Vancouver Entertainment Guide |

by Mathew Neal - June 29, 2019July 1, 2019

12 Best RATED Cleaning Services In Vancouver | TOP Picks

Vancouver is an amazing and vibrant seaport along the Western coast of Canada. As the third largest city in Canada, Vancouver is an intriguing city that has a lot to offer.

The quality of life in Vancouver is excellent! The city has actually been rated among the top 5 in the world and the most ‘livable’ city in North America.

What makes Vancouver such a great place to live? The most striking thing about the city is its surroundings. Downtown Vancouver is on a peninsula, so there is water almost all around it.

Between the sea and the mountains, residents can feel nature all around them even though they are living in a huge metropolis. There are many parks and beaches to calm one’s nerves and many outdoor activities just a short drive from the city.

Vancouver is also an extremely clean and well-kept city. Everything from the buildings to the streets and even the air feels clean. This mentality is seen and felt also in the way that professional cleaning companies do their job.

The focus of this article is to show the top rated cleaning services in Vancouver. We will mention the top 12, who they are, why people like them and what their price range is. So keep reading to find out what makes the top 12 the best.

The 12 Best Rated Cleaning Services In The Vancouver Area

In order to put this list together, we based our research mostly on customer reviews and public opinions. This includes reputable review sites and organizations that offer achievement awards.

1. Aspen Clean

What is it: Aspen Clean is a high-end cleaning company that specializes in offering meticulous cleaning. They work with both residential and commercial clients. They are considered by many to be the number one cleaning company in the Vancouver area and that is why they are first on our list.

Why people love it: Aspen Clean is distinguished by its emphasis on professionalism and kindness towards the client. That is how they can average 5 stars on Google with almost 100 reviews (their other google rating is 4.7 with over 250 reviews). They have a very efficient system for getting feedback on their employees which goes a long way in ensuring quality cleaning. They also put a lot of emphasis on using very safe, eco-friendly cleaning products.

Price: (Expensive)

Address: 545 Clyde Ave #312, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1C5, Canada

2. Kirei Cleaning

What is it: Kirei Cleaning is an award-winning cleaning company based in Vancouver. They offer high-quality services at very reasonable rates specializing in residential cleaning.

Why people love it: Kirei Cleaning has great reviews. On Yelp, for example, they have almost 5 stars with 148 reviews. Many of their clients comment on their reliability and professionality. In 2016 they won the “Best of the City- Readers Choice” award. According to the reviews they do a great job with general residential cleaning. Their great service comes with a low price tag, their low rates add to why they are so likable.

Price: (Bargain)

Address: 1088 Richards Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 3C1, Canada

3. Cleaning With Love

What is it: Cleaning With Love an efficient and successful cleaning company based in Vancouver. They use eco-friendly products and have won awards for their services. Their attention clients and reasonable rates put them towards the top of our list.

Why people love it: They put a lot of emphasis on treating their clients well. Their checklists are very thorough and complete. They offer a wide variety of both residential and commercial services. They go the extra mile with HEPA filtered vacuums and eco-friendly products. In 2017 they won the “Top Choice Awards”.

Price: (Average)

Address: 110 W 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 0H4, Canada

4. Life Maid Easy

What is it: Life Maid Easy is a house cleaning service company that offers high-quality home cleaning. They were founded in 2010 and have since won many awards including the “Consumer Choice Award” three years in a row.

Why people love it: Life Maid Easy has high ratings across platforms, including an A+ BBB rating. Their clients often comment on their professionality and the speed of their quality cleaning. Many also like their option for using essential oils to leave a nice (chemical free) smell in the house. They do not charge extra for weekend cleaning and even offer a refund if the client is not 100% satisfied.

Price: (Pricey)

Address: 428 – 470 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6C 1V5, Canada

5. MSV (Multiservices Vancouver)

What is it: 4. MSV (Multiservices Vancouver) is a cleaning company that specializes in office and carpet cleaning, but they also offer home cleaning services. They are very highly rated by Yelp, Google, and other platforms.

Why people love it: MSV is a very professional company that conducts itself as such. They come very highly recommended for deep cleanings, move-in/move-out cleaning, and carpet cleaning. They only use eco-friendly cleaning supplies and are very conscious of the environment around them.

