Hôtel Castel

Breakfast was simple but tasty, with hot and cold choices. The breakfast restaurant explains clearly what’s included, so anyone upset about paying for à la carte items should learn what “à la carte” means. I had a good business stay and would return. The bed was comfortably firm, with both soft and firm pillows. WiFi worked well on the third floor by the front elevator. There was a mini fridge, but no microwave, which would have been useful during my week there.

The staff were nice, and the location is practical. I found the room comfortable, but I’m only giving it 3 stars because the balcony door wouldn’t shut all the way. The gap was barely 1-2 millimetres, but I could feel the winter air from bed. I also got little shocks when switching the lights on and off, and once when unplugging my laptop. Maybe it was winter static, but I’d have someone check it.

The location was decent, with lots of restaurants nearby, and the pool and hot tub were nice. Our TV stereo was blown. Reception wouldn’t give us another TV, only offered to move us to a different room. That seemed like too much hassle, so we stayed where we were.

The room was mediocre overall. The beds and bathroom were clean, which mattered most, but the floors weren’t: there was a dead fly in my mom’s room and two goldfish crackers between the beds in ours. The carpets were absent in the room we chose, which I was glad about, and it was a decent size with a nice mountain view. Parking was free. The location is the big plus: the Granby mall is in the same parking lot, the Granby Zoo is a short drive away, and there’s a gym or playground across the street, plus lots of restaurants nearby. The front desk service was terrible, except for the man working overnight and the first woman who took my request to put the two rooms I’d booked together with a connecting door. The main problem was how badly staff communicated with each other. I booked online and saw the CAA discount, then called to ask whether both rooms would qualify since one was for my mother and the other for my husband and me. I also asked if both rooms could go on one card. I was told yes, and that if I paid for the other room by cash or debit, there’d be a $150.00 deposit. I specifically asked, “and if I pay Mastercard?” She said there’d be no security hold because they’d have the card on file and could charge it for any damage after the stay. I was surprised, but happy with that answer. On arrival, I was told that was wrong and they’d take a $100 deposit for each room. That was not what I’d been told. The misinformation kept piling up. I called two weeks ahead to ask about the pool and was told it was open because the weather was nice, but to check the day before. My husband called Thursday and was told it was still open. When we got there, apparently it had been closed since the end of summer. Housekeeping needs to do better, and staff need to be on the same page so guests don’t get incorrect information. This would’ve been a 5-star stay if guest services had been on point.