Built in 1911, the Rodmay Hotel was one of the first buildings constructed by the Powell River Paper Company. The hotel was urgently required to accommodate the Company’s business associates in deluxe accommodation.

The Powell River Hotel, as it was first called, was built in a Frontier style, prevalent among the buildings on the B.C. coast at the time. In this community, however, the hotel was given an additional feature which resulted in a dramatic overall look. By adding gabled windows to the sloping roof the hotel took on a Swiss Chalet appearance.

In 1911, the mill employees were living in a tent community located south of the hotel. The large balcony and stairs of the hotel served as a grandstand for the numerous sporting activities which took place on the large field in front.

Renamed the Rodmay Hotel in 1917, a few additions were subsequently added over the years, significantly changing the facade of the original structure. By 1954, only the original top two floors could be recognized amid the additional thirty rooms and other commercial additions.

This hotel was built of air dried virgin timber, which is the reason the structure is as solid as steel of today. After being closed for several years, the hotel has been undergoing renovations and remodelling and the businesses located within its historic walls are being revived to provide a full hospitality package for guests that include rooms, suites, meeting areas, a banquet room, liquor store, pub, and restaurant.

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