OverviewThis hotel (renovated in 2011) is located in the core of the downtown Calgary area on 8th Avenue South West and offers leisure and business travellers accommodation within walking distance to shopping, restaurants and the business district. On-site amenities include an outdoor heated pool and a gym.
Guests have the option to choose between non-smoking and smoking rooms at this hotel. In all rooms, they can expect Wi-Fi, a coffeemaker, a flat screen TV, a hair dryer, and an iron and an ironing board. There are Standard rooms and Suites available, some of which have a hot tub. Parking is available on site for $15.75/day and pets are permitted for $25/day.
There are a number of restaurants surrounding the hotel, but guests can dine on site at Cheers Restaurant for breakfast and lunch, open daily from 7:00am-2:00pm. The Red Fox Lounge serves lunch and dinner, and is open Monday-Friday from 11:00am-10:00pm and Saturday-Sunday from 11:00am-8:00pm.
For guests looking to wander Calgary by foot, there is much to see and do within walking distance. The Eau Claire Market, Calgary Tower and the Glenbow Museum are all walkable in about 15 minutes. For guests in town for the Calgary Stampede, the Stampede Corral is slightly closer, about an 8 minute walk. Guests travelling by air should budget about 23 minutes to drive the 18.4km between the hotel and Calgary International Airport (YYC) (distances and driving time estimates: Google Maps).
Check-in is at 3:00pm, while check-out is at 12:00pm.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi and parking (call date: July 13, 2012).
The GoodFor guests that had a positive experience, much of it had to do with convenient location, and high levels of customer service.
Staff at this hotel provided excellent service, and guests used words like "efficient" and "friendly" to describe them. Some guests felt that staff really made an extra effort to enhance the stay. One guest described how they had left a few bottles of beer sitting on the table in the room, and when they had returned from their day out, housekeeping staff had placed them on ice.
Location was a big plus for a number of guests, who felt that the hotel was central and convenient to a number of shops and attractions. Comments like "perfectly located for business or shopping trips" and "great location" were reflective of guest sentiment.
Rooms were clean and comfortable, according to a number of guests. A few guests mentioned that the beds and the pillows were comfortable as well.
Guests said that the price was "reasonable" and that it was a "good hotel for the price you pay".
There were a few additional compliments on things like large balconies and good food and service at the on-site restaurant.
The Bad
While many of the reviews used for this analysis were favourable, there were a few common threads among guest complaints, including problems with noise and unstable Wi-Fi connections.
A few guests felt that the walls were thin, and were bothered by noise from guests in adjoining rooms. Some guests were disturbed by street noise late at night, and suggested that rooms on higher floors may insulate better against street noise. A few guests in rooms near the elevators said that they were very noisy as well.
Wi-Fi connections were slow and spotty, according to a number of guests, who found this frustrating.
Some guests found the on-site parking lot to be small, difficult to access and awkwardly configured. A few guests mentioned that spaces were tight and limited.
Guests said that this older hotel was showing its age, and that the decor was in need of more updating.
There were a few peripheral complaints regarding things like problems with hot water in the showers and disappointment from guests that didn't get to use the pool, as it was only open seasonally.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi and parking (call date: July 13, 2012).
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #37 out of 97 Calgary hotels, based on 164 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviewers rated this hotel 3.6 out of 5, based on 74 reviews. 76% of guests would recommend this hotel.
Booking.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 7.5 out of 10, or "good", based on 43 reviews.
