Gold Circle Inn

I booked seven nights for work in Lloyd, but had to leave two days early. I’d be wary of staying here if your checkout dates might need to change: the hotel was very strict about its policy and wouldn’t refund the unused nights because I’d booked through Expedia or another online booking app. Expedia couldn’t get them to refund me, and the hotel manager wouldn’t offer even two nights of credit for a future stay. I’ve travelled all over Alberta, and this was the first hotel I’ve found so stingy and focused on keeping the money once it’s been paid. Now I understand why it doesn’t have many guests.

The front desk staff were excellent, but the manager is failing to deal with the bed bug problem. We saw bed bugs in a room that otherwise looked good and seemed like a good value, and had to leave at 11 pm. They refunded us, but when we asked to be credited the difference for finding somewhere else at short notice with fewer amenities, they refused. That refund felt like the absolute minimum they could do. They told us we were wrong and had seen cockroaches, not bed bugs. I have pictures, and they show bed bugs; the night manager agreed. After checkout, I mentioned that other reviews also described bed bugs. She admitted they’d had issues in recent weeks. The reviews go back more than nine months, so this seems like an ongoing problem they aren’t resolving.

Breakfast was the weak spot for me, since the choices stayed the same every day and felt a bit limited. The staff were very nice, though, and I enjoyed my stay at Gold Circle Inn. The rooms were clean and nice, with the essentials, including a small fridge and microwave. Some rooms also have a little kitchen with an induction cooktop and basic utensils.

The service was good, and the hotel was clean and smelled nice. The lobby and little breakfast room were cute. But the bed was so hard, lumpy, and uncomfortable. If you go to a hotel to sleep, the bed should be the one thing they get right.