Most travelers love to stay in historic accommodations, but sometimes old buildings just feel plain old. Not at the downtown Vancouver Moda Hotel. The boutique accommodation fits perfectly in the trendy Yaletown neighborhood. Opened in 1908, the Moda Hotel was most known for a much different scene, most recently as the gay- and dodgy-friendly Dufferin Hotel featuring many bad (in a good way) karaoke nights.

Historic Moda Hotel Vancouver
There is no more off-key singing here. Instead, find mosaic floor tiles in the lobby and bathrooms, and hardwood floors on the stairs and in a few rooms, all original. On top of the flooring is placed sleek, modern furniture that continues in the guest rooms. The amenities leave the old world behind and instead focus on flat screen TVs, luxurious skoah products, free wireless internet, an I.P. voice over system and in-room safes.

Business Travel
The Moda Hotel Vancouver isn’t all about history, though. Across the street, in a brand new condo building, the hotel has four rooms for business travelers (or those who want more of a typical downtown Vancouver hotel room). The suites are contemporary cool with less personality than the main building but perfect for those who want exclusivity (two rooms per floor) and less of a “hotel” feel (there is no reception, just a door into the condo building). Notice the ceiling-high rain shower in the slideshow photo below: WOW.

Hotel Restaurants
There is no shortage of dining at the Moda Hotel. The ultra casual and European-style Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery rounds up sports fans all over the city on game nights, whereas Uva Wine Bar caters to those who fancy classy wine and cocktails (it also doubles as the breakfast spot and daytime café for the hotel).

Across the lobby is the stylish Cibo Trattoria, which serves up Italian cuisine, while the Viti Wine and Lager store caters to the traveler who craves import and hand-crafted local beer, specialty wines and rare scotches.

The 2010 Winter Games may be over, but Moda Hotel is still celebrating with a Patriotic Olympic Package for all the memories we all shared in this great city - perfect to prolong and savour the Olympic mood in Vancouver.

Dates: March 1 - May 15, 2010

• Luxurious comfort: Deluxe accommodations for one night. Upgrade to a Deluxe Suite at no additional cost (based upon availability at check in time)
• Memento: Patriotic Olympic keepsake to never forget the magical 2010 Winter Games
• Indulgence at Your Fingertips: $50.00 Food and Beverage Credit per day - redeemable at Cibo Trattoria, Red Card Sports Bar & Eatery, UVA Wine Bar or Viti Wine & Lager Store
• Taking Things Slow: Too tired to pack right away? You’re in luck, late checkout privileges are extended until 3 p.m. (based upon availability)
• A little extra: Complimentary parking for one vehicle

Starting from $199.00

Based on double occupancy. Subject to availability.
Offer is good for all room categories except Suites. Suites available at additional charge.
Taxes not included. Credit not applicable to taxes and gratuities, in room mini bar selections or guestroom rates.
Not redeemable for cash and cannot be combined with other offers.

Prices were averaging around $650 a night in Vancouver during the Olympic Games, and some people didn't hesitate to cough up the cash for the thrill of being in the midst of the action.

The city is still basking in the glow of the 17-day extravaganza, but hotel prices have come back down to earth, and in some cases there are bargains to be found.

Here's a list of some of the hotels offering room rate reductions through the spring. Also, Tourism Vancouver and seven participating hotels are offering third-night-free stays, with rates starting at $89 per night. Go to tourismvancouver.com for details.

Moda Hotel: The recently renovated heritage Moda Hotel has a Perpetual Patriotic Olympics Package, starting at $199 a night. Also included is a $50 food and beverage credit, one night's parking. Valid until May 15.

All prices are based on double occupancy and do not include taxes. Some conditions and blackout dates may apply.

