Chilliwack – APRIL 29 UPDATE from Downtown Chilliwack Trevor McDonald, DCBIA – I had the pleasure of sitting with the new owners & we have a common shared passion for the building, its rich history & the next chapter for this space.
I was asked to share the following information on our sites to clear up any confusion.
1. The previous post that people commented on the last week was not posted by the new owners. It was posted by the previous owners.
2. There will be some changes, one of them being the name of the hotel due to copyright issues. The new name will be RICHCA Heritage Hotel. This will be a family based business & there is in fact a wonderful story behind the new brand name that this Hotel will become.
3. Christine & Chih-Kai feel blessed to have moved to Canada with their family, & the brand name is a combination of their belief that our country & our community where they chose to live & work, is rich in opportunity, culture & diversity! RICH + CAnada = RICHCA. The happy coincidence with this brand name is their kids’ names are RICHard & RebecCA.
4. The hotel will remain a heritage style hotel & respect its historic significance in our downtown.
5. The cafe & pub space will also be an exciting addition to our downtown moving forward!
From the new owners:
Hello everyone,
We would like to officially introduce ourselves as the new owners of the Royal Hotel Chilliwack. We are Richca Hotel Corporation, a BC-based hospitality company from Hope, BC.
Our first location is Richca Chalets Resort, where we have upgraded all of the rooms to meet modern comfort standards while continuing to focus on a warm & welcoming guest experience.
We are grateful for the opportunity to now become part of Chilliwack’s historic downtown community.
We want to answer a few of the questions and concerns that have been shared:
Yes, this property will remain a hotel.
Our goal is not to tear it down, turn it into condos, or replace it with a modern high-rise. Our vision is to bring the hotel back to its former glory while respecting the history, character, and memories connected to this building.
At Richca Chalets Resort, we have already gone through the process of improving rooms to better meet the expectations of today’s guests. We hope to bring that same care to this property by upgrading the rooms & improving the guest experience, while still preserving the hotel’s historic character & charm.
We understand that many people are concerned about the heritage value of the property. We recognize how important this building is to Chilliwack & to the people who have memories here. While we are still in the early stages, our intention is to preserve the character of the hotel & improve it in a way that honours its history.
We also want to clarify that we will not be selling antiques or historical items from the hotel. We understand that many of these pieces are part of the story & atmosphere of the hotel, and we want to treat them with care.
For those asking about future plans, our focus will be on restoring & improving the hotel step by step. This includes the guest experience, safety, cleanliness, room comfort, and the overall quality of the property. We are also considering how to bring life back to the restaurant & public spaces in a way that fits the building and the community.
We have loved reading people’s memories of the hotel, from stories about the old restaurant to moments connected to the building’s long history. Those comments remind us how meaningful this place is, and they are exactly why we want to approach this project carefully.
Thank you to everyone who has shared support, questions, memories, and concerns. We know trust is earned, and we hope to earn it through respectful improvements and clear communication as we move forward.
– Richca Hotel Corporation, New owners of the Royal Hotel Chilliwack
APRIL 28 UPDATE – On April 28, Heritage Chilliwack released a statement on the new direction for the Royal Hotel. While not a heritage site, it is a heritage building.
From their comments: The Heritage Chilliwack Society is aware of the recent sale of the historic Royal Hotel and acknowledges the comments from the perspective new ownership group.
As a longstanding landmark in our community, the Royal Hotel holds significant heritage value and deep connections to Chilliwack’s collective history. We are encouraged by the new owners’ stated intention to preserve the building’s character and look forward to seeing how this important site evolves.
We hope that any future plans will continue to respect and protect the historic integrity of the building, and we welcome opportunities to support and collaborate in preserving this valued piece of Chilliwack’s heritage
ORIGINAL STORY APRIL 24 – In August 2024, FVN reported that: There have been plenty of stories and social media posts about the Royal Hotel. NOTE: from Heritage Chilliwack: it is listed on the Heritage interest Inventory, but is not designated.
Virtual Tour is here.
From Royal Hotel Chilliwack Facebook posting of April 24, 2026: To our valued guests and the Chilliwack community, We want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for the sudden nature of this transition and for any inconvenience or disappointment it may have caused.
And now we wait for the next chapter.
