-connected neighbourhood in the city — day trips to North Vancouver, Richmond, or the airport are all immediate.

What you sacrifice

• ↓Gastown borders the Downtown Eastside, one of the most concentrated urban poverty and drug use areas in North America. The boundary is sharp — essentially Hastings Street — but walking one block in the wrong direction produces a dramatically different environment. The juxtaposition is jarring for first-time visitors and requires some orientation.
• ↓Gastown accommodation is primarily boutique hotels with limited inventory — the Skwachàys Lodge (Indigenous art hotel) and St. Regis Hotel are the main options. Prices reflect the character premium and can exceed comparable room quality in Yaletown or Downtown.