I flew into Vancouver on the 26th September 2026, and had tickets for The Canadian leaving the 28th. I needed a hotel, and I booked the same as my travel mate, who had arrive a day earlier.
I booked the Rosedale on Robson. Firstly the name is misleading because it’s actually at 838 Hamilton Street, at the corner with Robson Street. As far as I can see Rosedale is just the brand, and “on Robson” is a was to identify the hotel with Robson Street, one of Vancouver’s best-known downtown streets.
The hotel is a nondescript tower-block, but it sits in front of four Victorian-era two-storey wood frame houses at 827, 837, 847, and 863, built between 1893 and 1895.
The hotel’s location is arguably its greatest asset, because it’s in the sports and entertainment part of downtown, e.g. the multi-purpose stadium BC Place, Rogers Arena (ice hockey) and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (performing arts) are close.
It didn’t help that the Vancouver Whitecaps were home to D.C. United at the BC Place (it finished 3-3), and the B-52s and DEVO were at Rogers Arena.
The Rosedale on Robson is not a conventional hotel, the accommodation is suites, with a separate living area and a small equipped kitchen.
I founded it expensive for what is a dated 3-star hotel, but I was buying location more than luxury.
What the Reviews Said?
Booking gives it 8.4/10 (Very Good), based on 3,984 verified reviews. Tripadvisor gives it 4/5 from more than 2,300 reviews, with location 4.6/5, its strongest individual score.
The positives are its location, spacious rooms/suites, cleanliness, comfortable beds and helpful staff.
The biggest criticism is that it looks dated. I kept thinking Hotel California (You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!), others called it a trip back to 1992. Furniture and décor can look tired, bathrooms aren’t particularly impressive, and it doesn’t have the polished feeling that the price might suggest.
The Living
When you open the door, you immediately know what to expect. This is the living room, but the divan bed gives it away. It’s clean, neat, simple, and the desk is ok, so it’s functional. There was an empty fridge in the corner, because the one in the integrated kitchen was out-of-order.
I can’t really say anything positive or negative, because it was just a corridor for me.
The Bedroom
Again a room that didn’t impress or shock. The curtains did really keep out the street light, the bed was comfortable (but a bit soft), the sheets were good, and the smaller desk was fine. The electricity sockets were US, and a bit loose, but held my phone charger. The lighting was ok, and it was clean, and the carpet was nice.
The Kitchenette
The kitchenette was probably a good reason for taking this hotel. I didn’t use it, so I can’t really comment, although the microwave looked very complete.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was functional, but very, very dated. I’m on solid ground here because I used it every day, morning and night.
Negatives – I did not like the bath (I prefer a walk-in shower), and I hate shower curtains.
Positive – The shower was very good with a strong jet of hot water (very therapeutic), and the shower curtain actually worked well (there was also a good shower mat). Towels were OK, and I liked the black face-towel, which was changed every day. WC paper was a bit thin, but for one the soap dispensers actually worked well.
Breakfast
Breakfast was not always included. For people with black key-cards there was a continental breakfast served 06:30 to 10:00.
It was OK, and certainly enough to start the day.
Conclusion
I will keep to two practical comments. Firstly, I found it a bit expensive for what it offered, but I don’t really know the market in Vancouver, or Canada. Secondly, I found the room cold, physically cold, and I saw no way to warm it up.
Would I stay there again? Not if I could avoid it.
The hotel is very convenient for restaurants. Saturday evening we ate at Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant, on 1002 Mainland St. And on Sunday evening we ate at Fanny Bay Oyster Bar on 762 Cambie Street.