Price: (Average)

Address: 880 Malkin Ave, 2nd floor, Vancouver, BC V6A 2K6, Canada

6. Top Hat Cleaning

What is it: Top Hat Cleaning is a high-end, professional cleaning company based out of Vancouver. They have been in business for over 25 years and constantly have very good ratings, including an A+ with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They specialize in housekeeping and can handle anything from meticulously cleaning a huge estate down to a small apartment cleaning services.

Why people love it: The quality service that they offer combines nicely with their attention to detail and hard working ethics. Their deep cleaning methods are very appreciated. They have an easy online booking service that is efficient and stress-free, even for last minute bookings. The fact that they have a 59 point checklist shows their attention to detail!

Price: (Expensive)

Address: 2032 E 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5N 2X8, Canada

7. Clean Maids

What is it: Clean Maids is a great company that offers high-quality cleaning. While they are not based in the Vancouver area they are an exemplary Canadian cleaning company that deserves a place on our list. They have many years of experience and concentrate on quality work.

Why people love it: The quality of a cleaning job is always the most important factor in rating a cleaning company, and Clean Maids excels in this regard. Clean Maids also goes an extra mile as far as their employees are concerned. They only hire professional, respectable employees who must pass a rigorous vetting process. Their simple flat-rate pricing keeps dealings transparent and their easy online booking keeps things simple.

Price: (Average)

Address: 231 Oak Park Blvd #305, Oakville, Ontario L6H 7S8, Canada

8. Brilliant Cleaning Services

What is it: Brilliant Cleaning Services offers thorough deep cleaning solutions to the Vancouver area. They offer very professional services and according to the majority of their reviews are very efficient and great to work with.

Why people love it: Brilliant Cleaning Services puts a lot of emphasis on the quality of their employees’ cleaning. Their website is great! It is easy to book online and communicate with the company. Not only that but they also have many articles that help their clients learn to live healthier and cleaner.

Price: (Average)

Address: 1755 Robson Street #569, Vancouver, BC V6G3B7, Canada

9. PuroClean

What is it: PuroClean is an intensive ‘biohazard’ cleaning company. They specialize in deep cleaning of hazardous and potentially hazardous materials. For example, mold damage, water damage, fire/smoke damage, and biohazardous materials.

Why people love it: PuroClean goes beyond the technical side of cleaning and concentrates just as much on the emotional side. PuroClean recognizes that when there is a need for their services, many times there is also trauma involved. Therefore they make sure their employees are trained to work taking this into consideration.

Price: (Pricey)

Address: 2053 Graveley Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 3B6, Canada

10. EcoGREEN Cleaning Services

What is it: EcoGREEN Cleaning Services is another great cleaning company in the Vancouver metropolitan area. They distinguish themselves by not only doing a basic cleaning of your home but actually disinfecting it. As can be deduced from their name they only use eco-friendly products.

Why people love it: EcoClean offers high-quality cleaning at a very reasonable price. The quality to price ratio is very good. They offer a transparent $30 per hour rate. On their website, they have a time calculator that will help you understand exactly how long it should take them to clean your house. this way there are no surprises.

Price: (Bargain)

Address: 1339 Barclay St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1H6, Canada

11. B.S Cleaning Services Ltd

What is it: B.S Cleaning Services Ltd is a cleaning company that concentrates on quality. The top of the homepage of their website reads, “Quality over Quantity”. This illustrates the importance that they give to the quality of their employees’ cleaning jobs.

Why people love it: B.S Cleaning Services Ltd offers great service at a great price. Even though they claim “quality over quantity” it can be argued that they include the “quantity” as well. Their prices start at just $27 per hour.

Price: (Bargain)

Address: 616 62nd Avenue E, Vancouver, BC V5X 2G4, Canada

12. Green Maids Canada

What is it: Green Maids Canada is a very eco-friendly cleaning service company based in Vancouver. They offer competitive prices and do great work, going beyond what most “green” cleaning companies would usually do.

Why people love it: They have a great combination of being friendly, economic, and environmentally safe. They avoid any toxic chemicals and even go as far as to offer and ozone air purification service in your home. With a price of $79 per hour (that includes two maids), they have very competitive rates.

