The King Edward Hotel in Enderby, ca. 1940. BC Archives E-05289.
One of the first establishments built in new communities usually was a hotel. Developers, prospectors, businessmen and tourists all needed a place to stay, and hotels provided that accommodation. British Columbia's hotels sometimes were the centre of the community, with attached saloons and restaurants. Some hotels also became famous in their own right, such as the Empress hotel in Victoria, opening in 1908, or the Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, opening in 1927.