Our Story

Every great place has a beginning. Ours started with a vision, some incredible lakefront property, and a belief that luxury doesn't have to be stuffy.

Timeline of Excellence

1987

The Beginning

Margaret and Thomas Drakario bought this old waterfront property – everyone thought they were crazy. The place was practically falling apart, but they saw something nobody else did.

Original hotel property 1987
1992

Grand Opening

After five years of restoration work, we opened our doors with just 45 rooms. The Vancouver Sun called it "ambitious" – we took that as a compliment.

Grand opening celebration
2003

Conference Center Launch

Expanded with state-of-the-art conference facilities. Turns out, business folks like meetings with lake views just as much as vacationers do.

Conference center opening
2014

Spa & Wellness Wing

Added our wellness center because, honestly, guests kept asking where they could get a massage. Seemed like a good idea to keep 'em here instead of sending them elsewhere.

Spa and wellness center
2025

Today

We've grown to 180 rooms, but we're still family-owned and operated. Margaret's grandson runs things now, and yeah, he's got some of her stubborn streak when it comes to quality.

What We're Actually About

Look, we could fill this page with corporate speak about "exceeding expectations" and "world-class service." But that's not really our style.

Here's the deal – we've got this amazing spot right on the lake, and we figured the best thing we could do is not mess it up. That means comfortable rooms that actually feel like rooms (not museum displays), food that tastes like someone's grandma made it (in the best way), and staff who'll give you real recommendations, not just hand you a brochure.

Whether you're here for a conference, a wedding, or just need to get away from it all for a bit, we've tried to create the kind of place where you can relax without all the pretense. Fancy when it needs to be, laid-back when it doesn't.

Our Philosophy

Respect the Location: This lakefront is stunning, and we're just lucky to be here. We don't try to compete with nature – we frame it.

Keep It Real: Luxury shouldn't mean uncomfortable. You can have nice things and still feel at home.

People First: From our team to our guests, everyone deserves to be treated like they matter. Because they do.

180
Rooms & Suites

Each one with a view worth waking up for

38
Years in Business

And we're still learning something new every day

15K
Events Hosted

From intimate dinners to massive conferences

142
Team Members

The real reason this place works

The Founders

Margaret and Thomas Drakario took a huge risk back in '87. Here's how it all started...

Margaret Drakario
M

Margaret Drakario

Margaret was working in hotel management in Toronto when she first visited Vancouver. She fell hard for the city and even harder for a rundown lakefront property everyone else ignored. Her background in hospitality told her it could be something special, but it was pure gut instinct that made her convince Thomas to take the leap.

"People said we were nuts," she'd tell you with a grin. "They were probably right, but it worked out anyway." Now in her 80s, she still drops by for Sunday brunch and isn't shy about letting us know when something's not up to snuff.

Thomas Drakario
T

Thomas Drakario

Thomas came from a construction family, which turned out to be incredibly useful when they bought a building that needed basically everything fixed. He handled the renovation side while Margaret dealt with the hospitality vision. The two of them made a perfect team – she'd dream it up, he'd figure out how to build it.

Thomas passed away in 2019, but his influence is everywhere – from the hand-selected wood in the lobby to the attention to craftsmanship details most guests never even notice. That's exactly how he would've wanted it.

Recognition & Awards

We're honored to have received these over the years. Though honestly, the best reward is seeing guests come back.

🏆
Best Lakefront Resort

BC Tourism Awards

2023, 2021, 2019

Five-Star Rating

Canadian Hotel Association

2020-2025

🍽️
Culinary Excellence

Vancouver Dining Guide

2024, 2022

💼
Top Conference Venue

Meetings & Events Canada

2023

🌿
Green Key Certified

Environmental Leadership

2018-Present

💑
Best Wedding Venue

WeddingWire Couples' Choice

2025, 2024, 2023

Meet Some of Our Team

These are the folks who make everything happen. They're the real deal.

Michael Drakario
Michael Drakario

General Manager

Margaret's grandson. Grew up running through these halls, now he's running the whole operation. Still gets scolded by grandma at brunch.

Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen

Executive Chef

Trained in France, came back to Vancouver for the seafood. Her lakeside bistro menu changes with whatever's fresh at the market that morning.

James Rodriguez
James Rodriguez

Chief Concierge

Been here 18 years. Knows every restaurant, trail, and hidden spot in Vancouver. Guests trust his recommendations more than Google.

Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma

Spa Director

Left a fancy downtown spa to work here because she wanted her clients to hear birds instead of traffic. Can't really argue with that logic.

Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson

Event Director

Has coordinated over 500 weddings and somehow never gets flustered. If something goes wrong, you'd never know it from her face.

David Kim
David Kim

Facilities Manager

Worked with Thomas on the '92 renovation. Knows every pipe, wire, and beam in this building. Nothing stays broken for long on his watch.

Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson

Front Desk Supervisor

The first face most guests see. Somehow remembers everyone's names and their kids' names and what room they stayed in last time.