Price: (Bargain)

Address: 170-422 Richards Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2Z3

Choosing the right company to clean your home is no easy task thesis days. However, we hope that this article has helped you get a better idea of your options.

by Mathew Neal - April 17, 2019

What is Leolist in Vancouver About? 3 Things You MUST Know

So what is Leolist exactly? Leolist is a classified ad posting hub that was founded seven years ago — offering a safe and reliable online platform to post ads as both a consumer and or advertiser. Marketed as the largest classified site in Vancouver, with a wide selection of advertisements posting.

But let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions you may have about the service.

Is it Legal To Use Leolist in Vancouver?

Leolist is absolutely legal to use, as long as it is used for the purpose it was intended for. However, it is NOT legal to use it to purchase or sell sexual service. To help answer this question lets take a look at the Canadian Criminal Code:

Communicating to provide sexual services for consideration

(1.1) Everyone is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction who communicates with any person — for the purpose of offering or providing sexual services for consideration — in a public place, or in any place open to public view, that is or is next to a school ground, playground or daycare centre.

Definition of public place

(2) In this section, public place includes any place to which the public have access as of right or by invitation, express or implied, and any motor vehicle located in a public place or in any place open to public view.

So as you can see it doesn’t outlaw paying for sexual services, but it makes advertising or communicating sexual services in public illegal and advertising on a site lke Leolist is against the law.

You can see Leolist has become a replacement site for sexual services in Vancouver and Canada ever since Backpages was shut down.

Who owns Leolist?

Leolist is both owned and operated by the Hong Kong company Unicorn Media Inc., which is a subsidiary of Brightcove Inc.

How does Leolist compare to Backpages?

Leolist like Backpages is an online resource to post personal ads and for consumers to shop around for what they may be looking for. However, unlike Backpages, Leolist has in place an extensive verification process.

The verification process sets Leolist apart from other online resources. All too often are ads placed on other advertisements platforms made up of scams, illegal actives or illusions placed strictly to fool the consumer. Besides, there are usually no protections in place for the consumer, and this is not the case with Leolist.

Leolist also provides a set of tools to empower both the consumer and advertising poster. Leolist Vancouver also utilizes feedback from its community to improve the experience while using the platform continually.

How is Leolist Different?

Leolist provides a place where you can post ads to help grow your small business, post your services while providing a powerful tool to customize and personalize your advertisement to your satisfaction. With categories including personal ads, property listings, jobs postings, dating, personal services, and adult ads to name a few. Leolist prides itself on creating a safe and reliable place for users to interact with each as desired while minimizing the chances of scams, false advertisements, and overall undesirable online experiences.

Leolist states that they prioritize consumer’s safety and instills confidence during their experience on the platform. The owners at Leolist claim to have reinvented the online classified ads experience by adding needed tools to make the experience more enjoyable and satisfying for consumers. Implementing a platform that is driving by consumer feedback is making Leolist one of the fastest grown classified ads.

Here a couple of things they do differently than competitors such as Kijiji:

Leolist Verification Process

Based on feedback from consumers, the Leolist team implemented an effective verified process. The verification looks to instill confidence and encourages the consumers to trust the advertisements placed on the site. The verification process benefits the clients and companions on Leolist.

The platform increases the odds of seeing the actual picture of what’s being offered as opposed to a stolen stock photo because part of the verification process requires at least five images uploaded. The Leolist team must verify these five photos. Each of the images must include five different angles or positions, not just neck up photos. Once an account is thoroughly tested, as part maintain the verification status they are required to make available all verified photos. As a reward for users with fully verified accounts, Leolist offers a reduced rate of that provided to users who are not verified.

Ad Position Solutions

Users also have the option to take advantage of an advertising upgrade. The advertising upgrade allows users to pay a fee and intern guarantee their ads will be on the 1st page. Also integrated with the Leolist platform are ad position alerts. The ad position alerts send email alerts to users once the user’s ad has been pushed to page two or lower.

As companies, the verification process is as necessary as it is for the consumers. By earing, a verification stamp by the Leolist team gives your advertisement that authenticity to allow for smoother interactions from the trust gained from a verified ad.

