River Rock Casino Resort & The Hotel

8.0 | Very Good | #12 out of 21 hotels in Richmond

MAP8811 River Road, Richmond, BC, Canada

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On-site casino and live entertainment near the airport, but concerns with parking

Pros

Free Wi-Fi, free parking
Most guests found the hotel's staff friendly and helpful
Many lodgers were pleased with the hotel's close proximity to the airport and SkyTrain station
Several reviewers enjoyed their accommodations

Cons

Some guests found the self-parking to be too far from the lobby
A few guests were disappointed at the lack of airport shuttle

Freebies

Free Wi-Fi

Free Parking

Free Internet

Editor's Review

Updated Oct 30, 2012

Overview

Located a 7-minute drive from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the River Rock Casino Resort is popular with business and vacation travellers looking to stay at a this casino and concert venue.

This smoke-free hotel has 202 air-conditioned guest rooms, all of which offer free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, bathrobes, a mini-fridge, an in-suite safe, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer, and an iron and ironing board. Standard rooms have one king or two queen beds, and are situated in the newly opened (2011) Hotel At River Rock, an adjacent, five-story tower.

The original River Rock Casino building houses the hotel's suites: one- and two-bedroom suites offer a king bed and TV in each bedroom, along with a separate living area with a sofabed. One- and two-bedroom suites located on the Penthouse Floor offer a complimentary breakfast buffet and an extra bathroom. The presidential suite provides a pool table, a dining room, personalized check-in service, a wrap-around deck, and security.

Hotel amenities include the River Rock Casino, a spa, a fitness centre with an indoor pool, a business centre, meeting and conference facilities, a 1,000-seat show theatre, and free parking. Accessible rooms are available upon request, parking is free, and pets are allowed for a fee of $25 per night ($75 maximum per stay).

The River Rock Casino Resort has several on-site dining options: The Buffet, Curve and the International Food Court are all open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, while Tramonto serves dinner daily. Lulu's Lounge (right off the casino floor) is open 24-hours daily, while Java Jacks is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

The SkyTrain's Bridgeport Station (which connects to the airport and downtown Vancouver) is across the street, while Yaohan Centre for shopping is less than a 20-minute walk away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)

Verified with a front desk agent: Free airport shuttle, free parking, free Wi-Fi, and pets allowed for $25 per night (call date: Oct. 28, 2012).

The Good

The majority of the reviews consulted for this analysis were positive with much praise going to the hotel's staff, location, and rooms.

Most guests were complimentary towards the staff at this hotel. They were characterized as friendly, polite and professional. Many said that staff were very helpful when asked for recommendations about tourist attractions in Vancouver. The staff were also praised for their "customer service-oriented attitude".

Many reviewers were pleased with the hotel's location, and described it as close to the airport and SkyTrain, with easy highway access. It was also mentioned by these guests that it was unnecessary to have a car if visiting downtown Vancouver while staying at this hotel, because of its close proximity to the SkyTrain.

The rooms were praised by several lodgers at the hotel, who described them as very clean and quiet, with modern fixtures and decor and comfortable beds. It should be noted, however, that while most guests did enjoy their accommodations, the standard rooms (situated in the newer Hotel At River Rock) were described as small by a few guests, while the suites in the original River Rock Casino building were described as spacious by most.

The Bad

While most of the reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints among them, which included the free parking and the lack of an airport shuttle.

Some guests were disappointed with the location of the free self-parking at this hotel. They found it to be a longer walking distance from the hotel lobby than they would have liked. It should be noted that for most of these guests, their complaints about the parking were the only negative aspect they encountered during their stay.

A few guests complained that there was no airport shuttle from the hotel. It should be noted, however, that Bridgeport SkyTrain station is across the street and is three stops from the airport.

A few guests also mentioned that the alcohol was expensive in the casino and that the hotel in general was not very suitable for children due to the casino atmosphere.

Show Sources

Sources

TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #5 out of 26 Richmond hotels from 359 reviews.

Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.5 out of 5 with an 93% recommendation rate from 369 reviews.

Hotels.com guest reviews rated the hotel 4.4 out of 5 from 177 reviews.

Verified with a front desk agent: Free airport shuttle, free parking, free Wi-Fi, and pets allowed for $25 per night (call date: Oct. 28, 2012).

Analyzed by Erin H.

Erin loves to travel, and considers it her personal mission to help fellow travellers get the inside scoop, both good and bad, on Canadian Hotels.

Guest Reviews

Rated by Guests

8.0 / out of 10

"Very Good"

Ranked by Guests

12 / out of 21

hotels in Richmond

The average guest rating for River Rock Casino Resort & The Hotel is 8.0 out of 10 based on 1686 reviews from past guests. This average guest rating ranks River Rock Casino Resort & The Hotel at #12 out of 21 hotels in Richmond.

Location

River Rock Casino Resort & The Hotel
8811 River Road, Richmond, BC

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River Rock Casino Resort & The Hotel

8811 River Road, Richmond, BC