Our Journey Through Time
Yeah, we're not your average hotel. Every beam, every stone, every damn teacup has a story worth telling.
2018
The Dream Takes Shape
Margaret Chen walked through this old warehouse in Gastown and saw something nobody else did - a place where East meets West without all the cliches. She'd spent twenty years in Hong Kong's hospitality scene and wanted to bring that energy back home to Vancouver.
2019
Building With Purpose
Hired local craftspeople and brought in artisans from Guangzhou. Took almost eighteen months because we refused to rush it. The jade dragon sculpture in our lobby? That's a 300-year-old piece Margaret's family kept in their Shanghai home for generations.
2020
Opening During Chaos
Yeah, we launched mid-pandemic. Talk about timing, right? But it gave us space to get everything just right - train the team properly, test every detail. Our first guests were mostly locals who needed an escape without leaving the city.
2022
Recognition Arrives
Condé Nast called us "Vancouver's best-kept secret." Forbes mentioned our rooftop garden. But honestly? The real win was seeing repeat guests who came back because they felt something here - not just saw pretty Instagram shots.
2024
Expanding the Vision
Added our wellness spa with treatments you won't find anywhere else in the city. Partnered with local historians for heritage tours that actually show you the real Gastown, not the tourist version. Upgraded our suites while keeping the soul intact.
2025
Today & Tomorrow
We're still that same place Margaret dreamed up - maybe a bit wiser, definitely busier. Every morning she walks through and adjusts something, talks to guests, makes sure we haven't lost what makes this place special. That's not changing anytime soon.
Meet Margaret Chen
Born in Vancouver, raised between two worlds - she spent summers in her grandmother's courtyard home in Shanghai, winters skiing Whistler. That duality shaped everything about this place.
"I got tired of choosing between fancy-but-cold luxury and warm-but-basic boutique hotels," she told us over tea last week. "Why can't you have both? Why can't a place feel like your coolest friend's home AND pamper you like royalty?"
Twenty years managing five-star properties in Hong Kong taught her what works. Growing up between cultures taught her what matters. This hotel is her answer to both lessons.
The Building Has Stories Too
This warehouse dates back to 1912 - survived fires, floods, and really questionable renovation attempts in the '70s. We kept the original brick, the massive timber beams, even the old freight elevator (it's gorgeous now, don't worry). Then layered in elements from traditional Chinese architecture - moon gates, lattice screens, a koi pond on the rooftop that has no business being as peaceful as it is.
What We Actually Believe In
No Corporate BS
You talk to real people here. Our concierge team has been with us since day one - they'll tell you where THEY actually eat, not where we have partnerships.
Heritage Matters
We work with Chinatown Cultural Centre, source from local Asian artisans, and make sure our cultural tours don't whitewash history. It's not about decoration - it's about respect.
Sustainability Without Preaching
Solar panels on the roof, partnerships with local farms for the restaurant, refillable amenities that actually smell good. We do it 'cause it makes sense, not for marketing points.
People Over Policies
Late checkout 'cause your flight got delayed? Cool. Need restaurant recs for someone with weird dietary restrictions? We got you. Rules exist to be bent when it matters.
The Folks Who Make It Work
James Liu
Head Concierge - knows every secret spot in Vancouver
Chef Lin Nguyen
Culinary Director - her fusion menu is legendary
Priya Sharma
Wellness Director - will fix whatever hurts
Plus another forty-something incredible humans who somehow make this chaos look elegant. They're the real reason people come back.
Come See For Yourself
Words only go so far. You've gotta experience this place to get it.
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