Venue Review: The Waldorf Hotel – 1489 East Hastings
Along the main vein that bleeds in and out of the Vancouver core resides a building that is revolutionizing boutique hotel culture. The Waldorf Hotel, one of the worlds most renowned Tiki-themed hotels, built in 1947, was once considered glamorous and vogue until it succumbed to the surrounding area of the downtown east side. That is until last October, when the Waldorf saw its grand reopening over a three-day Halloween kick off party and established itself as the new cultural hub of Vancouver’s art, music, fashion and food scene. With something for everyone, this modern boutique hotel is sure to not disappoint.
The Waldorf Hotel: Bamboo. Everywhere. However, its use is not overwhelming to the experience of the visitor. The hotel rooms play off of design nodes from the fifties, but with modern styling’s that are sure please the burgeoning hipster in all of us. Retro is the theme here though, as many rooms come along with an electric pink disposable camera, cassette player complete with mixed tape recordings from the Tiki Bar’s analog system, and of course, free wi-fi. Room’s range from $95-110 a night.
Cabaret: The Waldorf Hotel’s live venue. Deep cushion seating, sunken dance floor and red lights set the mood for an evening of unforgettable entertainment.
Nuba Café: The latest Café Nuba location located in the Waldorf Hotel which serves delicious Lebanese Food at reasonable prices. Café Nuba’s philosophy of food is perfect for sharing and conversing over, as many of the dishes are intended as appetizers. Bring friends and a healthy appetite. Try Najib’s Special, you wont be disappointed.
Barbarella: The latest addition to one of Vancouver’s most talked about salon. The new salon is located in the lobby of the Waldorf, adding a unique feeling to the overall environment of the Hotel.
Tiki Bar: Built on the reputation of North America’s oldest Tiki Bars, this unique bar enables one to step back into a time when vinyl records was the only way to listen to music at a night club. The strictly analog sound system sets the atmosphere for such themes as the Ice Cream Social, a fifties swing dance theme featured on Monday nights, and Endless Summer, highlighting tracks from The Beach Boys, MoTown, and many others that make grown ups feel like teenagers again. Cover is typically $10; so don’t forget your poodle skirts.
For more information and event listings, check out www.waldorfhotel.com.
Mathew Braun
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