With the 2010 Winter Olympics becoming a distant memory, it is a good time to visit Vancouver, now that the dust has settled. To be sure, the city has gone through a major metamorphosis over the past several years. With its massive redevelopment, some say the city that was nicknamed “Vangroovy” is now a mere shadow of its former hippie self. But there is still a significant artistic and cultural presence here, with at least two boutique hotels, the Opus Hotel and the Listel, providing engaging and aesthetically-pleasing places to stay.
The Opus is perfectly situated in Yaletown, a heritage warehouse district filled with furniture stores, art galleries, and one-of-a-kind boutiques – Vancouver’s version of Soho. It is fitting that the neighbourhood’s only hotel is impeccably chic and sophisticated, but with just enough quirks to keep it fun. The much-lauded Opus – it has received awards from Conde Nast Travel and Travel + Leisure magazines – is a sensory delight, from the purple velvet-encased art deco furniture in the lobby bar, to the graffiti art emblazoned on the walls of its “pop-up” restaurant (so-named since the themes of the dining room rotate every few months). Currently operating under the moniker of “100 Nights”, the restaurant promises a “torrid affair of food, pop art and glam style”. And though the shiny exterior and décor provides a feast for the eyes, this does not detract from the quality of the food served here. The late night menu offers both small plates and entrées such as Lobster “Mac n Cheese”; at breakfast, you can get an egg-white omelet that is as white and fluffy as the Frette linens used in the hotel’s guest rooms.
On its website, the Opus cleverly provides a selection of virtual “lifestyle concierges” who enable visitors to make the most of their stay in Vancouver. There are “foodie, fashion or fitness” recommendations tailored to suit one’s personality or mood. Guests start by taking a short personality quiz about their lifestyle preferences and, based on the results, are paired with one of five virtual “concierges”: “Billy, the enlightened rockstar”, “Susan, a fashion executive”, “Mike, a New York-based doctor”, “Pierre, a food critic”, or “Dede, a film actress”, all of whom provide tips as to where to eat, shop and sightsee in and around the city.
Suggestions as to the type of guest room you stay in are also made available by the virtual lifestyle concierge, but no matter “whose” room you end up choosing, each of them possess style and a sense of playfulness (case in point: instead of chocolates placed on their pillows, guests might find a candy-filled Pez dispenser or coloured Taffy). Notwithstanding this general spirit of revelry, the Opus can accommodate business travelers (likely those working in the entertainment industry), with a small but adequate fitness room as well as a business centre (bedecked with Louis Ghost chairs, of course).
Visitors who wish to be located in closer proximity to English Bay or Stanley Park, but are still yearning to connect with local culture, will enjoy a stay at The Listel. This is a boutique hotel that lovingly pays tribute to artists through its creative partnerships with the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology and other cultural institutions. From its exterior, there is little to distinguish the spacious Listel from other high-end hotel chains. But it only takes a few steps to behold the fabulous collections of original and limited artwork on display in the hotel lobby or the poetry that is etched in the hotel’s front window.
Guest rooms at the Listel are modern and luxurious, and, consistent with the art gallery theme, adorned with the best in Canadiana: paintings, sculptures, and copies of “The Vancouver Stories: West Coast Fiction from Canada’s Best Writers” (with an introduction by Canadian author and cultural icon, Douglas Coupland). For these reasons, the Listel has been dubbed Vancouver’s “most art-full hotel” and “a cultural tourist’s dream”.
By day, the Listel’s restaurant, O’Doul’s, serves tasty fusion cuisine (the smoked salmon eggs benedict is a highlight from the weekend brunch menu). By night, O’Doul’s is proud to support local jazz musicians offering live entertainment, 365 nights a year. During the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, you might even catch internationally-known players from the jazz world winding down at an after-hours gig.
The Listel is the first hotel in Vancouver to install a cutting-edge renewable energy system. By installing solar panels and a highly efficient heat recovery system, the hotel has significantly reduced its carbon footprint. As General Manager Jim Mockford proudly proclaims, “this hotel has good karma”.
Located in one of the city’s more popular shopping areas, Robson Street, the Listel does seem like somewhat of an artistic oasis amidst a highly commercialized area. Over the past twenty years, Robson has seen an explosion of brand-name retail chains penetrate the strip. (The two Starbucks stores located diagonally from one another on the corner of Robson and Thurlow defy economic theories of market saturation). Despite this trend, however, there is still evidence of home-grown retailers selling eclectic wares, and even the odd head shop – a relic from the Robson Street’s more free-spirited days – that cheekily displays a sign in its store window: “Hippies, Use the Back Door”.
Ah, long live the Left Coast.
Opus Hotel image courtesy of Opus Hotel
The Listel image courtesy of The Listel
