Jan 28, 2010
Wow - First of all, the staff is wonderful - helpful, informative,
professional, from the front desk staff to the ski valet folks to the
staff member who was so nice when I had some questions.
Location-wise, it's not in the Village itself, which is a little bit of
a drawback for me. However, it's also kind of nice being away from the
hustle and bustle, plus there's a shuttle that will take you anywhere
(Village included) runs every five minutes or so. Today is Australian
Day and, because our Aussie friends like to celebrate that occasion with
gusto, I'm thankful that I'm not in the Village, actually, because sleep
might be a tough commodity to come across tonight in hotels down there!
My stay last night was quiet as a mouse, though I don't think the hotel
is very booked - the Olympics are only a couple of weeks away and folks
might be a little scared off by that. For me, the area is wonderfully
decorated in anticipation of the wonder two or three weeks the Olympics
will be hosted here.
I heard some folks complain about the decor and the hotel being
run-down. The decor is what you'd see at any Marriott in a ski area -
rugged but just fine. What kind of furniture do you want in a place like
this, where people clomp in with their ski gear, prop there boots up on
tables, etc.? Victorian-era antiques? Like the rest of the hotel, it's
not brand new and has some wear and tear, but nothing to be concerned
about (unless you just like to complain). It's been well maintained,
considering the abuse ski hotels take. I'm staying in a studio and it's
wonderful - the balcony is a nice touch, a 32" LG flat panel is mounted
so that it could be viewed either from the couch or the queen bed, the
kitchen was immaculate and the bathroom was fine too. You even have a
real-flame fireplace. What more could you ask for? When I walked in I
smiled immediately, which is how I know I picked a good spot to stay in.
Someone else complained about the lack of a "happening" restaurant/bar.
That's par for the course with Residence Inns, however, and I couldn't
care less. With all that's available in the Village, who cares? I'll be
spending my time in the world famous Garibaldi Lift Company, annually
rated as one of the top ten apres-ski places in the WORLD. There are
tons of options and I tend to want to go out and find cool spots, not go
down to the hotel bar/restaurant downstairs and hang out there.
What sold it for me is the slope-side location. Pick up your skis at the
free valet, walk out a door, walk fifty feet, put on your skis, and ski
down the last few hundred yards of a mild Blackcomb blue (Merlin's) to
the Wizard Express lift. From there take the Coaster Express lift and it
will put you right at the Peak 2 Peak gondola, in case you want to head
over to Whistler. At the end of the day take a blue or a green down and
you can ski right to the door to the ski valet.
I'm going to check out the pool and hot tub, both of which face the
lifts (nice).
One negative, but typical of ski resort hotels - the parking is not
free. It's $15/day, but you get a parking garage for that, so the
frequent snows that bury BC won't mean you'll have to uncover your
vehicle when you're ready to leave.
All in all, I will definitely stay here again.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Jan 18, 2010
A tired hotel in urgent need of modernisation and upgrade of amenities.
No wonder it is no longer a Marriott. Whilst staff in the hotel are
friendly in general, they cannot help the location they are given to
work with. After a long flight and 2:30 hour transfer from Vancouver I
was disappointed to find no restaurant or room service available, a
simple 'holiday shop' presented a tasty tea of Doritos and salsa dip.
The selection available was like a 80s school tuck shop, except I
couldn't find the Space Raiders and tip top juice.
A fairly large room was presented, old style decor but generally clean
until I found several old toe nail clippings beside the chair, that put
me off my treats from the tuck shop straight away.
The hotel was generally cold and several guests joined me back at
reception asking for further blankets, quilts etc. We certainly received
the seconds from the back of the store room.
It was impossible to find anywhere to sit at breakfast unless you
arrived before breakfast started. 7:15 is the optimum time to attend the
07:30 start. Breakfast was exactly the same everyday expect the addition
of meat patties on alternate days. There was a wide selection of food,
but eggs however versatile do get boring after three days straight. Not
too bad as it was included in the hotel costs, I would have rather paid
less.
