Canada Ottawa Gloucester The Chimo Hotel

[MJRBIM]

Considering the high quality of some of the 2.5* and 3* hotels in the Ottawa Downtown zone, the 3* Chimo Hotel in the Gloucester zone is more like a 2*. Unless you really need to be near the St.Laurent Mall - I would advise against bidding 2.5* or 3* in the Gloucester zone.

The hotel info says that it has been renovated, but many of the common areas (lobby, elevator, pool, etc.) appear worn and shows signs of vandalism. It's clean enough, but little things like room keys that take two or three attempts to open the door, and closet doors that don't slide open properly - point to a lack of general upkeep.

The staff were pretty friendly and accomodated requests like a decaf coffee pack for the room, but they didn't have the service skills that you see at most of the Downtown 3*'s.

I tried to pay to get a room with high-speed internet access at check-in, but I couldn't upgrade from the "standard" room that PL gets even for an extra fee.

The standard room is OK. Approx 350 sq.ft with two double beds, cable TV, medium-sized bathroom (with Neutrogena products), mini-fridge, and work desk area with double-line speaker phone and dial-up modem line. The room overlooked the parking lot, which is probably better than the view of the 417 highway and shopping mall on the otherside of the building.

For one night, it's a place to shower and sleep - but I wouldn't use this zone again for anything longer - and I would NEVER bid over $35 US.

Lesson learned.

[awebber]

No way is this a 3*, certainly it's the best of the hotels likely to come up in this zone, but I'd say it's 2.5* at best.

andrew