1

The Casino is 2-3 stations from the Airport, you could forgo a room and play the tables until you leave......

2

Save your money: Stay awake, walk around, read a book. Then, on a very long plane flight, you will have a better chance of sleeping.

3

Agreed with #2, try to stay awake and get some sleep on the flight instead! It's a 10+h flight and you will be arriving early morning. In Vancouver, perhaps leave the airport, go downtown and get dinner and some drinks?

4

To actually answer your question:

Especially when making a connecting flight to Asia, we often spend the night in Vancouver at the Days Inn.

You can get a free shuttle there and back from YVR. (There are free phones around domestic arrivals to call the hotels and arrange the shuttle).

Rooms are under $100 (I think we often get something in the $80 range for the two of us), and this includes a breakfast in their little breakfast bar (waffles, cereals, fruits, juices and coffee: all you can eat).

Nothing fancy -- no pool, exercise room, saunas etc. -- but clean, modern and hospitable. And a good night's sleep before a long flight.

5

But you'll hardly get breakfast and a good night's sleep if your flight arrives at 8.30pm and departs 3am. What time does it depart exactly OP? 3am, or 2am something? I didn't think there were departures that late. Either way, considering getting to/from the hotel, checking in, etc, 4h sleep sounds very optimistic. I would say maybe 2.5h (fall asleep at 10.30pm, wake up at 1am to make it back to airport). If anything, sleep on the floor at the gate!

6

Normally only one flight out between 12:30 and 6ish, Cathay Pac normally around 2-3am, the others start at 6am, so for the Cathay flight you have to go through security 2 hours or so before the flight, a friend arrive 45 minutes before the flight and didn’t make it, and all they said was you weren’t here 2 hours before the flight, you are too late even though the airport is empty, he thinks they close security check in between 1-4 am.

So you really have time for a nice late dinner and a drink somewhere along the Canada Line which goes all the way to Gastown, then head back to the airport for check in.

7

If you decide to stay in the airport, Vancouver' is among the 2012 top ten airports to sleep in
http://www.sleepinginairports.net/northamerica/vancouver-airport.htm

8

You might also consider paying for access to one of the airline lounges that are available in the airport. They can offer peaceful surroundings, food and beverages, free newspapers and magazines, even a comfortable chair for a nap, for a lot less than the cost of a hotel. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel is attached directly to the terminal building, but rooms cost more than $100 a night. It does have a very good restaurant and lounge, so you could go there for a leisurely meal. All other hotels are about 10 minutes by taxi, or more. YVR is quite large, so you need to leave enough time to get to the correct end of the building and get through security. There are lots of services in the International wing of the airport, including lounges, food, spas, stores and so on. There are always gates that are not in use, where you might be able to spread out for a nap or some downtime. If it were me, I would go through security as soon as they allowed me to, and hang out at the nicest possible spot close to my gate. But I'm a nervous traveler that way! Have a great trip!

9

Save your $$$ and hang out in the airport.

YVR was ranked #7 http://www.sleepinginairports.net/bestof.htm#.UQqZpGW9KSM

Have fun!