Northern Lites Motel

The price seems fair, and the service was okay. Still, the neighbourhood didn’t feel suitable for families, or really for most people. You get what you pay for, I guess. It wasn’t all that bad, so don’t let it spoil your time in Yellowknife. I’d pay a little more for a truer North experience.

There was old blood on the wall and door, and the room was over 35 degrees with the heat still coming in. They said the boiler was off and this was leftover heat, but it was so hot we barely slept. Before 6am there was also a disturbance while the manager tried to remove an unwanted guest. This was my second stay. I won’t be back.

The rooms were clean, and the location made it easy to get around without a car. There’s a transit stop nearby, a grocery store two blocks away, and restaurants within walking distance. I even walked to the Bush Pilot Monument, which I think was about 2 kilometers away. The staff really want guests to have a good time in Yellowknife, and you can arrange tours at the front desk, which I found useful.

I used to live in yellowknife, and this hotel is cheap because it seems to attract a rougher crowd, especially people coming from the bars. The main-floor rooms were in bad shape and not kept clean. It felt like they didn’t bother maintaining them because guests often trashed them, leaving paying customers with rooms that weren’t even half decent.