Feb 17, 2010
The hotel is in a great spot, close and convenient to much Vancouver has to offer while being just sufficiently removed from the worst excesses of Granville Street...
— Hotel Reviews of the Moda Hotel in Vancouver, Guest Review of the Moda Hotel in Vancouver

Feb 11, 2010
The front desk staff were outstanding, genuinely helpful and warm -- a happy medium between the forced friendliness you get at some chain hotels and the uncomfortable intimacy of some B&Bs...
— Hotel Reviews of the Moda Hotel in Vancouver, Guest Review of the Moda Hotel in Vancouver

Whether you are heading to cheer on your home team at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, or just going to soak in the natural beauty of the city, Vancouver has something for everyone — a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, a deeply ingrained foodie culture enhanced by the rich multiculturalism of the area, and a growing collective of artists and creative types who are shifting the landscape of design throughout the city.

We teamed up with local designer, H. Jay Brooks from Box Interior Design (read our interview with him here!) to highlight some of the stylish and hip locales for your next visit to this beautiful coastal town.

Check out our selections below:

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Neighbourhood Notes:

Gastown is the oldest section of Vancouver that in the 70’s & 80’s was mainly filled with tourist shops and a sketchy east side.  Now it is home to many casual restaurants, bars and great furniture stores that line the cobblestone streets. The sketchy east side is still part of this area, but has been greatly cleaned up over the past few years.

Yaletown is Vancouver’s trendiest area. Once a small warehouse district, it is mainly comprised of cool and fun restaurants and bars. During the day there are lots of independent stores and coffee shops and many of the city’s creative work force have their offices there.

Downtown is bursting with shopping and entertainment. Robson Street is the main corridor for serious shoppers offering a good mix of high-end retailers, beauty shops, bookstores, and music. There are also plenty of cafes and great restaurants to enjoy here.

Kitsilano used to be more of the hippy area of Vancouver. It has evolved and changed over the years but still offers plenty in the way of ethnic cafes, small bookshops, and specialty retail stores.

SoMa is what locals call the growing area near Riley Park on South Main Street, between Broadway + 33rd. Small galleries and vintage shops abound with lots of other local boutiques that have sprung up from the influx of artists and creatives who are moving into the area.

For more info about other neighbourhoods in Vancouver, please click here.

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Hotels

The Loden
Coal Harbour/Downtown

Moda Hotel
Downtown

Opus
Yaletown

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Men’s + Women’s Fashion

Holt Renfrew
Downtown

Obakki
Gastown

John Fluevog
Gastown

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Home + Interiors

Inform Interiors
Gastown

Provide
Downtown

Vancouver Special
SoMa/Riley Park

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Museums

Museum of Anthropology
(Designed by Arthur Erikson)
UBC Campus

Vancouver Art Gallery
Downtown

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Dining

Check out fabulous dining options in our
Vancouver Section of DesignEats.com

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Nightlife

Society Dining Lounge
Yaletown

The Irish Heather
Gastown

Uva Wine Bar
Downtown

Vancouver has a hard act to follow. The 2008 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing was one of the most breathtaking in recent years, but who could afford to attend in person? This February, when the 2010 Winter Olympics take up residence in Vancouver, B.C. and the nearby Whistler ski center, Americans will have an easier time seeing the action in person, if they so choose. And since Vancouver has a plethora of wonderful hotels—many of which are stepping up their efforts for the games, as our friends at Gadling pointed out-—visitors shouldn’t have a hard time finding a great place to stay. Canada’s third-largest city is one of the most striking in the world, set on a peninsula jutting out into the Strait of Georgia it features a thriving downtown and nightlife center surrounded by beaches and dramatic snow-capped mountains and waterfront forests in the distance. Even if you don’t make it for the games, Vancouver should be on everyone’s must-see list. Here are ten of the best Vancouver hotels across the price spectrum from luxury ($300+ per night) to budget (under $150 per night).

Budget Vancouver Accommodations

Moda Hotel
A hip hotel with great rates isn’t always easy to come by, but Moda, in Vancouver’s downtown arts district is just that, with rates starting around $120 a night. It’s housed in a 100-year-old building and since the city is only 150 years old, that’s saying something. The interiors, however, are anything but antique. They’ve been updated with modern amenities like wireless Internet and flat-screen TVs, and cool, contemporary décor. Guests can also enjoy a wine bar, European sports bar and trattoria with a renowned sommelier pairing wines for each.

