Overview
Located about a 2-minute drive from Highway 97 and from Okanagan Lake, the Holiday Inn West Kelowna may appeal to travellers who require a hotel with an indoor/outdoor pool, on-site dining and easy highway access.
This hotel has 77 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, all of which offer free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a desk, a hair dryer, and an iron and ironing board. Standard rooms offer one king or two queen beds, while suites offer additional amenities such as a jetted tub, a full kitchen, a bathrobe for each guest, a dining area and a sitting area with a sofabed. Morning newspapers are delivered to rooms free of charge.
Hotel amenities include an indoor/outdoor pool, a hot tub, a business centre, a fitness room and meeting/banquet facilities. GK's Bar & Grill offers on-site dining, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and features a patio. Kids eat free at GK's. GK's Lounge offers a full bar. Accessible rooms are available upon request, parking is free and pets are not permitted.
Boston Pizza is located next door to the hotel. Downtown Kelowna is roughly a 15-minute drive northeast of the hotel, while shopping is available at Westbank Towne Centre (a 7-minute walk southeast). Shannon Lake Golf Course is about an 8-minute drive northward, and Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is roughly a 30-minute drive northeast. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call date: March 22, 2013).
The GoodOf the reviews sourced for this analysis, the majority were positive, with praise going to the hotel's location, staff and value.
The hotel's location was praised by several reviewers. They described it as easy to find, as well as close to local wineries, the shopping district, several restaurants and the Greyhound bus depot. One guest remarked the hotel was very convenient for those travelling or passing through. It should be noted however, that a few guests found the hotel to be far from downtown Kelowna and Kelowna airport (see below).
Many guests were pleased with the level of customer service they received during their stay. They characterized the staff as friendly, informative and accommodating, and the service as first class. It should be noted however, that while the majority of reviewers praised the staff, some guests found the front desk clerks to be indifferent and inefficient (see below).
Some guests complimented the hotel's value. They described the prices as reasonable and affordable and the service and accommodations as a good deal for the rate.
The hotel's rooms were also praised by some patrons, who described them as clean and spacious with nice views of the Okanagan Valley.
The Bad
While the majority of critiques consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about noise transfer and the hot tub and a few reviewers dissatisfied with the staff and location.
A few guests complained of noise transfer during their stay. They reported being able to hear other guests in adjacent rooms, doors slamming in the hallways and noise from the hotel's automatic front door in rooms located above the hotel's entrance.
The hotel's hot tub was a disappointment to a few reviewers. They complained that the chemicals used to treat the hot tub were overpowering and irritated their eyes.
As noted above, while many reviewers praised the location, especially those passing through the area, others found it to be too far from Kelowna's airport and downtown area. And while the majority of reviewers had many nice things to say about the staff, some reviewers criticized the front desk staff as slow and indifferent.
Expedia.com guest reviews rated the hotel 4.2 out of 5 with a 95% recommendation rate from 93 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #4 out of 5 West Kelowna hotels from 60 reviews with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.7 out of 10 from 14 reviews.
The author called the hotel on March 22, 2013 to verify some information.
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Analyzed by Erin H.
Erin loves to travel, and considers it her personal mission to help fellow travellers get the inside scoop, both good and bad, on Canadian Hotels.
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