The Sylvia Hotel

The Sylvia Hotel was built in 1912 opened in 1913 and was named after Sylvia Goldstein, the daughter of the original owner. Here was opened the first cocktail bar in the Vancouver in 1954 and it has remained a cozy neighbourhood favourite because of its easy atmosphere and close proximity to the beach and West End. The Sylvia laid claim to being the tallest building in Vancouver’s West End until 1958. Being the only beachfront hotel in Vancouver it proved size didn’t really matter, it was location, location, location. There is a local urban legend that Errol Flynn died in The Sylvia Hotel. The hotel cannot confirm or deny this, as they tell us no current employee was there at that time. We love that.

Aside from the hotels reputation as being one of Vancouver’s best hidden gems the hotel earned some recognition because it was home to a cat fugitive called “Mr. Got to Go”. He somehow got inside the hotel and refused to leave – hence the name. There was a book written about Mr. Got to Go based on true stories and it became so popular that a sequel called “Mr. Got to Go and Arnie” was written to include the general managers Yorkshire terrier. Children from all around the world come to the hotel to see Mr. Got to Go and where Mr. Got to Go lived. Unfortunately Mr. Got to Go has passed away. The books can still be purchased at the hotel for $10 and memory of the cat still lives on.