Introduction:
Stay at the Moda Boutique Hotel when you visit Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a beautiful cozy hotel located in the heart of the entertainment and arts district. This hotel features charming rooms and wooden floors (which I love!), a gorgeous lobby, and excellent dining nearby. The staff are extremely friendly and informative. CIBO Trattoria is an excellent dining experience, and UVA Wine Bar is trendy and a fantastic place for friends to get together, or have a romantic date.

About the Moda Hotel

The Moda Hotel Vancouver
900 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604-683-4251
Toll Free: 1-877-683-5522
Check in is at 3PM and Check out is 11AM
www.modahotel.ca

This elegant boutique hotel has 57 unique and trendy rooms, all with beautiful furnishings, linens, luxurious beds, as well as flat panel TV's. It is a great hotel to stay at if you are on a business trip, visiting the city, or even if you want a Vancouver getaway. It is in the heart of the arts and entertainment district and close to every tourism attraction in the City of Vancouver. The hotel is built with a historic design, yet has contemporary classy interiors. There is a lot to offer when staying at the Moda Hotel as there are tons of restaurants nearby, Robson Street shopping to enjoy, hair salons, gyms, and spas to experience.

Check out a full gallery of photos of Moda Hotel, CIBO Trattoria and UVA Wine Bar HERE.

Hotel Features and History of the Moda Hotel

Mini-Bar
Security Key Cards
In Room Safe
High Speed Internet Access
SKOAH Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Cap, Body Lotion, Soap
Comfy Moda Bathrobe and Slippers
Ear Plugs and Eye Mask for Sleep
Comfortable Writing Desk
Message Service
Coffee and Tea
Ironing board and Iron
Laundry Service
Flat Screen TV
Data Port Outlet for Laptop
I.P Voice Over System
Wake up Service
Cribs for small children
Children under 12 stay for FREE!
Pet Friendly (complimentary gourmet dog treats, small stylish dog beds, and bowls)
Courier pick up
Special Corporate rates
Photocopy and Fax Service

Formally known as the Dufferin Hotel that was established in 1908, the Moda Hotel used to be full with Canadian Pacific Rail employees and people traveling to Vancouver. The first house ever built in Yaletown in 1884 was a walk away from the Dufferin Hotel. The Dufferin Hotel recieved its name in honour of Lord Dufferin who was a Governer General of Canada. In the late 1800's Yaletown was full with sawmills and hard working railroad shop employees. Now it has become one of the most trendiest places to live in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia.

CIBO Trattoria Italian Restaurant

Location: 900 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604-602-9570
Website: www.cibotrattoria.ca
Hours: 5:00PM from Monday to Saturday
Take Note: Closed on Sundays

CIBO has a world class menu full of unique Italian cuisine. The wine list is superb, the dining room is cozy, and chic with a glorious fireplace that adds to the ambiance. Executive Chef Neil Taylor has created innovative tasty dishes that take your breath away. His mission is to provide tourists and locals a memorable dining experience.

This restaurant has 52 seats and the restaurant itself has a classy modern interior. CIBO Trattoria has an amazing atmosphere featuring a towering ceiling, century old timber beams, pop art pieces created by Canadian artist Bruce Pashak, original 1908 terracotta tiles, marbel fireplace, and a glassed-in tower of fabulous wines.

Wine pairings are available and hand picked by one of Canada’s top wine connoisseurs, Sebastien Le Goff.

UVA Wine Bar and Viti Wine and Lager Store

Location: Right next to Moda Hotel
Open from: 5PM to 1:45AM to Monday to Saturday
5pm to midnight on Sundays
Open Daily from 7AM to 2PM.

If you're looking for a true Italian 'enoteca' experience, head over to UVA Wine Bar which is right next door to the Moda Hotel. They have a fabulous selection of fine wines, refreshing import beers, and classy cocktails. It is the newest sophisticated wine bar addition to the city of Vancouver and attracts many tourists and locals alike. It is historic with its 1908 terracotta floors and historical elements. There are excellent appetizers to enjoy and share such as Bruchetta, Prosciutto and exquisite cheeses.

