River Rock Casino Resort

River Rock sits on the Fraser in Richmond. It has a marina, a transit station close enough to make downtown Vancouver simple, and an airport a few minutes down the road — which explains a good share of who stays there.

Inside are hotel rooms, a show theatre, a conference floor, a set of restaurants and a gaming floor. On a weekday the building reads as a suburban events venue; on a Saturday it does not.

Waterfront rooms look across the channel, and the river path outside is better than the building's surroundings suggest.

For an early flight or a reason to be south of the city, the address does more work than the facilities list.