Vancouver boutique hotel carves niche in Aboriginal culture

Inside the Moon Suite at Vancouver's Skwachays Lodge. (Craig Minielly)

A new boutique hotel in Vancouver is carving out its niche from traditional Aboriginal culture, and hopes its new concept of creativity, culture and social consciousness will be the secret to success.

Billed as Canada’s first Aboriginal arts hotel, Skwachays Lodge offers 18 suites designed by individual Native artists.

Even its name evokes a historic Aboriginal connection: Skwachays is the traditional name of the area at the head of False Creek where the hotel sits, and refers to the spring waters that once covered the land.

In Pictures: Creativity abounds at Canada's first Native art hotel

With suite names like Drum Circle, Earth, Feather and Forest Spirits, each room features original carvings, oil paintings, fabric, art, furniture and décor.

“I don’t know that there are other hotels here in Vancouver where every hotel room is different,” manager Maggie Edwards says.

The variety has helped the fledgling downtown hotel’s popularity soar.

“We’re finding a lot of repeat guests that want to try a different room every time,” she says.

But the facility is much more than a boutique hotel. Hotel guests can attend workshops with the artists, and also purchase the art in the on-site Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery.

The lodge is run as a social enterprise by Vancouver's Native Housing Society, which means 100 per cent of the proceeds flow back into the non-profit – and the community.

It also subsidizes 24 live-work art studios within the hotel where the artists themselves can safely live, work and sell their art.

“These are people who really need assistance and really need empathy and help in moving forward,” said Dave Eddy of the Native Housing Society.

The artists also get business and marketing training, in order to help build a successful career.

Clifton Fred, one of the six artists who helped create the hotel rooms, says the process has been inspiring.

“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Fred says.

The poem-themed room he designed is one of the most popular at the hotel, and it’s also helped boost the sales of his art.

“There is still hope for my artwork,” Fred says.

With a report from CTV National Vancouver Bureau Chief Melanie Nagy