ALMAC HOTEL Lac La Biche

The best part for me was saving the nonprofit $140, but the internet was unreliable, so I wouldn't stay again when I need a dependable connection for work. I chose this older, partly renovated hotel because I was on a work trip and the nonprofit was paying. Other hotels in this small northern Alberta town cost $140 more, so I decided to try one night after reading reviews, provided the room was clean. The manager was friendly and let me look at the room first. It was clean and pretty typical, and the bathroom was sparkling. The bed wasn't the most comfortable, though the cozy bedding let me get some rest after a long day. I didn't take pictures, but the ones I'd seen looked like my room. Breakfast was standard continental fare, coffee and cold pastries, and someone offered me eggs. The outside entrance area was full of oil field trucks by early evening. It's right at the edge of town, beside the Independent grocery store, and from outside looks like a small town hotel from the 70s. Cleanliness and service weren't the reason I'd avoid a return.

I never got the full refund the manager promised. He took my credit card details, then when I called back several times, I got more apologies and excuses and was told to wait a few more days. Weeks passed without the refund, and now he doesn't answer my calls. The room situation was awful too. The manager admitted the room assigned to me wasn't the one I was supposed to get. They first tried to put me in a smoking room, which smelled so strongly I couldn't imagine staying there. The next room was filthy: dirty bed, bathroom and carpet, a couch with huge stains, stickers left on the fridge, and smoke smell throughout. Between that and the refund issue, I won't stay here again. One of the worst hospitality experiences I've had.

After three nights, I woke up on the third morning covered in bites. The owner refused a refund because I hadn't noticed them until day three. Any doctor will tell you bites usually take 1-3 days to notice, sometimes up to a week, so how would I have known sooner? I lost over $250 in clothes and luggage that I had to throw away, plus $300 for a full car detail to make sure I didn't bring them home. Bed bugs, bed bugs, bed bugs. Avoid this place unless you're willing to risk the bugs and losing money and belongings. I wish I'd searched and seen the other bed bug reviews first.

We tried to reserve rooms for our crew, with each person paying for his own room. The front desk guy was rude, said we had to pay in advance, then hung up on us. These guys are absolute crooks.