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Vancouver’s Executive EXchange Hotel

The EXchange Hotel

Located in the former Vancouver Stock Exchange building, the luxurious and eco-friendly Executive EXchange is a four-star hotel in downtown Vancouver.

This is one of a number of downtown hotels where, if you book through the website StayVancouverHotels.com, you can earn a bonus gift when you make your reservation.

 

StayVancouverHotels.com

 

The EXchange Hotel in the Vancouver Stock Exchange Building

The Executive EXchange is an elegant hotel located close to some of the liveliest parts of downtown Vancouver. The LEED Platinum building is a towering landmark within a couple blocks from Vancouver Harbour.

Representing an iconic part of Vancouver’s history, the Gothic-style building originally opened in 1929, but not as a place with overnight accommodations. Interestingly, the place was home to the Vancouver Stock Exchange up until 1999. Years later it was renovated and eventually converted into the modern hotel that it is today.

Much of the bottom half of the current building is the original structure. From the outside it looks pretty much the same as it did close to 100 years ago. The shell of the Stock Exchange, formerly called the Crown Trust Building, was maintained. The interior, as well as the upper two-thirds of the building towering above, however, is all quite luxurious and comfortably modern.

The first nine or so floors of the building are the hotel. Above that, in the modern tower that was added a few years ago, are offices. From the outside the hotel looks like an older, yet distinguished landmark building. Inside though, everything is very modern. From inside the hotel you can’t tell the building is old or that it used to be a stock exchange.

The EXchange has a total of 202 rooms and 16 penthouse suites that vary in terms of size, furniture and amenities. The least expensive rooms include a queen bed, a 50-inch television and heated bathroom floors. We stayed in one of these and it was very nice. (See below for some photos of our room, including a 360-degree photo.)

Even more luxurious experiences are available in the pricier accommodations, some of which include patios, remote-control curtains and exclusive access to a private lounge. Perhaps one day we’ll be able to stay in one of those!

 

Vancouver's EXchange Hotel
The EXchange Hotel on Howe Street

 

Where is the Hotel?

The EXchange Hotel’s address is 475 Howe Street which is in the heart of the City of Vancouver. The building is less than a five-minute walk from some of Vancouver’s most popular tourist attractions.

Nearby, Robson Street is great for trendy upscale shopping. The Seawall along Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre features stunning areas for walking and cycling. Historic Gastown is also just a few blocks away, as is Vancouver’s Waterfront Station which connects with the rest of Metro Vancouver via the region’s network of SkyTrains and the SeaBus.

 

Exchange Hotel Double Queen Room
Our Room at the EXchange Hotel

 

Hotel Rooms and Amenities

Amenities at the hotel include pet-friendly rooms, a fitness centre and a fancy Greek restaurant. There is no swimming pool.

Newly implemented in 2020, all guests have been charged an amenity fee of $10 per night. This may or may not still be the case. Internet access is included, as is one Crave tablet per room.

Pets are welcome to stay with their responsible owners at the EXchange Hotel in designated rooms, although at an extra cost of around $25 per night (as of the last time we checked).

When we stayed at the hotel we had a room with two queen beds and no pets. It also had a small two-person couch. Our friends had a comparable room for the same price, but slightly smaller and with no couch. Instead, they had a view looking out onto Howe Street whereas our view was simply of the building right next door.

The room we stayed in was comfortable, but it was not one of the more luxurious suites at the hotel. The bathroom, however, was much nicer than average. Instead of a standard white bathtub, it had a full walk-in shower with stone floor and tiles. It was a fancy bathroom!

 

EXchange Hotel Room
Superior Room with Two Queens

 

Hotel Fitness Centre

Access to the EXchange Hotel’s fitness facility is included in the amenity fee. There is a fair selection of weights and other fitness equipment including treadmills and stationary bikes. The fitness centre is usually open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. Drop-in classes are normally available on weekdays.

 

Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean Restaurant

The main on-site place to eat is Hydra Estiatorio which is a Greek restaurant that specializes in seafood. The menus focus on traditional dishes that are made with select ingredients, many of which are imported from the island of Cyprus. The brightly decorated venue also features a large cocktail bar.

As of the last time we checked, breakfast runs from around 6:30 am until 11:00 am every day. Lunch is between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm on weekdays only. The dinner menu is available daily from 5:00 pm to late, with happy hour specials offered from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

 

Hotel Parking

The hotel has underground parking. Guests park about six or so floors underground and it’s a bit of a windy route to get there.

Access to the parkade is down a side alley just north of the hotel’s main entrance on Howe Street. When you arrive, you can park on the street right outside the hotel for a couple of minutes. This is enough time to register your vehicle with the door person just inside the entrance. They’ll tell you where to park and make sure the gate is open when you get there.

After parking you can then take the elevator to the second floor to check in and get your key before heading to your room.

 

360-Degree Photo

To give you a really good idea of what a standard room looks like at the EXchange Hotel, check out the following photo. Assuming the device you are using is compatible with 360-degree technology, you should be able to zoom in, zoom out and swipe the photo from side-to-side and see all around.

 

 

Other Information

To learn more about the hotel, visit the Executive EXchange Hotel website.

The property is part of the Executive Hotels and Resorts chain which is a locally-based company. Sister hotels in downtown Vancouver are Le Soleil at 567 Hornby Street and the Parker Hotel at 1379 Howe Street. The Seaside Hotel at North Vancouver’s waterfront and the Executive Inn in Whistler are also part of the same chain.

Neighbourhoods in the area include Gastown and Coal Harbour. Also not far away are Granville Street and Robson Street.

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