Resources

Leolist provides statistical information for the users of the platform, adding more trustworthiness by promoting transparency. Online photo editor is available with flash enabled web browsers to allow users to manipulate photos, with this powerful editing tool.

by Mathew Neal - March 26, 2019March 23, 2019

High Tea at the Wedgewood Hotel

The tradition of high tea goes back to the 19^th century England and it was strictly for the wealthy. They would have tea in the late afternoon with sweets and finger sandwiches. Tea would be served in the parlor or in the garden, weather permitting and it was a bit of a snobby social occasion. Today high tea or afternoon tea is a bit of a novelty. You can find high tea usually served in one of the older fancy hotels like the Plaza Hotel in New York. If you want high tea in Vancouver then head to the Wedgewood Hotel.

Afternoon Tea

Here tea can be served in the lounge area of the hotel, while the chairs and set up are comfortable the large television in the background is more than a little out of place. The service is excellent however and rather being rattling off a list of teas or bringing a menu the server will bring over a tea box and you have the ability to choose your own.

Tea Selection

The selection of teas come from The Tealeaves Company and you have a pretty big selection of teas to choose from. If you want something light and fruity then try the Pear Tree Green Tea. If you want something more traditional then you can select the Earl Grey. The teas are excellent and you can serve them clear or with milk and sugar.

The Finger Sandwiches

High tea would not be complete without some of the delicate finger sandwiches that come with it. There is an excellent array of finger sandwiches that included:

Organic egg salad with chives and English mustard
Smoked salmon with cream cheese
Baby English cucumbers and cream cheese
Tandoori chicken

While salmon, egg and cucumber sandwiches are staples of high tea, they have incorporated more modern choices into the tradition of high tea that are delicious. It is a perfect blend of the old with the new.

Pastries

Pastries are of course a staple of high tea and the Wedgewood won’t disappoint. The pastries are light and flaky and the fresh scones will crumble in your mouth. They do serve tarts with seasonal fruit, mini chocolate eclairs, cakes and of course macarons.

Bear in mind that high tea used to be a tradition of the English nobility so this is not going to be a $2 cup of tea with a $3 muffin that you get at Starbucks. High tea will run you about $50 per person. If you want to spoil your mother for her birthday or another special occasion then it is perfect.

by Mathew Neal - March 25, 2019March 23, 2019

A Foodie’s Journey through Gastown

Gastown is one of the coolest neighborhoods in the city of Vancouver, known for the big whistling Steam Clock. The neighbourhood is filled with art galleries, Victorian architecture, souvenir shops along with a plethora of bars and restaurants. The area downtown is filled with some pretty hip restaurants serving every type of cuisine imaginable. If you consider yourself a foodie then you are going to love Gastown. There are even tours you can take through the neighbourhood that include tastings at a couple of the different restaurants here. If you’re on your own then let us show you where to eat. Here is a look at the Gastown neighbourhood.

Tacofino

If you want to try some truly epic Mexican food then you’re going to love this place. They have the best fish tacos in Vancouver (probably in all of Canada) but that isn’t all they serve here. You are going to love the churros! The place is warm and friendly and you can have dinner on the patio during the warmer months. If you don’t have time to sit down and dine, then grab some takeout from the Burrito Bar.

L’Abbatoir

This is a popular destination for foodies from all over Vancouver, it serves upscale French cuisine and the service is five star. It is a great place to grab brunch on the weekends and it offers a secluded spot for dinner that is guaranteed to impress. The price of dinner for two here doesn’t come cheap but it is worth every penny.

Peckinpah

If upscale French food is not your thing, that’s okay head on over to Peckinpah for something just as tasty but a bit more casual. You can grab some slow cooked smoked meat and southern Barbecue. There is a patio for those hot summer nights and the atmosphere is fun and casual. There are a number of craft beers on tap and a country vibe.

Six Acres

This is the perfect spot when you want some comfort food with a distinctly Canadian flavor, how about some poutine with cheese curds and beer gravy. Finish the meal off with some double chocolate cookies that are to die for. Located in the oldest building in Gastown the place is welcoming with a relaxed atmosphere and the prices will work for you.

Nicli Antica Pizzeria

What food tour would be complete without at least one place to go and get a good pizza. Named the best pizza in the city for several years running, you won’t be disappointed. They serve classic Neapolitan style pizza with fresh ingredients cooked in a wood fired oven. This is perfect place to head to with the family.

by Mathew Neal - March 23, 2019March 23, 2019

Vancouver Eats on a Rainy Day

Vancouver is a great city with plenty of things to see and do. There are restaurants, world class shopping, professional sports teams and plenty of ways for you to occupy your time.

