VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – People arriving in Canada’s loveliest of cities only have “Georgia” on their mind — the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, that is.

The historic property where Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Kate Hepburn, Elvis, Ginger Rogers, Nat King Cole, and yes, even Ray Charles, the man who made the song Georgia On My Mind his signature tune, once walked its rich mahogany-paneled hallways, is enjoying a renaissance the likes of which Canada’s hotel industry has never seen.

The legendary hotel lost much of its lustre during the ’80s and ’90s and was almost forgotten until Dallas-based Rosewood Hotel Group stepped forward a few years ago and brought the Grand Dame back to life with a $100 million facelift that’s made her more beautiful than ever.

The remarkable remake has transformed the 85-year-old landmark into one of the most sought-after addresses along Vancouver’s downtown hotel strip (West Georgia St.) and comes complete with the city’s trendiest new restaurant, Hawksworth, presided over by celebrity chef David Hawksworth.

No expense was spared by the upscale Rosewood Group, which closed the Georgia down for four years while revamping every inch of this classic property, which was built in 1927 for $1 million.

The Hotel Georgia’s original 315 rooms have been pared down to 155 glorious guest rooms and suites featuring elegant furnishings and spa-inspired bathrooms that are accented in a palette of light blue, ivory and chocolate finishing. May we dare say these rooms qualify as the most luxurious in the Canadian hotel industry?

The only things that haven’t changed at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia are the memories.

“So many people have a story from the past that relates to our hotel — weddings, anniversaries, or just waiting outside to get an autograph from one of the Hollywood stars who stay here,” James Dudley, the distinguished chauffeur who whisks guests around town in the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s gleaming new Bentley, tells a visitor.

While Dudley speaks, a little girl walks past an unmanned player piano that’s belting out a tune off the hotel’s trendy lobby bar, and says to her mother, “ghosts stay here.”

Dudley, the former commodore of the Vancouver Yacht Club, just smiles and assures the young lady that there are no resident ghosts “but we have lots of stories to share.”

Like the time the Beatles “stayed” at the Hotel Georgia but really didn’t.

Above: The lounge at Hawksworth restaurant is the trendiest in Vancouver.

“You can just imagine the commotion the Beatles caused when they came to Vancouver (1964). They were booked into the Hotel Georgia and fans were lined up around our building. It was quite a sight,” remembers Dudley.

“After their concert (at old Empire Stadium) they were supposed to check into our hotel and leave for their next stop (Los Angeles) the following day, but their manager, seeing the commotion outside the hotel, feared for the group’s safety and ordered the chauffeur to drive straight to the airport.

“However, the hotel manager at the time never told the fans waiting outside that the Beatles had left town, so the fans stayed all night. That’s why many people think the Beatles stayed here but they really didn’t,” says the amiable Dudley.

Judging by the overflow crowd in the 1927 Lobby Lounge and the bar and lounge in Hawksworth, there appears to be plenty of new memories being made at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia these days.

One of the great achievements of the Rosewood Group was to convince Chef Hawksworth to head up the Georgia’s main dining room.

Hawksworth, the Wayne Gretzky of the kitchen, dazzles diners with his contemporary Canadian cuisine that includes plenty of freshly grown or caught B.C. ingredients

The restaurant is divided into three sections — the lounge, where the chic gather for drinks after work and before dinner, and the Pearl and Art rooms, where there’s lots of lively chatter.

Along with Hawksworth and the 1927 Lobby Lounge, the Hotel Georgia offers a unique outdoor entertainment experience at Reflections Lounge adjacent to the hotel’s first-class spa. It’s the place to be seen in Vancouver if you’re a young, hip West Coast professional.

But for all the impressive “new” additions at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, it’s the “old” trappings that still turn heads.

The hotel’s original lobby floor has been brought back to its former brilliance, the mahogany walls have never looked better, and the opulent Spanish ballroom, which looks like a wedding cake, is again a favourite with Vancouver’s newlyweds.

One of the most impressive public rooms in the hotel is a small, cozy ballroom on the second floor where, during renovation, a stained glass panel bearing the Hotel Georgia’s original Seahorse Coat of Arms was uncovered. The coat of arms and the room’s gold leaf ceiling leave people in awe.

Left: The hotel’s original charm was not lost in the major makeover. Right: The opulent guest rooms and fine trappings make staying at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia a real privilege.

“The Vancouver Museum of Art is right across the street and some people say the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is just an extension of the museum,” smiles Dudley, who says most of the hotel’s art comes from its owner’s private collection — one of the biggest in Canada.

During renovation, the Rosewood Spa was added, along with a new fitness centre and a signature 52-foot indoor saltwater pool featuring a glass bottom.

The signature cocktail in the 1927 Lobby Lounge is called the Hotel Georgia (made with Plymouth gin, orgeat, lemon, orange blossom and egg white) and was featured in the bestselling book Bottoms Up!

The hotel’s two suites — the Lord Stanley and the Rosewood — feature terraces that look out on Vancouver’s downtown splendour and mountain backdrop, and the superior, deluxe and premier executive rooms are undoubtedly the best in Canada.

No matter if it’s a suite or a “regular” room, guests are treated to the same level of comfort and the staff at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is an elite group that make guests feel very special — like a Hollywood star.