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 on this website, 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!