Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Osoyoos by IHG

The view was beautiful, but after a long day and the day before on the road, the room was a rough arrival. We checked into our $420 /night room and found no power at all. The front desk didn’t answer when I called, possibly because the phone wasn’t working either, so I went down and reported it. They said someone would come right away. We waited 15 minutes in the dark, then packed everything up and asked for another room. Nobody explained why help never came or why the power was out. No apology, no upgrade offer, nothing. The whole hotel smelled strongly of weed, from the main floor through the elevator to the 3rd floor. The new room had working lights, but the Telus optic TV froze every few seconds on every show I tried. I stepped on a screw when I got up after taking my shoes off. I also had to leave my $120,000 work truck on the road. Nobody told me about the amenities, nearby places to eat, what was included, or the open WiFi that didn’t need a password.

The one real bright spot was the small balcony and its awesome view. Otherwise, the room didn’t feel like a finished upgrade. It was large, but the furniture didn’t match, the king bed didn’t fit the headboard, and the workmanship seemed questionable. The tub, faucets, and layout felt inefficient, with barely enough space to close the bathroom door. We had to wrestle the balcony slider open and shut, and the balcony itself needed work. The recycling bin still had the previous guest’s items. We knew the hotel had been renovated and understood the work was said to be complete two weeks before we arrived. The entrance and grounds had little curb appeal, though the exterior had been painted and the lobby was okay. There was no early check-in before 3:00 pm, and no breakfast. We won’t return; it wasn’t worth the price.

The indoor pool was great, and the common rooms were useful when they were available, though they could use updating. The gym also needs a refresh but did the job. The breakfast and buffet area was being renovated. We were there for a hockey tournament with four other teams, so it was a busy hotel. The staff stayed calm and accommodating. It might help to put the teams together on one floor so the other guests aren’t as affected by the extra noise. Our clean, spacious room had a beautiful view of either the lake or beach, and the walking path by the lake is just across the street. Restaurants are close in both directions. Thanks to the friendly staff, we’d love to come back with our family in the summer.

A lovely wine tour with my granddaughter turned into a nightmare after she was robbed on the hotel’s private beach. We stayed one night and had booked through Aeroplan, but the hotel cancelled that reservation and charged my personal credit card instead, costing me both points and cash. When we called, they said they didn’t accept third-party reservations. Aeroplan thankfully stepped in and sorted it out, though not without some protest from the hotel. Beware, this wasn’t the kind of service I’ve had from other Holiday Inns.