Opinion: Whistler needs new and better hotels to sustain tourism and its reputation | Daily Hive

Whistler Village. (Gagliardi Photography/Shutterstock)

Whistler has truly hosted the world — most notably during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games — and continues to welcome millions of visitors each year in search of alpine adventures, breathtaking mountain views, and luxury escapes.

In fact, the resort town’s very origins trace back to a 1960s dream of one day hosting the Winter Olympics

Yet behind the glossy brochures and Instagram-worthy gondola rides lies a growing challenge: Whistler’s hotel infrastructure is increasingly outdated and struggling to keep pace with demand.

A growing number of buildings in this storied resort town are in dire need of modernization. Deteriorating interior and exterior, outdated energy systems, and inconsistent guest experiences are no longer the exception, they’re increasingly the norm.

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But the real problem isn’t just deferred maintenance. And unless property owners, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and provincial leaders confront it directly, Whistler may soon find its reputation slipping against newer, more agile resort destinations across North America.

Whistler is still attracting visitors, but the momentum isn’t what it used to be.

Industry figures have reported recent drops in key tourism indicators. A growing number of prospective travellers are now choosing alternative resorts, such as Revelstoke, Big White, and other even farther-flung destinations that offer more modern amenities, more cohesive guest experiences, and often, better value.

While pricing and accessibility play a role, what’s increasingly turning guests away is the inconsistent quality of accommodations. Many of Whistler’s hotels feel tired offering rooms and retail environments that no longer match what today’s travellers associate with premium resort stays.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler. (Michelin Guide)

Whistler’s tourism economy is built on high expectations. Visitors pay top dollar for accommodations with the assumption that quality, cleanliness, and sustainability are baked into the experience. Yet many of Whistler’s hotels haven’t seen meaningful renovations in decades.

Guests expecting elevated experiences frequently report poorly maintained rooms, dated interiors, and uninspired lobbies. In-room amenities are often a step behind comparable destinations.

As well, many of Whistler Village’s retail offerings at ground level feel like afterthoughts — what should be curated, experiential extensions of the guest experience.

And these aren’t isolated complaints. They’re part of a growing trend that threatens the future of this tourism-dependent community, and a major economic engine of B.C.

Similar challenges are also unfolding in Metro Vancouver, where a growing shortage of hotel rooms is beginning to jeopardize the region’s tourism industry.

Why aren’t these hotels being renovated?

The short answer? Ownership gridlock.

Unlike traditional hotels operated by a single entity or investor, many of Whistler’s hotels fall under a strata-title ownership model. This means individual units are owned by private investors, some of whom may visit occasionally, while others depend on rental income through a hotel management program.

In essence, this model represents a form of communal ownership — a way to cover the substantial upfront costs of construction financing while also distributing risk among multiple stakeholders. But in practice, it is shortsighted and creates intense friction over the long term. Renovation plans, whether to upgrade the rooms, modernize HVAC systems, or improve insulation, require strata approval. And that means securing buy-in from dozens, sometimes hundreds, of owners with different financial interests and timelines.

Industry standards typically call for a minor refresh of hotel furnishings, carpets, and decor every five to 10 years, with more substantial renovations occurring every 10 to 15 years. This schedule helps maintain quality, ensures competitiveness, and aligns with evolving brand requirements.

The result is an all-too-common impasse: some owners want to renovate and reinvest, others refuse to pay their share or vote against proposals to delay or hold out for inflated buyouts. With no consolidated decision-making structure, the buildings stagnate.

If Whistler were a publicly traded company, these properties would be warning signs on an earnings report, rapidly depreciating assets hidden beneath a beautiful ski mountain. In fact the tourist visits to Whistler have dropped over the years, due to the lack of offering of the hotels. Tourists or ski enthusiasts have started to find other alternatives.

Cautionary tales

The Shell Mountainside Lodge is an example of how fragmented ownership can lead to complications. Currently, dozens of strata hotel units within the property are under court-ordered receivership. However, it is important to note that the overall hotel is not for sale, and the other portions of the building owned by Executive Hotels & Resorts are not affected.

There are exceptions to the dysfunction. Crystal Lodge, owned by The Burrard Group, is a model of what cohesive, forward-thinking ownership can achieve. With one aligned decision-making entity, the hotel has undergone several rounds of thoughtful renovations and retail curation.

Rooms have been modernized, systems upgraded, and retail tenants selected to match the vision of the property as a refined guest experience hub. Importantly, these upgrades haven’t been mired in debate, they’ve been executed with agility.

The success of Crystal Lodge shows what’s possible when hotels are treated as long-term strategic assets rather than piecemeal investments.

The Crystal Lodge, Whistler. (Kenneth Chan)

Whistler’s global brand has long rested on its reputation for natural beauty, fresh alpine air, and a deep connection to the environment. Its image is inseparable from notions of green leadership, outdoor stewardship, and sustainability-first living. But behind the marketing is a jarring contradiction: many of the resort’s hotels leak energy, rely on outdated infrastructure, and lag far behind on climate-conscious retrofits.

This isn’t just about guest comfort. It’s about emissions, operational efficiency, and Whistler’s ability to align its built environment with its values. As cities across British Columbia move toward higher tiers of the BC Energy Step Code, with Vancouver already mandating Step Code 4 for many new developments, Whistler is falling behind. In fact, the gap between Whistler and its neighbouring cities is now measured not in kilometres, but in climate policy years.

Why is Whistler the exception?

Is Whistler exempt from the provincial government’s sustainability initiatives? Is it too reliant on fractured ownership to enforce the kinds of energy efficiency standards that are now common in other municipalities? Or worse, is Whistler at risk of sending a dangerous signal, that it’s acceptable for one of Canada’s most iconic resorts to remain stuck in an era of inefficient buildings and minimal climate accountability?

It’s a troubling narrative for a town whose economy and identity are both rooted in the health of its natural surroundings. While tourism boards and hotel operators elsewhere are racing to showcase LEED certifications, carbon offsetting, and green building design, many of Whistler’s accommodations can’t even agree on basic upgrades, let alone climate leadership.

This is a moment for political and civic leadership. Whistler can either remain the exception to the rule or it can rise to the occasion and become the benchmark for how sustainability and tourism can, and must, go hand in hand in British Columbia.

So far, there’s little indication that provincial or municipal leaders have stepped in with the urgency this problem demands.

If strata hotel ownership continues to paralyze capital improvements, perhaps it’s time to explore:

Low-interest loan programs for energy efficiency retrofits that strata councils can tap into collectively.
Minimum standards enforcement for hotels or rental properties operating under a hotel flag to comply with current energy and building codes in a set of time frames. Perhaps provide incentives to those who would comply prior to an accelerated deadline.
Encourage renovations and provide flexibilities at the municipal level from permitting or planning perspectives.

These may not be popular among all owners, but they represent a shift toward proactive, coordinated initiative towards a sustainable tourism industry to maintain its competitive edge for our future generations. Left unchecked, the status quo threatens to deteriorate further.

The permanent Olympic rings at Whistler Village. (Chris LaBasco/Shutterstock)

The Whistler of tomorrow won’t be defined solely by snowfall or summer festivals. It will be shaped by the quality of its infrastructure, the wisdom of its governance, and the decisions made today about what kind of resort town it wants to be.

That means having hard conversations now — with property owners, strata councils, and provincial ministries — about how to break free from the renovation deadlock and preserve Whistler’s standing on the world stage.

Because the reality is clear: Whistler doesn’t have a tourism problem, it has a hotel and sustainability problem. And unless that problem is solved, no amount of mountain magic will be enough.

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