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Edmonton's western fringe (AB) · gaming 18+ · Maple review

River Cree Resort & Casino: the Maple verdict

Updated · hotel facts as of

4.00 / 5B+

No. 8 of 12 in our 2026 ranking
Hockey ice, Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen and an 18-storey tower going up

River Cree — Enoch Cree Nation's resort at Edmonton's western limit — mixes a big Alberta casino with 249 keys, twin hockey rinks, a free shuttle to the mall and Ramsay's first Canadian Hell's Kitchen — and a new tower of 18 storeys is under way.

Book it foran Edmonton weekend of skating, dinner and a big floor, kids and all.
Look elsewhere ifyou need a brand-new room right now — the tower opens in 2027 at the earliest.

How the score adds up

Room comfort30%3.75
Food & drink20%4.25
Wellness15%4.25
Gaming15%4.25
Entertainment10%4
Location10%3.5
Maple score4.00

Three crowds, one address

The resort opened in October 2006. Players arrive for one of the larger floors in the province, diners for the first Hell's Kitchen Gordon Ramsay put in Canada, and hockey parents for the Twin Rinks, whose two NHL-dimension surfaces run youth programmes and public skates.

Keys today

249 keys, 11 suites, in what the hotel calls a 4½-star full-service building. Each has a Keurig, microwave and mini fridge; room service runs 24 hours. Two Traditional layouts (King, Two Queen) and two Luxury suites (One Bedroom, Family) make up the list. The official site shows videos instead of specs.

Keys tomorrow

Work on a C$200 million expansion started in September 2024. According to GlobalData and STAY Magazine, the tower will have 18 floors, about 230–240 keys, more than 30 suites, a large event hall and a new pool with a pair of waterslides. June 2026 trade reports: shell complete, July 2027 targeted.

The floors

Main casino (smoke-free): 1,665 machines, 46 live tables, 14 more in poker. Embers, the smoke-friendly room: 405 machines, 14 tables. Alberta's age: 18. The free Players Club cuts 15 per cent off the best available room rate.

Kitchens

Hell's Kitchen serves lunch and dinner — Beef Wellington, sticky toffee pudding, the Ramsay hits. The Kitchen (family restaurant) runs a C$19.99 breakfast buffet Saturday and Sunday 07:00–14:00, plus buffet nights Friday and Saturday. Game on the screens: Tap 25. Late: Fatburger to 04:00, Cree Subs to 05:00.

Families and logistics

From 29 July 2024, minors with an adult may enter every non-gaming area — ice, restaurants, community events. Add a whirlpool beside the pool, a gym that never shuts and a no-charge bus to the mall five minutes away, and no Alberta casino resort is easier with children. Concerts and fight nights use The Venue, which can be set for 500 people or for 2,500. YEG is 20 to 25 minutes away by road; all parking is free, and valet is free too (09:30–03:00).

Desk verdict

Dinner alone is reason enough to go. Visit now for rinks and Hell's Kitchen; return after 2027 for the tower keys.

Check rates / book ↗Hotel website ↗

Opens the hotel's own booking page — no commission to us.

Finding your way there

If you're coming to River Cree, you're heading to the Enoch Cree Nation, just west of Edmonton and close to West Edmonton Mall.

  • If you fly into Edmonton (YEG). Two resort pages, two figures: 20 and 25 minutes. Allow 25. Map the drive ↗
  • If you're at West Edmonton Mall. It's about five minutes away, and the resort's free shuttle makes the trip every 30 minutes (ask the Players Club at 780-930-2562 for times). Map the drive ↗
  • If you're driving from downtown. The resort doesn't give a time from the city centre — let the map do the maths. Map the drive ↗

On Google the marker is labelled "Hell's Kitchen @ River Cree Casino"; it is still the right place (300 E Lapotac Blvd). Every lot is free, as is valet from 09:30 to 03:00.

Open the Google Maps listing ↗Start from my location ↗

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Quick questions about River Cree

Is Hell's Kitchen open for lunch as well as dinner?

Both meals, its page says. It also opened before any other Hell's Kitchen in Canada.

Where are kids allowed at River Cree?

Since 29 July 2024 they may go wherever there is no gaming, as long as an adult is with them; the two casinos remain 18+.

When should the new River Cree tower open?

June 2026 trade reports gave July 2027 as the target.

What we checked, and where

Facts checked against these publishers on 23 October 2026. Hotels can change prices, fees and opening hours without notice, so confirm what matters before you pay. Spotted something out of date? Tell the desk. More nearby: Alberta · the 2026 rankings.