OverviewLocated on Ontario St. on Kingston's waterfront, surrounded by restaurants and boutique shops, this hotel is popular with guests who want to be able to explore downtown Kingston on foot.
All 95 rooms have free Wi-Fi, free wired internet, a hair dryer and an iron and ironing board. Guests can choose between standard rooms (queen or double beds) or more spacious suites (king or queen beds and a 42" LCD TV). Non-smoking and smoking rooms are available. Pets are allowed for a cost of $15/day.
While there is no on-site restaurant, guests are offered a complimentary continental breakfast daily. There is a wide variety of restaurants, bars and cafes less than a 5-minute walk from this hotel. On-site amenities include an outdoor pool (open seasonally), a hot tub and a gym. Limited parking is available on site for $20/day.
This hotel is centrally located near Market Square, a downtown landmark that has an open air farmer's market during the spring, summer and fall and an outdoor rink in the winter. This hotel is adjacent to Confederation Basin and Marina, from which seasonal attractions like the Kingston Tour Train (which takes tourists around town to various attractions) and Island Queen Cruises (which tour around the Kingston Harbourfront and the 1000 Islands) depart. Queen's University is about a 5-minute drive away.
Air travellers should expect a 15-minute drive between the hotel and Norman Rogers Airport (YKG). Rail travellers should budget for a 10-minute drive between the hotel and the VIA Rail station. All distances and travel times: Google Maps
Confirmed with a front desk agent: breakfast, Wi-Fi, wired Internet and parking (call date: September 14, 2012).
The GoodMany of the reviews used for this analysis were favourable, and comments about convenient location and excellent customer service were common.
Guests praised this hotel's downtown location, both for its centrality (and the ease with which they could get to shops, restaurants and attractions) and for its scenic qualities (directly on the Kingston Harbourfront).
Staff here were excellent, according to guests, and consistently offered warm greetings and friendly service at various points throughout the hotel. Front desk staff were mentioned specifically and were praised for being helpful in offering advice on attractions and directions. Guests who had issues with items in their rooms (doors not closing etc.) reported that maintenance staff were prompt in appearing to fix the problem.
The Bad
While the bulk of the reviews used for this analysis were positive, guests did commonly complain about aging decor and expensive parking.
A number of guests complained about the hotel's worn appearance and suggested that the hotel was in need of renovations and updating. There was specific mention of worn furniture, window coverings, linens and carpets.
The on-site parking lot was small with limited spaces, which some guests found inconvenient. A few thought that the parking fee of $20/day was expensive.
Some guests complained of musty smells in the lobby and in the rooms.
A few guests found the lack of air conditioning in the hallways uncomfortable.
There were some additional comments from guests who were disappointed with the quality and the selection offered at the complimentary continental breakfast.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #23 out of 36 Kingston hotels, based on 104 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 7.5 out of 10, or "good", based on 73 reviews.
Expedia.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 3.3 out of 5, based on 97 reviews. 91% of guests would recommend this hotel.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: breakfast, Wi-Fi, wired Internet and parking (call date: September 14, 2012).