Sebastien Le Goff, one of Canada's top wine connoisseurs, loves his guests to sample some of the finest wines in UVA Wine Bar. He assembled a unique and delightful wine menu for everyone to enjoy. There are many events held at UVA and you can also have a private party there. Everyone is welcome!

Viti Wine and Lager Store
Location: 900 Seymour Street.
Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604-683-3806
www.vitiwinelagers.com

This is the prime place to buy blended and single Malt Whiskies, spirits and imported Beer. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and can answer any inquiries you have. The store features over 80 whiskies, over 250 wines, over 150 unique imported beers, and more than 10 gins.

My Final Thoughts

I enjoyed doing this review so much I want to go back! I loved the deluxe room I stayed in, as it was charming, colorful and cozy. The front desk staff are extremely helpful and kind, and they can inform you about anything you need to know about Vancouver, CIBO Trattoria, the hotel itself and UVA Wine Bar. The SKOAH products provided in the room were wonderful . I loved the fact the rooms have wooden floors which gives the room a bit of a rustic feel, yet the rest of the room is fashionable and chic.

CIBO Trattoria Italian Restaurant was a fabulous dining experience. The cuisine was delightful and they have a variety of wines for guests to sample, or you can request a wine pairing. I was able to sample some of the most taste bud tingling dishes such as below. (I wasn't alone so don't think I ate all of this :-)

Organic Farm Mixed Leaves with Proscuitto di san Daniele, young Pecorino and Hazelnuts

Ravioli of Butter Nut Squash, Ameretti, Butter and Parmesan

Canneloni alla Cacciatore sansa Marzano Tomatoes, Chili, Porcini, Capers and Olives

Grilled Qualicum Bay Scallops, broccoli and hot olive sauce

Vanilla Pannacotta with grappa cherries

A selection of three Italian Cheeses

They were all fantastic and each menu item was uniquely created. Buon appetito! (Have a good meal in Italian)

Special Thanks

A special thanks to Sebastien Le Goff, Head of Operations and our friendly server Jenni Lu who were both creative, and extremely knowledgeable with regards to the whole dining experience. Thank you to Manveet Virk, who is part of the Media team at Moda Hotel.

"As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation, dining, and internet for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy."

VANCOUVER – Travel magazine enRoute has named Seymour Street’s Cibo Trattoria the best new restaurant in Canada.

"Simple ingredients, sublime execution," writes food critic Chris Nuttall- Smith in explaining the choice. "This is decadence, circa 2009."

Cibo does rustic Italian food, and Nuttall-Smith praised its head chef for creating spectacular food from the humblest of ingredients.

Neil Taylor – the 28-year-old U.K. transplant who runs the kitchen – uses simple, locally sourced food, and creates with it dishes that "could put many a foie-gras-slinging celebrity chef to shame," says the review.

Nuttall-Smith says the glamorous room is in stark contrast to the "friendly, low-key service" and the modesty of the menu items, including a decidedly unsnobby "Meatball Mondays" weekly special.

Cibo beat out The Black Hoof in Toronto and Calgary’s Rush for top spot, and was the only B.C. restaurant selected.

For the complete top-10 list of new restaurants, go to enRoute magazine.

Cibo Trattoria is at 900 Seymour St., in the Moda Hotel in downtown Vancouver (604-602-9570), cibotrattoria.com.

No.1 — Cibo Trattoria
VANCOUVER

From left to right, clockwise: 1 Grilled rack of lamb with cianfotta – a Tuscan vegetable stew – and salsa verde. 2 Baked sardine fillets with a side of duck-fat roasted new potatoes. 3 Housemade tagliatelle with chanterelles, butter, garlic, parsley and Parmesan. 4 Chef Neil Taylor. 5 Vancouverites in the Cibo dining room, at the Moda Hotel. 6 Buffalo mozzarella salad with heirloom tomato, peach and basil.

