La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Oshawa

It isn't fancy, but the price reflects that. The room was clean, cozy, and practical, and the location is central with free parking on site. Breakfast runs a little early, from 6 to 9 AM, though the coffee was decent. Everyone on staff I dealt with was friendly, professional, and very accommodating.

I booked seven months ahead because we're travelling across Canada this summer, but the hotel just called to cancel my June 2025 reservation. At first the man wouldn't explain why. When I pressed him, he admitted they'd had a request for a large block of rooms and were dropping my booking to make space for it. I asked if he could help me keep my reservation, and he said he couldn't. Brutal.

This place seems to get bookings only because there are so few choices nearby. My other option was sleeping in my car, which honestly would have been more comfortable. The room was filthy: the carpet was so bad we kept our shoes on unless we were in bed, and there was a crunchy, yellowed patch we avoided. Stained curtains had splatters on them and wouldn't close. A piece of tape was provided to hold them shut, which mattered because cars were parked right outside and a bright outdoor light otherwise lit up the room all night. The "desk" chair was ripped, missing an arm, and looked like something left at the curb with the garbage. I taped a sign to it saying "garbage" when I left, though I doubt anyone threw it out. The bathroom door wouldn't latch properly, and its fan was insanely loud. A tiny TV hung crooked and off-centre from the bed. Someone had left a jacket in the closet and a sock on the floor. Our ground-floor room was noisy all night. Staff were rude and seemed to hate their jobs, too. I made it through the night without getting sick, so I guess that's the one star. A night here would be a perfect gift for someone you truly despise. Don't book. You'd be better off in your car.

The room was clean, had a good range of amenities, and a nice bathroom. The shower was the weak point: barely any water pressure, and it took ages to get warm. I had breakfast included in my reservation, and it was decent for the price. The hotel also replied quickly to messages through the booking platform. Both reception clerks were kind and made check-in and checkout quick and painless. I was there late in the middle of the week, so the streets were nearly empty. My room faced the hotel's parking garage, which was a great bonus: no parking fee, and I could easily use the back entrance between the lot and the first floor. Since the hotel is right downtown in Oshawa with bars nearby, I can imagine street-facing rooms getting noisy on weekends. The hallway floor squeaked, so other guests coming and going made some noise late at night and early in the morning. For a brief midweek stop to recharge, it was much better than I expected.