The Spot

Good location for catching the ferry, but that's about all it has going for it. It's an overpriced roadside motel with no staff, and calling it a boutique hotel doesn't fit. I also saw someone sizing up our rental car in the parking lot.

I had my three kids with me, and they were terrified. Nobody slept properly. The room next door had people coming and going and slamming doors all night, and the noise made the whole building sound like a brothel. The place smelled of cigarettes and stale alcohol, too. I couldn't get help because there was nobody there and no one answered the call line. This was the worst place I've ever stayed.

The staff were kind and tried to help when the power went out in room 105, and they moved me to room 104. I was heating dinner in the microwave while blow-drying my hair when the circuit tripped, taking out the fridge, microwave, power, and bathroom lights. But I only noticed after moving, taking the dog out and back, and picking up my husband at the airport that the new room's bathroom had no power either. It was late, so I used the flashlight from my emergency bag and didn't bother calling. Just after 2 a.m., it sounded like kids running up and down the hall upstairs. I arrived a few minutes after 4 and the room wasn't quite ready. This was my second stay because it's pet-friendly, but the previous visit was much better under different operators. It's not bad otherwise, but $200 plus a pet fee? Eh.

The electronic check-in went smoothly, and I got into the room before 2 p.m. But the room was small, smelled foul, and had stained sheets. I couldn't get the TV or Wi-Fi working properly, and there was a lot of street noise from trains and sirens. The front desk response was poor, so after an hour and a half we gave up and drove three hours to our next destination. Nanaimo must have had a convention on, since very few pet-friendly rooms were available. I'd only stay here if desperate, it's one step above a sty.