The most luxurious thing on the menu here is the crispy lamb’s tongue and turnips roasted in little cubes of lardo. Simple ingredients, sublime execution: This is decadence, circa 2009. It’s also one of the most exciting things to happen to the way we eat in years. Those turnips, though they cost almost nothing, come improbably sweet and super-concentrated and just splashed with a good balsamic. The kitchen, which does rustic Italian, makes much of peasant staples: beans, potatoes, fresh pastas and organ meats. Cibo’s split local spot prawns, tossed with wild oregano and toasted fennel seeds, taste like they were grilled on the back of a boat, while line-caught B.C. rock cod – hardly a trophy fish in a salmon-crazed city – arrives crisp and caramelized on slow-cooked peas and house pancetta.

We have a 28-year-old British immigrant to thank for this. Neil Taylor’s last gig was at London’s famed River Café, the restaurant that helped to pioneer the something-out-of-nothing school of cooking. But the humble ingredients available in London can’t touch the humble ingredients a chef can get on the wild West Coast. Taylor has a way with simple foodstuffs that could put many a foie-gras-slinging celebrity chef to shame. Prime rib will never make the menu here: One night’s mixed grill brings fava beans with house-cured pork, as well as lamb’s liver, kidneys and heart. Pastas are gorgeous – think pastured veal agnolotti with organic lemon and pepper – and made from scratch every morning. It is gospel in the kitchen that nothing except the ice cream can stay in the freezer overnight.

Taylor does Meatball Mondays every week – that should keep the food snobs in check – and a regional-inspired dinner every month; Campania was a recent instalment. With Taylor’s cooking, the friendly, low-key service (sommelier and director of operations Sebastien Le Goff hails from Lumiére and CinCin), and the glamorous room (glassed-in wine collection, terracotta floors dating back to 1908), it’s remarkable that Cibo has managed to remain as modest, in a way, as it is. Vancouverites – gazillionaires and goatherds alike – should be ecstatic to have it.

900 Seymour St., Vancouver, 604-602-9570, cibotrattoria.com

VANCOUVER—There's no shortage of hotel rooms in Vancouver. The city has 14,000 of them and more on the way, including North America's first Shangri-la Hotel, the city's tallest building at 61 storeys (the first 15 floors will be hotel, the rest condos) and the 60-storey Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, with the hotel on the first 26 floors and condos above.

But if you want something smaller, cheaper, funkier or more discreet, here are four choices, all either new or newly remade, and all either right downtown or within a 10-minute walk of it.

If you have friends coming for the 2010 Winter Olympics (Feb. 12-28), in Vancouver and Whistler, tell them to book now.

- Moda Hotel (www.modahotel.ca). Built in 1908 and known for much of its life as the Dufferin, it was once an inn for those who worked on the railway. More recently (in the 1990s), it housed one of the city's best-known gay bars.

It was sold in 2006 to a development company that originally planned to tear it down, before deciding instead to turn it into a hip, but budget, boutique property--something Vancouver's notably short of.

They've kept some of the century-old tile and wood floors, but otherwise they've stripped it to the studs and started fresh. It now has 57 rooms with dramatic wall colours (notably orange) and minimalist décor, 26-inch flat-screen TVs, free Internet, comfy beds with high thread counts and chi-chi toiletries in the bathrooms.

There's also a good liquor store attached with a wide selection of single-malt whiskies (and tastings Fridays).

- Sandman Suites on Davie (www.sandmanhotels.com). When it was built 40 years ago, this 25-storey high-rise had nearly 400 rooms. Now it has half that (198), all of them two-room suites with full kitchens and washer-driers--and free Internet. Although it's geared to a penny-watching clientele, it does provide fluffy bathrobes, and there's a spa downstairs.

For those with a bit of dough, there are also six suites on the 24th floor that have big jacuzzis, and two 65-square-metre penthouse suites one floor higher, with great views of downtown and English Bay.

