OverviewLocated a 2-minute drive from the Thunder Bay Expy (Hwy 61, a major artery through Thunder Bay) and a 6-minute drive to Thunder Bay International Airport (
YQT), this hotel is popular with travellers needing quick access to the airport at the beginning or the end of a trip.
All of the 261 rooms at this hotel have free Wi-Fi, a hair dryer, a coffeemaker and an iron and ironing board. Guests can choose between standard rooms (king or queen beds) or more spacious suites (separate bedroom, dining table and chairs for up to six guests). Pets are permitted for an additional $25/night.
Guests can dine on site at Timbers Restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) or at Runway 25 (serving dinner Monday-Saturday and Sunday brunch). There are also a number of dining options located within a 5- to 10-minute drive of the hotel. On-site amenities include an indoor pool, a hot tub, a gym, an outdoor tennis court, an outdoor basketball court and free parking. Guests are also welcome to use the free airport shuttle.
Shopping is available at the Thunder Bay Mall, a 4-minute walk away. Lakehead University is about an 11-minute drive away, while Fort William Historical Park (a re-creation of the days of the North West Company and the Canadian fur trader) is a 13-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Confirmed with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi, parking and shuttle (call date: September 23, 2012).
The GoodBased on the reviews used for this analysis, most guests had a positive experience at this hotel, much of which could be attributed to the hotel's convenient location and to its good customer service.
A number of guests appreciated this hotel's proximity to the airport, and several found the free airport shuttle service to be very convenient. Several guests also said that this hotel was easy to find.
Staff here were friendly and helpful, according to a number of guests. Guests said that the check-in process was smooth and speedy. Staff went above and beyond to ensure that guests were satisfied. One reviewer said that when front desk staff were unable to check him in at the hotel's stated check-in time (3:00 pm), they offered him free breakfast to compensate for the inconvenience.
Guests said that rooms were large and more than adequate met their needs comfortably (even guests travelling in larger groups). Rooms were clean as well. The hotel has been undergoing renovations in phases over the past year or so (as of September 2012), and repeat guests appreciated the updates to decor.
Several guests felt that the hotel was very quiet and were somewhat surprised given the proximity to the airport.
The Bad
While most of the reviews used for this analysis were positive, guests did have a few common complaints, mostly centring on the on-site restaurants and room service.
Guests felt that the food offered at the on-site restaurants was sub par. They also felt that it was too expensive. A few guests complained about the quality of the food delivered through room service. Several guests also felt that it took an unreasonably long time for their food to arrive at their room after ordering it.
A few guests complained about the air conditioning/heating units in their rooms, saying that they were difficult to operate and that they had a hard time regulating the temperature in their rooms.
There were some additional comments about odours from cigarette smoke, overly warm water in the pool and spotty, weak Wi-Fi connections.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #10 out of 30 Thunder Bay hotels, based on 101 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 8.2 out of 10, or "very good", based on 14 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviewers rated this hotel 4.0 out of 5, based on 24 reviews. 88% of guests would recommend this hotel.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi, parking and shuttle (call date: September 23, 2012).
