Dossier 05 · Richmond · British Columbia · entry 19+
River Rock Casino Resort — resort dossier
File date · sources re-read
Staff choice
B+84.3/100
No. 5 of 12 on file — inside the ratings top ten
| Accommodation ·20% | A− |
|---|---|
| Gaming ·20% | B |
| Showrooms ·20% | B− |
| Dining ·15% | A |
| Leisure & spa ·15% | A− |
| Reachability ·10% | A+ |
- Keys
- 396; suites in the Casino Tower
- Stage
- The Show Theatre, 965 seats
- Flagship table
- Gordon Ramsay Steak — Canada's first
- Pool
- Water slide, 6 am–10 pm
- Rail
- Canada Line station: YVR ~7 min, downtown ~18 min
- Resort fee
- $19.99 nightly (covers West Lot parking)
- Animals
- $35 per pet per night (no more than 3 nights charged)
- Entry age
- 19+ to check in
- On the map
- 8811 River Road · Richmond · British Columbia · V6X 3P8
- Tel.
- 604-247-8900
Transit doesn't get easier: from River Rock, the Canada Line reaches YVR in seven minutes and downtown Vancouver in eighteen. Further entries: 396 rooms (a few suites well above the norm), the inaugural Canadian branch of Gordon Ramsay Steak, a pool fitted with a slide, and a marina on the Fraser.
01Twenty years on the Fraser
Opened in Richmond in 2004, River Rock marked two decades with a refresh whose star is Gordon Ramsay Steak, which brought Ramsay fine dining to Canada for the first time. The deed changed hands in June 2026: Great Canadian Entertainment sold to a partnership led by First Nations. Practically speaking, its biggest asset is next door: the Canada Line's Bridgeport station.
02Rooms, towers and suites
396 rooms. Hotel Tower standards — King, Two Queen, accessible King — are 325 sq ft each. Cross the sky bridge to the Casino Tower for suites: one- and two-bedroom (525–650 sq ft), Executive (sunken living room), Penthouse (1,000–1,200 sq ft, sweeping river views) and, at the summit, a Presidential of 2,800 sq ft — fireplaces, plus a ceiling of artificial stars above the bed. Mini fridge, coffee maker, safe, blackout curtains. Minimum check-in age: 19.
03Why foodies come
Ramsay's steaks are dry-aged 28 days, and there's now an indoor-outdoor dining space facing the marina. Sea Harbour covers Chinese seafood, with dim sum 10 am–3 pm. Since 2026, KOI — sushi from the Kuns Omakase team — occupies the old Miku space. Late eats at Chopsticks Noodlehouse (until 3 am), burgers at Rock House, and the Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet, held in The Chairman's Room Fri–Sun 4–9 pm: $85 adult, $80 senior, $35 child; Sunday brunch is in that same room, 9 am to 3 pm. Privé Bar opens 11 am–2 am, seven days.
04Pool, spa, marina
Water slide included: the pool opens 6 am–10 pm every day. Absolute Spa is up on level 2 — six treatment rooms, 10 am to 6 pm. Add a fitness centre and the riverside marina.
05Casino and showroom
24-hour gaming with a poker room and racebook, 19+. River Rock publishes no slot or table totals online, and neither do we. B.C.'s shared Encore Rewards is the loyalty card. The Show Theatre, at 965 seats, is built for comedy nights and tribute bands, not arena tours.
06Fees and pets
Every room carries a $19.99-a-day resort fee; it includes West Lot parking, about a five-minute walk to the lobby. Pet fee: $35 a night per animal, capped at three nights' charge; a bed and bowls are provided.
07Verdict on file
Using YVR? You won't find a smarter casino hotel in Canada, and dinner alone is worth the booking. Big concerts are better back east; big steaks are right here.
→Arriving at the resort
Starting points we would actually use for River Rock Casino Resort, quickest car-free option first where there is one. Each button opens a real Google Maps route; numbers in the text are only those a named source publishes.
Vancouver Airport [YVR] — public transport
Of all the resorts we review, this is the simplest to reach without a car: a seven-minute Canada Line ride from YVR to Bridgeport, right beside the hotel.Per Destination BC
Waterfront Station, Vancouver — public transport
Downtown Vancouver is about 18 minutes the other way on the same line.Per Destination BC
Vancouver Airport [YVR] — driving
Self-parkers enter via River Road on the west side; the West Lot sits around five minutes' walk from the lobby and is included in the resort fee.Per River Rock Casino Resort
Questions on file
Q.How do I get to River Rock from Vancouver airport?
Take the Canada Line to Bridgeport — roughly seven minutes from YVR, according to the resort.
Q.Does River Rock run a buffet?
Yes — on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings (4–9 pm) The Chairman's Room runs its Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet; Sundays add a brunch.
Q.What does River Rock charge for pets?
$35 per pet per night, with a maximum of three nights billed.
Source register
| What it confirms | Publisher |
|---|---|
| common, address, phone, website | River Rock Casino Resort |
| booking page, room categories, suites, view types | River Rock Casino Resort |
| venue | River Rock Casino Resort |
| venue capacity | River Rock Casino Resort |
| restaurants, flagship restaurant | River Rock Casino Resort |
| buffet | River Rock Casino Resort |
| loyalty scheme | Casinos BC |
| airport distance, downtown distance, corroboration, late-night food | Destination BC |
| owner and operator, changes 2024 2026, view types | InterGame |
Source check Oct 23, 2026. Fees, prices and hours move — confirm with the resort before travelling. Outdated detail? Write to the guide. Also on file: British Columbia · ratings.