Winsome Inn

I came from BC because of illness in the family and desperately needed rest and quiet. Instead, early in the morning, the owner tried to enter my room because there was no car parked in front of it. I believe he suspected squatters. I told him to check his records before trying to enter a room that was occupied and already paid for. Being startled by that attempted entry was alarming. The bathroom was dirty, the toilet didn’t work properly and wasn’t secured to the floor, and the plug-in outlets hung from the wall. The lamps flickered so badly I couldn’t use them. The TV had no cable and I couldn’t access a streaming option. The room smelled musty, the walls were paper thin, and guests next door kept me awake all night. Housekeeping was extremely loud and unprofessional. The door also locks automatically, which was a huge inconvenience. For almost $600, the very high off-season price was unacceptable. Worst hotel experience I’ve ever had. I won’t be back.

We were exhausted after driving the two-hour stretch from the US toward the Canadian border and desperately needed somewhere to rest. The place looked nice, and Google said the inn was open, but nobody was in the office. A sign told us to call. The person who answered had obviously just woken up, which was understandable at 1 am. But when we asked for a room, he sighed and sounded frustrated, made a comment about us paying cash, then implied it was our fault for calling late when I said he seemed annoyed to get our business. He said it would take at least 30 minutes for him to get there. We decided to leave, and he said, “that’s probably best.” We had to drive another hour before finding somewhere to sleep. I know people get tired and don’t like late night calls, but he could have just said there was no vacancy instead of making us feel our business wasn’t appreciated. Very annoyed with the night staff, and I won’t return.

I booked the Winsome Inn in good faith because its website said it was accessible, and it was the first result when I looked online for accessible accommodations in Saint Stephen, NB. The price was good. I had my mobile ramp with me, fortunately, or I couldn’t have got into the room. Once inside, I couldn’t maneuver my motorized wheelchair around, and couldn’t get through the bathroom doorway at all. The bathroom was a total disappointment, and I had no access to the washroom. I complained, and they showed us other rooms, but none were accessible. I couldn’t use the breakfast area or main office either, since there were steps everywhere and not one ramp on site. I had to go to the civic centre to shower. In 2025, public accommodations should all be accessible, at least a couple of rooms. If the website had said accessible with limitations, I would have questioned it, but it stated that it was accessible. I’m not one to speak negatively, but this was unacceptable. I hope they listened to my concerns and make changes for the next disabled person looking for a place to stay.

The owners and desk staff were always kind, and it was an easy, clean stop at the border. Before another 300 miles on the road, we could have coffee and hot oatmeal in the quiet breakfast room. Thank you!