- L'Hermitage (www.lhermitagevancouver.com). This brand-new, 60-room boutique hotel is aimed more at a business crowd. It has big, plasma-screen TVs in the rooms, along with Internet and small kitchenettes. There's a large lounge for residents where the included continental breakfast is served in the morning, and you can repair here at the end of your workday for drinks.

There's also a handsome conference room with all the AV bells and whistles.

- Loden Vancouver (www.lodenvancouver.com). The most high-end of the four hotels mentioned here, it too is spanking new and designed within an inch of its life. It has 77 rooms, including six suites, plus a 150-square-metre penthouse with a balcony running along three sides of it and views of the North Shore Mountains.

Each room has a 42-inch flat-screen TV, wired and wireless Internet, and Molton Brown toiletries in the bathrooms. The room colours are, as the brochure describes them, "an earthy palette of caramel, coral and chocolate brown."

John Masters is a member of the Meridian Writers' Group.

Whether a glittering dining room modeled on Versailles or a hip space in a boutique property, the places here are foodie hangouts.

Best Boutique Hotel Values
VANCOUVER
Moda Hotel At year-old Cibo, chef Neil Taylor cooks delicious, rib-sticking Cali-Italian dishes to pair with esoteric Italian wines.
We loved: Bistecca Fiorentina (bone-in rib eye) for two.

According to Food & Wine Magazine, is Vancouver still one of the "top 10 food cities in the world" (as declared in their 2008 GO LIST issue)?

We may never know because this year, the magazine has scaled way back on the results printed in their May 2009 magazine. The top 10 list has been condensed to the top 5 (Tokyo, Barcelona, Copenhagen, New York, London and natch, New York). And what traditionally has been a list of the top recommendations in 40 cities has been winnowed down to a selection of the 20 best restaurants worldwide. Was it a shrinking paper budget or is it us? Again, Vancouver didn't make the cut, with one interesting exception... Cibo Restaurant in the Moda Hotel was singled out as a "Best Value Restaurant in a Hotel." The only other entry being Alain Senderen's restaurant at the Mama Shelter in Paris.*

To Quote: "At year-old Cibo, chef Neil Taylor cooks delicious, rib-sticking Cali-Italian dishes to pair with esoteric Italian wines. We loved: Bistecca Fiorentina (bone-in rib eye) for two."

Cali-Italian? We're not sure we would have used that hybrid, however, congratulations to Cibo. Another surprise this year was an addition of a "Best Bars" list culled from seven international cities. We think they ought to be looking at Vancouver for that one. The more we see of the emerging and exciting bar scene in our city, the more we are impressed by its inventiveness and dedication to quality. Let's hope it doesn't take until next year's Olympics for the world to find out.

[*Survey based on restaurants and hotels operating before October 1, 2008]

Editors’ Choice
What made enRoute’s stay.

Taking part in a whisky tasting at the Viti Wine & Lager Store in Vancouver’ Moda Hotel and bringing the finest bottle back to our room.
604-683-4251, modahotel.ca

The antithesis of the bland, corporate hotel, this 100-year-old building has had a colourful past as an Edwardian gentlemen's drinking spot, and later as a gay cabaret, where men were men and so were the women. Its newest incarnation, a boutique hotel designed by Vancouver's Alda Pereira, boasts a striking reception, with original mosaic flooring, a black counter and 1908 lift, as well as textured wallpaper. Pared-down styling and expose pipes gives the rooms, such as the Deluxe Suite 427, an atelier feel, offset by beds with umpteen-thread-count linens. With its charcuterie bar, Uva, and an italian eaterie on the way, Moda has become a foodie destination too.

Vancouver, December 10, 2008 - Moda Hotel, Vancouver’s newest boutique hotel serves up skoah amenities in each of its 57 guest rooms. Moda will be the first hotel to offer skoah products to its guests. Located in the arts and entertainment district, the Moda is a unique property with rooms that feature a sleek, tailored look with the comforts of luxurious beds, linens and furnishings as well as incorporating the latest technology. Built in 1908, the heritage building blends the best of old world style with modern, contemporary interior design. Steps away from the Yaletown district of Vancouver (where skoah’s flagship store is located), Moda Hotel puts guests at the precipice of everything Vancouver has to offer.

