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Play & Stay Canada

Richmond, British Columbia · gaming age 19+

River Rock Casino Resort: our review

Last revised · facts verified

River Rock wins on access: step onto the Canada Line and you're at YVR in seven minutes or downtown Vancouver in eighteen. Add 396 rooms (with some properly large suites), the country's first Gordon Ramsay Steak, a water-slide pool and a Fraser River marina, and it's an easy recommendation.

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

Go for it if: YVR travellers, people who plan trips around dinner, and anyone leaving the car at home.
Think twice if: A big-arena headliner is the plan — the theatre tops out at 965 seats.

The case for River Rock

Richmond's riverfront resort opened in 2004 and used its 20th birthday to upgrade, most notably by bringing in Gordon Ramsay Steak, the chef's first fine-dining room in Canada. New owners arrived in June 2026: Great Canadian Entertainment closed its sale of the property to a partnership led by First Nations. None of that matters to a visitor as much as one fact — the Canada Line's Bridgeport station is right beside it.

Where you sleep

Rooms total 396. Standard King, Two Queen and accessible King rooms in the Hotel Tower measure 325 sq ft. Cross the sky bridge to the Casino Tower for suites: 525–650 sq ft one- and two-bedrooms; Executive suites with sunken lounges; Penthouses of 1,000–1,200 sq ft looking across the Fraser; and the Presidential Suite, 2,800 sq ft, with fireplaces and a starlight ceiling above the bed. Blackout curtains, a safe, a coffee maker and a mini fridge are standard. Guests checking in must be 19+.

The real reason to come: food

Ramsay's steakhouse ages its beef 28 days and now has a dining area that opens to the outdoors, looking at the marina. Sea Harbour covers Chinese seafood, plus dim sum between 10 am and 3 pm. In 2026 KOI — sushi, from the Kuns Omakase team — took over the room Miku used to occupy. Rock House grills burgers; Chopsticks Noodlehouse serves until 3 am. Weekends bring the Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet in The Chairman's Room, Friday through Sunday from 4 to 9 pm ($85 adults, $80 seniors, $35 kids), and the same room hosts Sunday brunch, 9 am–3 pm. Privé Bar pours from 11 am until 2 am, every day.

Downtime

Swim from 6 am to 10 pm, slide included. Absolute Spa is on level 2: six treatment rooms, open 10 am–6 pm. Add a gym and a marina on the river.

Gaming and shows

The casino is 19+ and open around the clock, with a racebook and a poker room. River Rock doesn't publish how many slots and tables it has, and we won't guess. Rewards come through Encore Rewards, the programme used at casinos all over B.C. The 965-seat Show Theatre is a comedy-and-tribute-act room, not a stadium-tour stop.

Extra charges

Every room carries a $19.99 daily resort fee; it includes a spot in the West Lot, roughly a five-minute walk to the hotel entrance. Bringing a pet costs $35 per animal per night, billed for three nights at most, and the hotel supplies beds and bowls.

Our call

For a Vancouver flight, nothing in Canada's casino-hotel line-up is smarter — and the restaurants alone justify the trip. Want a big show? Head east. Want a great dinner? Stay right here.

Quick answers before you book

How do I get to River Rock from Vancouver airport?

Hop on the Canada Line and get off at Bridgeport; the resort says it's a ride of roughly 7 minutes.

Does River Rock serve a buffet?

On weekends, yes: the Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet in The Chairman's Room runs Friday to Sunday, 4–9 pm. There's a Sunday brunch too.

What does River Rock charge for pets?

$35 per pet per night, with the charge capped at three nights.

Sources for this review

We verified the facts here on October 23, 2026 using the sources listed above. Rates, fees and hours can change, so check with the hotel before booking. Notice anything outdated? Let us know. Keep browsing: Casino Hotels in British Columbia or the complete top 10.