Skwachàys Lodge is a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel — Canada's first Indigenous arts hotel — on the edge of Gastown and Chinatown in downtown Vancouver. Each of its rooms is individually and beautifully designed around themes created by Indigenous artists and designers, making a stay a genuinely cultural experience. The lodge incorporates a fair-trade Indigenous art gallery, and as a social enterprise, its proceeds support Indigenous artists and provide housing — so your stay does good. Distinctive, meaningful, and central, it's a memorable alternative to a conventional hotel.
Skwachàys Lodge (pronounced roughly "skwatch-eyes") is unlike any other hotel in Vancouver — Canada's first Indigenous arts hotel, and a social enterprise with a mission woven into the experience of staying there. Located on the edge of Gastown and Chinatown in the downtown core, it's a boutique property where art and culture are central, not decorative.
Its rooms are its signature
Each is individually designed around a distinct theme conceived by Indigenous artists and designers, blending contemporary comfort with Northwest Coast and other Indigenous artistic traditions, so that staying in one is an immersive, personal encounter with the art. The building also houses a fair-trade Indigenous art gallery and an artists' studio, and the lodge operates as a social enterprise: its revenues support Indigenous artists-in-residence and fund subsidized housing for Indigenous people, meaning a stay directly contributes to the community.
The location, on the edge of Gastown near Chinatown, places you in Vancouver's historic core, within walking distance of Gastown's restaurants and shops, Canada Place and the waterfront, and the downtown sights — though, as with Gastown generally, the surrounding area borders the Downtown Eastside, so be mindful of your surroundings, especially at night. Skwachàys Lodge suits travelers who want a distinctive, culturally rich, and ethically grounded stay with real meaning and beauty, over a standard hotel — and who appreciate supporting Indigenous art and community in the process.
Why stay here
- ✓Rooms designed by Indigenous artists
- ✓Fair-trade Indigenous art gallery
- ✓Social enterprise supporting Indigenous artists & housing
- ✓Smudge room
- ✓Free WiFi
- ✓Central downtown/Gastown location
- ✓Concierge service
Good questions
What makes Skwachàys Lodge unique?+
It's Canada's first Indigenous arts hotel — each room is individually designed around themes created by Indigenous artists and designers, and it houses a fair-trade Indigenous art gallery, making a stay a genuinely cultural experience.
Does staying there support a cause?+
Yes — Skwachàys Lodge is a social enterprise. Its proceeds support Indigenous artists-in-residence and fund subsidized housing for Indigenous people, so your stay directly contributes to the community.
Where is it located?+
On the edge of Gastown and Chinatown in downtown Vancouver, within walking distance of Gastown's restaurants, the waterfront, and downtown. Note it borders the Downtown Eastside, so be mindful of your surroundings, especially at night.
