When I was a kid there was a lot of talk about the Chateau Lacombe in Edmonton as one of the great hotels. This was true due to the fact that the hotel was a part of the railroad hotel system. Sadly I was never able to stay at the hotel when I was younger, and I have to say that I am incredibly disappointed in the hotel as it is today.
We checked in at a little after 4:00 PM after navigating around a huge construction rehab project that has a few blocks of Jasper Avenue down to one lane in each direction.
The reception staff were very welcoming and efficient, with the entire process taking only a few minutes. Covered parking was included with our room charge and that was a nice bonus.
Now for the bad news...the rooms had been recently "renovated"...although renovation usually means more than a coat of paint and some new vinyl wall coverings.
Because the hotel is round, the rooms are a bit of an odd shape, and our King room was a tad cramped.
We looked high and low for a fridge to put our water in, but could not find one...that's because there are no fridges in the regular rooms. In order to qualify for a fridge you need to book an executive room/ suite. Rather unusual in this day and age.
The security chain on the door was also a blast from the past...the furnishings are old and beat up, the chair is too low to work at the desk and does not adjust....
The bed was a king size and was as hard as a sheet of plywood. When we checked the bathroom, the tub was chipped in a couple of areas, (one of which could do some damage to your hind end) and the hot water faucet in the lavatory shut itself off.
Went down to the lobby a short time after check in and were glad we arrived when we did, as the line up to check in was very long. There were at least 2 conferences going on and it looked as though all of the attendees for both showed up at the same time. All the customer service attendants were working very hard to get people checked in as quickly as possible.
We never made use of any of the amenities on site per se, but the rotating restaurant at the top of the hotel has a good reputation. Hope it is better than the hotel itself.
When we went to bed for the evening the noise from everyday hotel life was quite loud...voices, ice machine, doors opening and closing etc.
The pros are:
Good location, great staff and covered parking. Great views.
The cons are:
Old hotel in need of a complete retrofit, excessive noise, overpriced for what is offered.
Most chains offer a lot of value for consumer investment. Chateau Lacombe needs to get updated and stay current to get my business again.