Granville Island Hotel, the only hotel located on Vancouver’s busy Granville Island, looks a bit confusing, architecturally speaking. A remodeled Spanish colonial structure? (Check.) Or a winking reference to the area’s past, when Granville Island, then the industrial hub of Vancouver, was full of corrugated steel warehouses? (Check.) As you stroll down the long, striped entry corridor and enter the hotel—you can’t miss the waterfront views, nor the yachts moored outside—one thing hits you: Whatever it is, it works. All 82 rooms are unique. A relatively recent renovation scrapped the former nautical theme in favor of a more refined, contemporary design, leaving behind comfortable spaces, many with rain-shower baths and all with complimentary morning newspapers. The penthouse, though, offers much more space, of course, plus a dining room, fireplace, and bedroom with an ensuite spa bath.