You know what else it has?

Rain…lots of rain.

The locals bring an umbrella with them everywhere, you could need it at any time. So what do you do when you want some nibbles and it’s a miserable rainy day or evening? Here are some of the best spots to hit in Vancouver when it is too rainy to hit an outdoor café or one of the many delicious food trucks.

Coffee and Pastry

Grabbing something to nibble on doesn’t always have to involve a three course meal. You can simply grab a cup of your favorite brew and a sweet treat that goes along with it. Café Thierry is a great choice, you need to try the hot chocolate it is to die for. The Granville Island Tea Company is also a great choice, pass a rainy afternoon with friends having chai tea and some succulent pastries.

Pub Grub and Board Games

Vancouver has a thriving nerd culture, it might have something to do with all the sci-fi television series that are shot here. One of the pluses of this is that you can head over to a “nerd bar” and play some old school board games. Anything from a strategic game of chess to Monopoly. Two of the best places to have some pub grub and board games are the Storm Crow Tavern or the 131 Water Kitchen and Bar in Gastown. This is great way to spend a rainy fall evening with some friends and have some delicious eats while playing old school games from your childhood.

Grab Some Authentic Ramen

Vancouver has a huge and vibrant Asian community and that means there are some amazing noodle shops all over the city. Can you think of a better time to have ramen then when it is cold miserable and raining? Watching the rainfall while you’re warming up inside and a piping hot bowl of spicy ramen noodles. It’s perfect. But where do you go and get that perfect bowl of noodles. Let’s have a look.

Marutama Ramen: With three locations in Greater Vancouver you won’t have far to go and grab their famous creamy chicken shio broth with thin noodles.

Hokkaido Santouka Ramen: This place holds the title of the “Best Ramen in Vancouver” and because of that you can expect it to be crowded, noisy and delicious.

Taishoken Ramen: You can find this place in Gastown and they take their ramen very seriously. Your ramen will be separate from the broth to maintain the perfect consistency of the noodles. You dip your noodles in the soup before eating them…trust me it is delicious.

by Mathew Neal - March 18, 2019March 22, 2019

Indian Food in Vancouver

Vancouver has no shortage of excellent restaurants and being such a multicultural city there are hundreds of fantastic ethnic restaurants. With so many food options it can make it hard to choose a particular cuisine let alone a favorite restaurant. If you are craving some Indian food you won’t have to look very far to find an Indian restaurant, but which one do you choose?

Finding a Good Indian Restaurant

If you want to find a good Indian restaurant you need to understand how Vancouver works. Like any large city, the Greater Vancouver Regional District have some distinct neighborhoods. These neighborhoods have their own culture, food and they represent the ethnic groups that live there. Finding good Indian food starts by going to the right neighborhood.

Head over to the Punjabi Market, you can find it at 49^th Ave and Main Street, it is the biggest Indo-Canadian district in the city. Indian immigrants first started arriving in Vancouver in the late 19^th century and settled in this neighborhood. Even more than a 100 years later if you take a stroll through the neighborhood you will find all kinds of great Indian markets and restaurants.

Head Over to Surrey

You can find great Indian food outside of Vancouver as well, there is a large population of Indo-Canadians living in Surrey. Again that means some incredible Indian restaurants here as well. There is a wide variety of Indian restaurants in Surrey, so it doesn’t matter if you’re craving tandoori or some succulent curry you will find something that will please your palate.

Getting a Recommendation

Most people will tell you when they have had a great experience at a restaurant, but if you’re friends and family don’t eat much Indian food then you are left looking at Yelp or Urban Spoon looking for recommendations. You can find some good recommendations there, but here are some that we love. Vij’s Restaurant, located on 11^th Ave down near Granville St has some amazing food. The staff are warm and friendly and will help you choose something if you are new to Indian cuisine. All of the dishes have a heavy Pacific Northwest influence, this is Vancouver after all.

If you are craving Indian food, then nothing else will do! There are so many rich flavors to choose from! If you live in Vancouver then you are blessed with a plethora of choices when it comes to Indian or any other type of cuisine.