Trump International Hotel and Tower in Vancouver claims it's 69 stories tall. It's not.


A new Trump International Hotel & Tower opened Tuesday in Vancouver, Canada, and the twisting structure soars a whopping 69 stories high over the city. Or does it? Despite Trump Hotels' official press release claiming the building is 69 stories tall, the city's zoning permit shows that the building is a mere 63 stories tall above ground, CBC News reports.
The penthouse is nevertheless reached by pressing "69" in the elevator — the developers skipped floor 13 as well as each floor ending in 4, due to the fact that the number is considered unlucky by the Chinese. The company claims that the building is legitimately 69 stories tall, though, by counting underground levels, including parking.
It's not the only truth the company took liberties with: The press release claims the hotel is the first to open in the city "in over six years," despite another hotel opening in 2014. Likewise, it's not the first building the Trump Organization has exaggerated the height of: Trump Tower in Manhattan is only 58 floors, although it is promoted as being 68 to give the top floors higher elevator numbers.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Only in the Trump era can you have a debate about how many floors there are," commented former Vancouver city planner Brent Toderian.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine