A former member of Les Clefs D’Or Portugal (the highest concierge achievement possible), Philippe is the epitome of guest service satisfaction.  His extensive background in the hospitality industry includes over 12 years of customer service in hotels around the world.  Upon arriving in Canada, Philippe first worked at the Auberge Bonaparte in Montreal and then in 2008 he made the move to Vancouver and Moda Hotel. Multi-lingual, Philippe can greet guests in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Bulgarian.  A guest favorite, Phillipe is known to remember faces and names for years and his compassionate nature endears him to all.

A proud Canadian of Korean heritage, Alan’s extraordinary work ethic stems from the values instilled by his loving parents. A graduate of the hotel administration program at Cornell University and the Educational Institute of American Hotel and Lodging Association, Alan’s skills have benefited many properties with his financial acumen and true love of the hospitality industry. Prior to his position of Revenue Manager at Moda Hotel, Alan gleaned valuable experience as director of operations, duty manager, guest services manager and general manager at a variety of properties in British Columbia.  During his career he has been consistently been awarded with numerous marketing and achievement awards.

A true seeker of knowledge, Alan has many avid interests. He holds a 2^nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, has exhibited in many photography shows, and is currently completing wine fundamental courses from the International Sommelier Guild. And he finds time to be a wonderful father and husband to his young family!

Alan’s passion for the hospitality industry and the inherent desire to assist, serve and create the best possible guest experience is reflected in the following quote: “My childhood dream was to become a surgeon. I studied both arts and sciences and truly enjoyed them. I found out that the word “Hospital” and “Hospitality” share the same Latin word “Hospes” which means a “host” or a “guest.” The word hospital simply means a place of hospitality – so I guess I am not so far away from my childhood dream.”

At The Moda Hotel

One thing that makes our job easy in providing great travel experiences at Moda Hotel is our central location in the heart of downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, and all the wonderful things you can enjoy close by.

Around Vancouver

When most people think of Vancouver, they think of 2 things..the Canucks and rain. What most visitors to our beautiful city don’t know is that we actually have AMAZING summers..when they eventually show up. Some years it takes a little longer than others. However when summer finally hits, there’s no better place to be soaking up the rays than in Vancouver, and enjoying everything this city has to offer. Here are some ways to spend your time in Vancouver (and hopefully with us) over the next few months:

1) Seawall

We Vancouverites love to stay active, and on hot summer day there’s no better place to do so than the Seawall going through English Bay and Stanley Park. Whether you’re running, walking, blading, or biking – the Seawall is the perfect place to get some exercise  and enjoy some incredible scenery- all while basking in the sun.

2) Kits Beach

Named the 3rd sexiest beach in North America, Kits is the place to go in Vancouver if you’re looking for some serious eye-candy. If you want to fit in with the locals, head down with a yoga mat, grab an Iced Venti Soy Sugar Free Vanilla Latte, and spend the day playing beach volleyball and lounging against the logs. If you’re all beached-out, there are tons of local boutiques, spas, bars and cafes to spend your time in the neighborhood.

3) Grouse Mountain

If you want to get away from the water and see Vancouver from above, head up to Grouse Mountain to experience BC’s wilderness at its finest. With the Wildlife refuge, Ziplines, Skyride, and more – you won’t be at a loss for ways to spend your day. If you’re feeling ambitious, try the Grouse Grind – the ultimate uphill climb that Vancouverites take on every year. For more information visit http://www.grousemountain.com/#activities-guide

4) Outdoor Movies

Over the recent years, more and more outdoor movies have been popping up all over the Lower Mainland in the summer. From classics (like Grease and Top Gun) to new releases, people love sitting in a park, enjoying a picnic, and watching their favorite films on the big screen. Here’s a list of all the outdoor movies in the lower mainland scheduled for 2012, from Vancouver blogger Vancity Buzz: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/05/free-outdoor-movies-vancouver-2012-burnaby-stanley-park-nat-bailey-surrey-langley-delta-richmond-new-westminster/

5) Granville Island

Always a top destination for tourists and locals alike, Granville Island is an ideal spot for eating, drinking, shopping, and checking out local art and theater. Whether you grab fresh cheese, fruit, seafood or baked goods from the market to have a picnic on the grass, spend your time wandering through local artisans goods, Granville Island is a place you could get happily lost in for days. http://www.granvilleisland.com/

We could go on endlessly about things to do and see in Vancouver – like the remarkable variety of great places to eat and drink, or the amazing nightlife! But better yet, we encourage you to come visit us and find out firsthand!  We would love to hear about what you did and loved about our great city!  We hope to see you soon at Moda Hotel.

If you’ve ever walked past the Moda, you’ve seen the breathtaking mural covering two walls of the building. Here is the story of how it came to be. 