The board/ski room was a benefit and staff there friendly, although one
day my friend’s bindings were very loose on the board when handed over,
unsure what happened there. Ski/board out is on to the end of a blue
down to the Blackcomb lifts, very handy.
The friendly board/ski room staff where happy to put kit back on the
racks again at the end of the day. All handy and included in the cost, a
certain plus to the hotel.
If you want to enjoy the après ski, don't bother coming to this hotel,
there is no bar and not even a snug room with an open fire. You can
certainly find a table in the evenings where there had been none a
breakfast, that’s because everyone has escaped to somewhere else.
The free shuttle to the village (part of the local council buses) is a
bonus, essential infact for your sanity. Whistler Village is a short 15
minutes away and the buses do run with good frequency.
Would I stay here or recommend this place, no certainly not! It is not
like the pictures or the impression you will build in your head. Stay
somewhere in Whistler Village or somewhere with at least a bar where the
hotel has seen some interior decoration in the last decade. There are
cheaper and equally better places to stay in the area.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Jan 7, 2010
My husband, children and I usually stay here on family holidays during
the summer and winter every time we are in Whistler. It is a great hotel
with breakfast included, it's private, quiet and we love the ski lodge
furnishing and feel. This time, however, some friends and I booked a
girls long weekend and it was EXCELLENT. We had a great two bedroom
suite overlooking the snow covered treetops and the Blackcomb ski
slopes, we were comfortable and the un-pretensious service was
exceptional and not in your face (which I Iike). I highly recommend this
hotel for a girls getaway or a quiet family holiday.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Dec 20, 2010
Great experience at this place .... my lasting memory is soaking in the
outdoor hot tub ~ so relaxing, in a postcard perfect slopeside setting
with big snow-laden trees. Interactions with staff were positive:
genuinely friendly and action-oriented, and offered great insights about
how & where to find the kind of fun we were seeking in Whistler. Our 1
bdrm room nicely accommodated a group of friends: my bed was the
pull-out couch and it was comfy and well appointed with nice linens etc.
I walked away with a feeling that I had experienced whistler magic at
good value.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Dec 2, 2010
We decided to see Whistler in summer because the pictures we've seen of
the area are breath-taking. The real deal is even better. Given the
lower cost of the Residence Inn at Whistler, I expected to be a little
disappointed. I wasn't. Our room was a suite with a kitchenette and was
perfect. My kids loved to pool. The staff was friendly. The breakfast
buffet had everything you could imagine. The hotel is very close to lots
to do. We hiked along the slopes and down into the village. There were a
bazillion things to do. I loved watching the mountain bikers do tricks
on the slopes as we ate lunch. We rode the gondola up to the summit and
saw bears below us. There are several provincial parks near by with lots
of hiking. My family loved the whole experience.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Nov 17, 2009
I was pleased with the room, kitchen facilities, and king size bed. We had
tickets to the native cultural center included in the room price, plus a more
than we could eat buffet breakfast, so that was a great value. The free bus
shuttle was handy to get to town. The pool/hot tub was not working, but we were
offered use at a different hotel, but that was not convenient to drive to
another hotel. We were happy with our stay.
Hotel Review of the Residence Inn Hotel Whistler
Nov 9, 2009
I travel to Whistler a number of times each summer to ride in the Whistler Bike
Park, and the Residence Inn is always my first choice for accommodations. The
complimentary breakfast is a great way to start a day of activities, the parking
easy, and they even have "bike pods" to securely store our mountain bikes. Two
hot tubs and a swimming pool make hot days comfortable and help relax after
eight hours of body pounding downhill riding!
You can keep up on your work load with their complimentary internet, and if you
know where to look you can find a blue run bike trail down the hill from the
hotel just across the ski run. Ski run you say? Yes, this hotel is the furthest
up on Blackcomb mountain so it's ideal for ski in and ski out in the Winter.
Residence Inn more Hotel Reviews
Residence Inn Whistler
4899 Painted Cliff Road
Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 CA |
