BEYOND THE ROOM || Discovering Chinatown Through Keefer House’s Local Lens
Some hotels hand you a key; Keefer House hands you a story.
At the edge of Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, the new Keefer House rises like a modern chapter written against the neighbourhood’s red-brick past. Its matte-black façade, marked by a vibrant heart-shaped mural, signals both contemporary style and community heartbeat, a fitting symbol for a boutique hotel that invites guests to live, learn, and taste the city like a local.
“Humanity Heals” Mural by Artist Rory Doyle in collaboration with the Dr. Peter Centre featured on the exterior of Keefer House. Photo courtesy of Keefer House.
I joined Judy Lam Maxwell, founder of Historical Chinatown Tours and one of the hotel’s key collaborators, on a two-hour introduction to the neighbourhood. Within the first ten minutes, she had waved to half a dozen shopkeepers by name. Each exchange carried the warmth of familiarity: a quick laugh, a nod, a beckon to come in. Her charm, she admitted with a grin, might have something to do with her homemade dumplings.
Traditional tea tasting at a second-generation tea shop, Treasure Green Tea. Photos by Florence Leung.
The tour unfolds like a sensory diary of Chinatown’s layers. We pause at a family-run café for an espresso brewed with finesse, wander through narrow laneways lined with storied façades, and step into a second-generation tea shop where the air hums with the scent of oolong and roasted leaves. By the time we reach Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park, the early morning light softens across the koi pond, and it feels as though we’ve drifted between eras, one foot in the city’s early immigrant history, the other in its creative present.
Sleek black finishes, integrated appliances, and an induction cooktop for guests who love to cook while travelling. Photo courtesy of Keefer House.
Select suites offer wraparound terraces, where sweeping views of Vancouver’s skyline and North Shore Mountains set the scene for morning coffee or sunset cocktails. Photo courtesy of Keefer House.
Back at Keefer House, the design mirrors the same balance of tradition and renewal. Suites feature warm wood cabinetry, black subway-tile backsplashes, and integrated appliances that make longer stays effortless. Each space is crafted for contemporary comfort, complete with a washer-dryer and brightly lit living area. Some two-bedroom suites open to wraparound terraces where the city stretches toward the North Shore Mountains, offering a rare vantage point of Vancouver’s layered skyline.
Solo travellers can opt for a bright and spacious studio. Photo courtesy of Keefer House.
Guests staying at Keefer House can book the Local & Culinary Experience package, which includes Judy’s guided tour and access to Keefer House’s culinary program featuring local eats. From chef-led classes to tastings at beloved Chinatown eateries, the itinerary celebrates both the neighbourhood’s heritage and its new wave of independent chefs.
Vancouver’s Chinatown is home to award-winning restaurants and scrumptious multicultural dining options.
When evening falls, the Keefer Bar, ranked No. 28 on the 2025 North America’s 50 Best Bars list, awaits just steps away. Order a nightcap under the amber glow of lanterns before turning in for the night.
Keefer House may be a new arrival, but it already feels deeply rooted. Here, travel becomes less about escape and more about return to stories, to community, and to the shared rhythm of a neighbourhood that has always welcomed the curious.