Skoah is a Vancouver-based skin care product company and facial’s only spa. With 2 locations in Vancouver, 1 in Calgary and an online store, their high performance skin care products will leave Moda guests suitably pampered with results-driven products. Skoah’s flagship at 1011 Hamilton Street (about 3 blocks from the Moda) is in the heart of Yaletown, a former industrial district that is now home to the city’s best boutiques, restaurants and galleries. In a similar vein to the Moda, skoah is also housed in a heritage building that was formerly a pool hall, and prior to that a GM car dealership. With exposed ceilings that harken back to its industrial roots, the space achieves a warm, minimalist design.

“Offering our guests top-quality products and a unique story is at the heart of every touchpoint at the Moda,” says Laura Rizzo, VP Marketing. “We anticipate our guests will take their bathroom products home with them which is great. The ability to provide items guests truly want is something many hotels overlook.” Each room will include skoah’s body cleanser and lotion, newly launched shampoo and conditioner and ‘goat’s skoap’ (super soothing soap).

“Including skoah products in the guest rooms for Moda guests is a great partnership for both skoah and the Moda,” says skoah President Chris Scott. “It is such an interesting property and their attention to detail and guest experience is as critical to them as it is to us. Using a local product is important and something we are proud to showcase.”

Look for skoah products at the Moda hotel now. Skoah travel kits are also available for guests to purchase in addition to their in room amenities. For more details about Moda Hotel and skoah visit www.modahotel.ca and www.skoah.com.

MODA Hotel Situated in the epicentre of Vancouver’s downtown core, this 57-room boutique hotel represents the marriage of history and modern design. Housed in a heritage building, the hotel boasts century old mosaic tile floors side by side with ultra modern décor. Each room is equipped with the latest in technology and designed to suit any guest, from the world traveler to the corporate client. The hotel also houses the Uva Wine bar, which features fine and rare wines and spirits as well as delicious accompaniments. Also look out for the hotel's Cibo Ristorante, which will open in late 2008. MODA Hotel, 900 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 3L9 604.683.4251 www.modahotel.ca

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moda Hotel was known as the Dufferin Hotel. After an expensive Cher-style makeover (the Clueless character, not the singer) the Moda is now modern, trendy and urban. That means that when you're in any of the 57 rooms you'll be impressed by the sleek red walls and original hardwood floors, but when you gaze out the window you'll be met with a view of pure Fritz Lang-style metropolis (minus the creepy robots).

The hotel was originally built in 1908, but you’d never know it from all of the modern amenities. Each of the 57 rooms includes a flat screen TV, high speed internet, and a data port for your laptop. I’m sure that’s exactly what the designers had in mind in 1908.

But the real draw for the Moda is its location. Since it’s located right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver's Arts and Entertainment district, staying at the Moda ensures that after a long night on the town, your room is only a short stumble away. But that’s also its major drawback if you’re not the type who enjoys nightlife. The windows are far from soundproof, so an undisturbed night’s sleep is not likely in the books.

There's one surefire way to deal with that problem: drinking. There are a ton of bustling bars and nightclubs in the area, or if you're the type that doesn’t want to have to leave your hotel just to get drunk, then you can head to the main floor and purchase a variety of upscale (read: expensive) import beers, fine wines, whiskeys or gins at the Viti Wine and Lager Store. Or you can try the Uva Wine Bar, yet another fancy escape for you to indulge your booze tooth.

And for its location, the price is right, making the Moda a good bet for anyone who wants to enjoy the sites from a modern chic hotel but who doesn’t want to spend all their money doing so.

As Vancouver buzzes with Olympic construction, including several new hotels that will tower over the city, there's still room for boutique hotels that exude charm, history and high-thread-count-Egyptian-cotton chic. Make that a lot of room: While Seattle has been successful, with properties such as Belltown's Ace Hotel, Vancouver generally suffers from a plethora of bland, corporate hotels with very little sense of place.

