Always on the cutting edge of tourism, the city of Vancouver has a great selection of non-traditional hotel choices to enhance the memorability quotient of your visit. At the 96-room Opus Hotel, bursts of color define spaces, while the hotel’s local art program helps showcase the works of emerging and established artists, so far including Tiko Kerr, Taizo Yamamoto, Mark Mizgala and Jason Daussaul — along with an exterior wall mural by Cathy High called “Love Me.” In-house amenities at the Forbes Four Star boutique hotel include complimentary WiFi, in-suite iPads, 24/7 room service, a welcome beverage at arrival, complimentary cruiser bikes for exploring and luxury car service upon request.

The Listel © Ema Peter

At Skwachàys Lodge Aboriginal Hotel and Gallery, works by First Nations artists and craftspeople is the focus, with opportunities for guests including visits to a sweat lodge or smudging ceremony. The property has an active Artists in Residence program to showcase and promote contemporary indigenous artists, while works displayed in the on-site Aboriginal Art Gallery feature artists including Alex Mountain, Cory Douglas and Richard Shorty. Each of the 18 guestrooms are individually designed with features such as live-edge wood desks and headboards.

The Roaring ‘20s era is alive and well at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, opened in 1927 as the Hotel Georgia. Now boasting 156 guestrooms and a fine-dining restaurant, the landmark hotel has a partnership with Farmboy Fine Arts, including one of the most expansive privately owned collections of Canadian contemporary fine art, with pieces by Douglas Coupland, Sonny Assu and David Robinson. Need more inspiration? The Listel is an environmentally sustainable property located in the central downtown area with themed floors of original Canadian art. Choices include the Gallery Floor (rooms designed as private galleries); Artist Series Suites celebrating specific design movements and corresponding artists; and rooms on the Museum Floor playing on British Columbian finds through a partnership with the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology.

Skwachays King Salmon Suite © Craig Minielly