A boutique hotel in the heart of the hip Yaletown district, Opus Vancouver is full of personality – it ‘doesn’t do beige’ ¬– but not too much to overwhelm.
Add a free car service and direct access to the airport subway line, and it’s no surprise the hotel is a traveller favourite. It was voted in the Top Five Trendiest Hotels in the World by TripAdvisor, received the Forbes Four-Star rating for six years and has been on the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards top 25 hotels in Canada for three years. It was recently voted Best Boutique Hotel in Vancouver by the Georgia Straight.
Opus Vancouver is right in the heart of the vibrant Yaletown district, which has a lovely neighbourhood feel. The hotel is surrounded by a great selection of bars, restaurants, shops and salons, but also easily accessible to the city’s main downtown area.
From the hotel, walk down to the False Creek Waterfront area nearby to take in the promenade, buzzing cafes and a marina. It’s where the regular Aquabus False Creek Ferry travels around the different docks, including Vancouver Island.
Opus is also right opposite the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada line subway, just 22 minutes from Vancouver International Airport.
Clever use of colour and patterns, some with a slight retro feel, provide a calm and relaxing space with lots of personality but not too much to overwhelm.
Standard rooms come with writing desk and chair, iPad and docking station, Nespresso machine, minibar and a charging dock. Deluxes come with features like deep soaker tubs and heated tile floors. Courtyard rooms include a sitting area and gas fireplace.
Bathroom amenities are Malin + Goetz, with large eco-friendly dispensers for peppermint shampoo, cilantro conditioner and rum body wash in the bathroom. Other nice touches in some of the hotel’s 96 rooms include deep bathtubs. Some have windows to the bedroom, which can be cleverly screened with blinds for privacy.
Rather than getting a chocolate on your pillow at turndown, you get a fun classic sweet like a Ring Pop (fruit lollipop) or little Pez dispenser of sweets . They might come in handy for onward travels. Other fun touches are do not disturb signs that instead read ‘Can we talk later?’
There’s a welcome beverage at check in, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, and a lifestyle concierge who can help you plan your time.
As well as being just steps from the subway, the hotel has a free luxury car service which will take you to anywhere in the main downtown area. Note that the service can be limited late at night. To get around the area, you can also borrow one of the hotel’s cruiser bikes.
For fitness, try the small fitness centre with weights equipment or take a run on the nearby inner harbour seawall.
Cuisine in the in-house restaurant La Pentola is Northern Italian inspired using local and seasonal ingredients. Tuck into pasta favourites with a twist, like ricotta gnudi or spaghetti cacio Pepe with parmesan and black pepper.
Main dishes on the menu might include marinated grilled flank steak and roasted half chicken with rainbow chard and crushed olive. If f you have room for starters and dessert, try the three, four and five-course special menu prices.
The Opus bar has a good wine and cocktail list, with a daily happy hour that lasts longer than an hour, with wine, bubbles and beer for $5 (£3.90). There’s also regular live music in the bar. On Apertivo Tuesdays, cocktails are $5 (£3.90) and flatbreads are $10 ($7.80).
The top floor corner suite features a balcony, floor to ceiling windows and a soaker tub with jets.
The hotel is also pet-friendly. For a pet fee, you get dog tents, bowls and treats and a walking service.
by Yvonne Gordon
Check out vancouver.opushotel.com for more info.