Enter the Moda, which opened last summer and unveiled its new restaurant, Uva, just a month ago. The 100-year-old building has had a colourful past. The old Dufferin Hotel began life as an establishment of good repute, but fell on hard times in the Dirty Thirties. Its bar soon became a popular if somewhat rough-around-the-edges drinking spot, and enjoyed a nineties heyday as a gay cabaret. Its shiny new, Olympic-era incarnation - with an honourable nod to history - is promising.

Location Located in Vancouver's self-proclaimed arts and entertainment district, the Moda is kitty-corner to the grand old Orpheum theatre. The hotel neatly straddles the downtown and Yaletown and is an easy walk or taxi ride to business meetings, art galleries and shops.

Ambience The vibe here is part gentlemen's club for Wallpaper readers and part Edwardian Vancouver charm.

Design The design is a quirky blend of old and new. The original marble flooring and moulding in the lobby has been restored to its former grandeur. And several inches of ceiling - dropped some time in the 1920s - were discovered, adding extra height to the space. An elegant reception area with a black marble counter and adjacent 1908 elevator is flanked by textured wallpaper that evokes a stylized forest. As an of-the-era chandelier surveys the scene, the lobby is a civilized perch from which to watch the harried world of 2008 walk down Seymour Street.

Amenities There is no spa, but a condominium under construction across the street will soon share its new gym with the hotel. And there are dozens of day spas within a five-block radius of the Moda.

Clientele The place sees quite a few business travellers and, not surprisingly, many Europeans who appreciate the scale and feel of the place. It hasn't quite crossed the hipster threshold but has huge potential, especially as the new bistro crowd develops. If writers could still afford to rent hotel rooms by the month, this is where they might stay.

Rooms The rooms were initiated - but not completed - by Vancouver's fab Alda Pereira Design and feature dramatic red, black, grey and white interiors and custom-made suede furniture. Hardwood floors and exposed pipes give the rooms an edgy atelier feel, which is balanced by sumptuous beds with astronomical-thread-count linens.

The chocolate brown bathrooms are spare but stylish.

And the de rigueur high speed wireless internet access and flat-screen TVs mean you can e-mail and channel-surf until you're dizzy.

Food and drink The newly opened Uva (Italian for "grape") is a smart-looking wine, cheese and charcuterie bar done up in red leather and chrome, original marble flooring and white marble tabletops. It's managed by superstar sommelier Sebastien Le Goff, formerly of Feenie's and CinCin Ristorante.

The vintner theme ties in nicely with Viti, the wine shop next door, where guests and local oenophiles can stock up on a wide range of wines and 150 kinds of imported beer.

And an adjacent modern Italian restaurant called Piatti - in the former drag-club area - is scheduled to open late this year.

Service With Vancouver's high housing costs and pre-Olympic craziness, hotels and restaurants have a hard time attracting good staff. But luckily, Uva's front desk is managed by the warm and witty Melody Escallier, who gives the place much of its character.

Things to do The Moda is an ideal place for the visiting culture vulture, who can gallery hop - the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Contemporary Art Gallery and the Belkin Satellite are all within walking distance - attend concerts and eat to her heart's delight. Various shopping hot spots - the newly refurbished Holt Renfrew, Yaletown's boutiques - are also dangerously accessible.

Bottom Line This is not the Four Seasons, but if you want gritty grace, this is the place.

In-laws coming? Little brother begging to couch surf?

Instead of inciting a family feud this summer, set your would-be house guests up with an affordable room at Vancouver's newly refurbished Moda Hotel.

Just completed this month and located across from the Orpheum Theatre, the red-and-chocolate brown rooms feature all new fittings and furnishings, and the lobby now showcases the original mosaic floors and stunning silver moldings.

Look for a Euro-style lounge, an Italian restaurant and a wine bar to open in the fall, but for now take advantage of all-new hotel rooms, right downtown...

Heck, check us in, too!