Wyndham Edmonton Hotel and Conference Centre

I walked in and my jaw dropped. I hadn’t known this hotel before my stay, and it felt fancy despite my very reasonable rate. I’ve paid much more elsewhere for a night with barely any perks. It’s huge as a conference centre, with a beautiful event foyer, restaurant and lounge. The front lobby is welcoming, with plenty of chairs to hang out in alone or with friends. I sat there by myself while waiting for food delivery. There’s also a large fitness centre and pool. The design feels a bit vintage, which I found charming, and the deep hot tub was so relaxing. My room was clean and comfortable, with a unique view of the main event centre that I loved. Everyone I spoke with, from the front desk to housekeeping and maintenance, was friendly and made me feel looked after. After I filled out the emailed review, someone from the front desk team emailed to thank me. That prompted me to write this one and express my gratitude. I just had an amazing time, no sponsorship involved. 10/10 recommend for a clean, friendly, reasonably priced stay with lots of amenities right there, Vaticano Cucino across the street, and fairly easy access to the rest of the city.

The interior courtyard is beautiful, and the heated underground parking is a welcome find in winter. You can have breakfast, catch up with someone, get a drink in the lounge, or go for all-you-can-eat sushi. Downstairs, below the underground party, there are ballrooms and a massive fitness centre with racket courts and a small indoor running track. It’s a dated hotel, but it has some interesting features that make it worth a visit. Surprisingly good.

Sunday brunch on March 1st was a hard no for me. The food was mediocre at best: bacon sitting in grease, reheated hash browns, and a waffle hard as a puck. Even the fresh food tasted old. I asked for decaf coffee and was told it cost extra. At $40 for seniors and $50 for everyone else, the price doesn’t match the quality. I won’t be back.

The emergency response was mishandled from beginning to end, and nobody took responsibility for its impact on us. A guest was screaming in the hallway outside our room, saying someone had cut off her fingers; her arms were visibly covered in blood, and she seemed under the influence and in distress. We went to the lobby for help, still hearing her from the second floor. Security eventually escorted her downstairs, but didn’t secure the doors. She was able to come back up and scream outside our room again and again, until police arrived at about 4:00 a.m. Police stayed outside our door until nearly 5:00 a.m., questioning her and others involved. We heard everything and couldn’t rest. After seeing something so disturbing, sleep was impossible. I understand the hotel can’t control what guests do, but it is responsible for managing emergencies. The area wasn’t secured, the situation wasn’t controlled, and the guest was allowed to remain in the hotel. That showed extremely poor judgment. I asked to be contacted about the incident but never got any follow-up. In the morning, the front desk said there was no manager available and offered no apology, just the comment, “we can’t control the guests.” That showed a complete lack of accountability. The response was unacceptable, as was the failure to acknowledge or address what it did to guests.