Unintended Calculations brought together a group of internationally renowned artists – Augustine Kofie (LA), Jerry Inscoe (PDX), Remi/Rough (LDN), and Scott Sueme  (VAN)  – in an exhibition exploring four very different approaches to abstraction. Working in a variety of mediums, these artists have evolved the letterform building blocks of their shared graffiti background – deconstructing and rebuilding them as compositions of colour, line, shape and movement.

The project consisted of two collaborative mural installations on two separate exterior walls of the Moda. It was the largest scale collaborative mural art installation of its kind in a major North American downtown city core location. The art installation took place over the course of 4 days (March 1st-4th, 2011) during which time the four artists had to deal with a multitude of challenges with respect to the weather – as that week in Vancouver saw rain, sleet, hail, high winds, and fortunately sun.

What are the artists up to now?

What are the chances that exactly one year later another boutique hotel could say they have the ‘largest scale collaborative mural’ in a city core? Well, you’d think slim but it’s happened. Augustine and Remi, alongside Steve More and LX One, just completed 2 exterior walls of the 6 story high Hotel Megaro in London, England.  For photos and more information, visit: http://wallkandy.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/agents-of-change-go-large-in-london/

Sueme, the Vancouverite, is heading off to South Africa for another project. To help him get there and for more information, visit: http://www.indiegogo.com/BIKES-SUEME-DO-AFRICA

Jerry, residing in Portland OR, is doing his own thing; painting, sketching and enjoying life. To keep up with him, visit his blog: http://jerryinscoe.squarespace.com/

Day One of Unintended Calculations (GroundedTV) :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy3Z7rYHsCI
Recap (mntcloursUSA) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqng4B-Km5k&feature=related

Pink Lime is in the business of making you look and feel good. Get a little spring in your step with any number of their salon and spa services or get the works with one of their supreme salon or spa packages. Pink Lime has been featured in magazines like Vancouver Lifestyle, Flare, Dream House Magazine, CBC Fashion Magazine, and Vancouver Magazine as the top salon and spa! Don’t miss your chance to get the royal treatment at a great price because Pink Lime Salon is offering our guests 20% off any of their salon or spa services.

Uva Wine Bar — Espresso Bar by day, located just off the Moda lobby. Cozy up and enjoy a rich Italian blend dark coffee, cappuccino, espresso, latte or mocha at their warm, modern, contemporary espresso bar. Pair your relaxing morning coffee with your delicious breakfast favourite made fresh at Uva with local, organic ingredients. For those “just 5 more minutes” people, you can sip away your afternoon wake-up call with Uva’s flavourful lunch menu instead. With mouth-watering entrees that change every day to incorporate the best seasonal ingredients you’re sure to get a mouthful of the freshest flavours of the day. Enjoy what Uva has to offer as a Moda Hotel guest and receive 15% off your food until 2pm.

But, it doesn’t stop there! Red Card Sports Bar is so much more than just a sports bar. With 18 big screen HD TVs, Red Card boasts itself as one of the best places in Vancouver to watch a game, and we have to say – it’s true. With its sassy marketing, “The best place to watch a game, especially if your in-laws are in town” this cheeky Sports Bar is a fun place to hang out and grab a bite with your friends. When every night is a special night, you can’t go wrong spending your evening there, especially when Red Card is serving up a 15% discount on their food for our guests too!

At Moda we like to spoil our guests. Now you just have to be one.

Perks only available during your stay.

The heading of this blog entry resonates strongly with us at the Vancouver Moda Hotel. One of the defining characteristics of this Vancouver boutique hotel is its landmark tie to Vancouver’s history.

If you have read our History page, you know that the Vancouver Moda Hotel was formerly known as the Dufferin Hotel, built in 1908 and named after the Governor General of Canada, Lord Dufferin. It was designed by famed, local architects, Parr and Fee, whose other noteworthy buildings include The Manhattan Block, and Hotel Europe in Gastown. During its 100 years of existence, it had fallen into some disrepair and had lost its luster and life.

One of our key goals when we purchased the property was to breathe life back into this wonderful, ‘old soul’ of a building to be shared, appreciated and enjoyed by all. As part of this endeavour, there was a tricky balance of modernizing the property with all the conveniences that present travelers require, but maintaining the character that defines the building. We freshened up the outside of the building with a new coat of paint, but kept its beautiful original brick façade and cornice detail. We exposed original hard wood, terrazzo and tile floors and wood beams wherever possible; we kept rooms sizes and layouts pretty much as we found them; and brought ceiling back to their original heights. Interiors were modernized, and given a contemporary feel that today’s travelers seek out.

The end result, we believe is a hotel that has its own character, style and personality. The building has its minor quirks – remember it is over 100 years old – but we love them! And if you value ‘character’, we are sure you will too!