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Casino Getaways Canada

Richmond, British Columbia · minimum age 19+

River Rock Casino Resort: our review

Updated · facts checked

Leave the car at home: from River Rock the Canada Line reaches YVR in about seven minutes and downtown Vancouver in about eighteen, the best transit link of any casino hotel in the country. Inside are 396 rooms with some very large suites, the first Gordon Ramsay Steak in Canada and a water-slide pool, and outside there's a marina on the river.

  • Rooms & views8.5
  • Casino floor8.0
  • Dining9.0
  • Shows & events7.5
  • Pool, spa & fitness8.5
  • Getting there10.0

Ideal for: YVR stopovers, food-led weekends and anyone happy to leave the car at home.
Think twice if: You want stadium-scale shows — The Show Theatre seats 965.

The short version

Location first: Bridgeport station on the Canada Line is next door, which is why this Richmond resort on the Fraser River is so easy to use. It opened in 2004, marked its 20th year with upgrades — chiefly Gordon Ramsay Steak, the chef's first fine-dining room in Canada — and changed hands in June 2026, when Great Canadian Entertainment completed its sale to a First Nations-led partnership.

Which room to book

River Rock has 396 rooms in two buildings. Standard rooms sit in the Hotel Tower — King, Two Queen or an accessible King, each 325 square feet. Cross the sky bridge to the Casino Tower for the suites: 525–650 sq ft suites with one bedroom or two, Executive suites built around a sunken lounge, Penthouses of 1,000 to 1,200 sq ft with sweeping river views, and the Presidential Suite, 2,800 sq ft with fireplaces and a starlit ceiling over the bed. Blackout curtains, a safe, a coffee maker and a small fridge come as standard, and the person checking in has to be at least 19.

Eating in: the main event

Steaks at Gordon Ramsay Steak spend 28 days dry-ageing, and there's now an indoor-outdoor section looking onto the marina. For Chinese seafood go to Sea Harbour, which serves dim sum between 10 am and 3 pm. In 2026 the former Miku space became KOI, a sushi room run by the Kuns Omakase team. Late-night noodles are at Chopsticks Noodlehouse (open till 3 am), burgers at Rock House. On weekends The Chairman's Room puts on its Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet, 4–9 pm Friday through Sunday — $85 per adult, $80 for seniors, $35 for kids — and on Sundays a brunch runs 9 am–3 pm. Privé Bar serves 11 am–2 am every day.

Downtime

Swim 6 am–10 pm daily in a pool with its own water slide. Absolute Spa (level 2, six treatment rooms) keeps 10 am–6 pm hours, and there's a gym plus a riverside marina.

At the tables, and on stage

The casino is 19+, open 24 hours, with a racebook and a poker room. We don't quote machine or table counts because River Rock doesn't publish them. Loyalty runs through Encore Rewards, used across B.C. casinos. As for shows, The Show Theatre has 965 seats: comedy and tribute nights, yes; stadium headliners, no.

Worth knowing

Add $19.99 per room per day for the resort fee; it includes parking in the West Lot, about a five-minute walk from the entrance. Bringing a pet costs $35 per animal per night, charged for three nights at most, and the hotel supplies bowls and a bed.

The getaway verdict

If your trip starts or ends at YVR, this is Canada's smartest casino-hotel choice, and the restaurants make it a getaway in its own right. Come for dinner, not for an arena show.

Good to know before you book

How do I reach River Rock from YVR?

Take the Canada Line to Bridgeport; the resort says the airport is about 7 minutes away.

Does River Rock still run a buffet?

Yes — the Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet in The Chairman's Room, Friday–Sunday 4–9 pm, plus Sunday brunch.

What does River Rock charge for pets?

$35 per pet per night, with no more than three nights charged.

Where our facts come from

Fact check: October 23, 2026, against the sources above. Hotels change rates, fees and opening hours without warning, so double-check with the property before you book. Spotted an error? Email us. Next stop: more hotels in Casino Hotels in British Columbia, or the top 10 ranking.