Prairie Crest Red Deer

The rooms were decent, though poorly maintained, and the staff were great. Management needs to improve, especially after what happened with the pool. We booked months ahead for a six-day stay because of the location, pool, hot tub, and waterslide. The pool and slide were open for only about two hours during our visit. A child had an accident in the pool Saturday night, and by Monday morning it was still there. The pool remained closed, with feces on the bottom and tiles for roughly 36 hours. They said the hot tub was still usable, but the smell in that heated area was awful. They considered this acceptable and said we weren't entitled to any refund.

I had to stay overnight at Days Inn when snow and freezing rain made it impossible to get home. It was the quietest hotel I've ever stayed in, and the room was huge, neat, and tidy. Expedia prices were great, too. The front desk texting option was handy. I couldn't work out the shower, so I texted them and got help right away. I'd stay again if I needed to. The only snag was the TV had audio but no picture. I was too tired to bother with it, lol.

The breakfast was good, though the timing matters. Around 8:30 to 9:00 seemed best: early on, not everything was ready, and later some food was cold and there were lots of kids. If you're with kids, 9:00 may work; on your own, I'd go around the time I suggested. The service was nice, and the pools were clean, but there was far too much chlorine. After the third day it made my skin peel and blackened my metal bracelet. The room itself had peeling walls and fake trim coming loose from the ceiling. The bathroom had mold and major bathtub damage, though you might get a decent one and enough space for a family. On day three, kids upstairs yelled, jumped, and made a racket. I reported it three times before staff did anything after my fourth call. Fine for a night, but I wouldn't stay long term.

The staff were great and very friendly, but that was about the only bright spot. The hotel felt old and badly dated, and my room wasn't worth what I paid. The complimentary breakfast was cold and stale, had few healthy choices, and the coffee tasted like hot water with a little color. I went to Starbucks for breakfast and coffee instead. The hot tub was out of order, something the website hadn't mentioned, even though it was one reason I chose the place. I paid $299 for the night, but it felt worth closer to $100. I won't return and wouldn't recommend it to a friend.