Barker Suites Southport

The suite was clean, spacious, and modern, but the beds and living room furniture were so firm they were hard to sleep on or even sit on. Sound carries everywhere, too, so you can hear everything in the building. The bathroom is right beside the kitchen and living area, and its sliding door doesn’t close all the way, which makes privacy an issue. In the evening there was nobody at the front desk, and nobody answered when I called the hotel. With no pool or other amenities, the place felt more like uncomfortable short-term housing than a hotel.

I was there for a month while taking a refresher course at Southport Airport. The staff were consistently polite and helpful, and the rooms were comfortable and worked well for studying. I did wish the soundproofing between rooms was better. Booking and pricing were frustrating. I spent over $4,000 through Booking.com and wasn’t told about monthly or student rates. They said I couldn’t book directly on weekends because of a football team, so I was left with a non-refundable Booking.com reservation. Future students should ask about long-term or student pricing and book direct if they can. It could save a lot.

The building is noisy, though thankfully it wasn’t very busy when I stayed. The bathroom door slides but doesn’t close off the space, which sits right beside the kitchen and living area. There’s plenty of room and everything looks modern and clean. The problem is the comfort: the beds are rock hard and nearly unusable, and the furniture looks good but feels awful. I wouldn’t suggest it for anyone with back or joint pain. The place has potential, but comfort didn’t seem to guide the furniture choices.

A little out of the way, a few kilometres south of Highway 1 near Portage la Prairie, but it’s a great little hotel in Southport. Always clean, and the staff are super friendly.