Book Club Staycation: Checking Into Fun and Fabulous

My book club of five East Van gals has been meeting up every couple of months since 2017. We talk books, of course, but also family life, work ups and downs, the latest neighbourhood buzz and whatever else might pop up between the chapters. We’re a casual club, after all, with no set rules or hardcore expectations.

Yet after many treasured evenings of free-flowing conversation and fantastic dinners at each other’s houses, we recently turned a page by treating ourselves to a book club staycation. And OPUS Vancouver, with its sleek design, ample onsite amenities and chic Yaletown location, looked to be just the right place.

What’s more, our book at the time just happened to be Canadian author Nita Prose’s debut novel, The Maid. So while we were checking into the very real boutique hotel that is OPUS, we would wind up talking about the very fictional five-star boutique hotel called the Regency Grand—and the cozy murder mystery that unfolds within.

Here’s how we took our book club to a whole new level during our one-night stay.

Easy riders

Photo: Sheila Hansen

Walking into the minimalist OPUS lobby, we’re greeted with glasses of sparkling rosé and a most wonderful scent in the air—I later learn it’s called A Walk in the Woods, fresh with notes of bergamot, jasmine and musk. Leaving our bags in a two-bedroom executive suite on the third floor, we head back downstairs and hop on the hotel’s complimentary ebikes for a leisurely late-afternoon spin along the seawall just minutes away. Included are helmets, locks and maps, the latter revealing how easy it would be to alternatively head to Granville Island (the mini False Creek ferries take bikes) or follow a craft beer tasting route.

All new to electric bikes, we’re not sure what to expect. For me, it’s love at first push to the pedal, when I feel the power assist kick in and smoothly propel me along the paved pathway. By the time we roll into Stanley Park on its one-way, multi-use 10-kilometre loop, we’re all sitting comfortably in our padded saddles. So much so that Kim exclaims as she rounds a corner, “I know what I’m asking for this Christmas.”

Cocktails on call

Photo: Sheila Hansen

Back in our suite and ready to relax, we each pick a pour from the hotel’s Beverage Butler menu before I call down with our order. Minutes later, a tray laden with colourful handcrafted cocktails arrives. “That looks s-o-o-o-o beautiful,” says Bindy, who’s no slouch in the mixology department herself.

There’s a refreshing Starlino Spritz with rose grapefruit, a zippy White Lambrusco Sangria with red wine and pomegranate, a perfectly balanced Capo Classic Negroni and a couple of sparkling OPUS 75s with brandy and triple sec. Topping the drinks off are chunky ice cubes emblazoned with Spritz, the name of the downstairs bar from which these bevvies were born. Sure, the cozy space just off the lobby tempts with curved banquettes and small round tables, but we all agree there’s something delightfully decadent about staying in and having drinks delivered straight to our door.

Dashing digs

Photo: Sheila Hansen

Lilac walls, plum-toned couch, multi-coloured throw pillows and eye-catching art—a vibrant Tiko Kerr cityscape from his Lush Life series sparks a conversation on its own—all come together in our airy corner suite overlooking the shops, bistros and bars of bustling Yaletown. (And let’s not leave out the perfectly made plush king beds and Dyson hair dryers in the spa-like bathrooms.) Regarded as Vancouver’s first true boutique hotel when it opened 21 years ago, the 96-room OPUS continues to wow and win awards with its bold looks and funky flair. Revamps and renovations throughout the years include one finished just this May, which saw refreshed furniture fabric and updated wallpaper, carpet and lamp designs.

Tossing a charcuterie platter together in our suite’s mini kitchenette, I join my book club buds in the comfy living space to chat about The Maid. We all love the story’s eccentric but endearing lead character, Molly, who truly relishes her housekeeping job at a posh art deco hotel where she returns each room “to a state of perfection.” (Was Molly just here, we joke, noting our clean and polished surrounds.) Her discovery of a wealthy hotel guest dead in his suite lands the naïve maid on a twisting path to the truth, or her truth as she sees it. “We all live that way, honestly,” says Fiona, adding that she can’t wait to see Florence Pugh as Molly in the upcoming movie adaptation.

Brunch to die for

Photo: OPUS Vancouver

While we try to keep the drama confined to the pages of the book, the next morning finds us swooning over the new brunch menu at Capo downstairs. Opened in 2020, the casual ground-floor Italian eatery beckons with navy and tan seating, wood tables, beige-tiled floor and soft pendant globe lighting. Popular for its pizzas made with 36-hour fermented sourdough and locally sourced toppings, Capo also draws a breakfast and weekend brunch crowd.

Landing on our large round corner table are plates of refreshing prawn toast with cucumber and cornichon, a well-rounded niçoise salad with tuna and egg, a classic West Coast benny with house-made lox and Capo’s signature full breakfast of double-smoked bacon, eggs, rosti potato, semi-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. But not before flights of mimosas momentarily whisk us away to Italy—the pretty pink Rubino sparkling with both Prosecco and glitter, the orange Vacanza glowing with Aperol and guava juice.

Photo: Sheila Hansen

And when in Italy, or certainly here at Capo, one must try the house-made cellos. Made with leftover citrus from the restaurant, the liqueurs are products of OPUS’ zero-waste cocktail initiative. And they taste divine, as we soon discover while sipping bright flights of lemon, lime, orange and cream cellos. “I want to freeze this and eat it like a popsicle,” says Lisa of the limoncello.

Back in our room packing up, we’re reminded of The Maid and the invisible but vital role of housekeeping staff. Leaving a healthy tip on the table, we’re thankful for not only this wonderful staycation with friends but also to those who help make these times happen.