TRAVELODGE

This hotel has many negative reviews, which we absolutely cannot understand. The accommodation is great. The rooms are large, modern, and very clean. There is coffee, water, and fruit available around the clock at the reception. The staff are friendly and helpful. It is only a few minutes' walk to the harbor promenade and the city center. Parking spaces are sufficiently available. The continental breakfast consists of muffins, jam, eggs, juice, coffee, and fruit. It is certainly not a 5-star breakfast, but completely sufficient for a start to the day. The only thing is, the hotel is located on the highway and it is therefore a bit louder. If we were in Nanaimo again, we would stay here again.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Travelodge was extremely disappointing and unfortunately overshadowed what was supposed to be a special birthday trip. This was my first time visiting Vancouver Island. I had left Vancouver very early in the morning and had only slept for about three hours the night before, so by the time I arrived at the hotel, I was exhausted and looking forward to checking in and resting. I booked this hotel through Agoda. I was traveling on a very limited budget, so I carefully chose a hotel that looked comfortable and had good reviews rather than simply choosing the cheapest option. However, upon arrival, I was told that I had to provide a $150 security deposit on a credit card. This requirement was not disclosed during my booking on Agoda. Had I known about this deposit beforehand, I would have chosen a different hotel. I travel frequently and understand that some hotels require deposits while others do not. The issue is not the deposit itself, but the fact that it was not clearly communicated before booking. When I explained this to the staff, I was told that if I was unhappy, they could refund my reservation and I could find another place to stay. This was incredibly frustrating because the refund would take several days to return to my card, and with my limited budget I would have had nowhere to stay that night. To make matters worse, this all happened on my birthday. I asked to see the hotel policy regarding the deposit, but my request was denied. I also checked my Agoda booking confirmation again and could not find any mention of the deposit requirement. Later, I was informed that if I used a debit card instead of a credit card, the deposit would be $250, which was even more surprising. What upset me further was the way the situation was handled. When I requested to speak with a manager, a woman who was not wearing a uniform approached me and stated that she was the floor manager. The interaction felt dismissive and unprofessional. Throughout the discussion, I felt that my concerns were not being taken seriously. I was also repeatedly told that deposits are required at all hotels in Canada and on Vancouver Island. This is simply not true. Deposit requirements vary by property, and many hotels clearly disclose them before booking. Again, I would have had no issue paying a deposit if it had been clearly stated in advance. The breakfast was another disappointment. The hotel advertises a continental breakfast, yet there was not even bread available. In my opinion, this falls far below what most travelers would reasonably expect from a continental breakfast. The following morning, the same floor manager approached our table and apologized, but only spoke to my husband and barely acknowledged me, even though I was the person who had raised the concern. When my husband checked out and spoke with another manager, we were told that guests who book directly with the hotel may not even have to pay a deposit. This left us even more confused and wondering why this information was not clearly disclosed during the booking process. Overall, the lack of transparency, poor communication, and unprofessional handling of our concerns left us feeling frustrated and unwelcome. What should have been a memorable birthday trip turned into a very stressful experience. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I would not stay here again and cannot recommend this hotel to others.

We travel a lot and stay in various types of accommodations. I was pleasantly surprised by this Travelodge. I had asked for a quieter room and we got just that. Room 377 on the top floor. Our room was very clean, comfortable and had everything we needed for a one night stay. And best of all, very quiet. Our large balcony overlooked an apartment building. No traffic noise here. Somethings we rarely see anymore were a bathroom fan that really works, a rubber mat for the tub and a hook on the back of the bathroom door. The supplied coffee packet for our morning coffee was some of the best we’ve had. We were told at check in what was available for the complimentary breakfast. There’s no toaster so bread was not supplied. But there were 4 different flavours of muffins, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, apples and oranges, instant oatmeal packets and juice, coffee and tea. I was happy with that. And I don’t choose a hotel based on the free breakfast. The friendly staff were constantly replenishing the items. The only tip is that the elevator only goes to the third floor. It doesn’t stop at the second floor. Very pleased with our stay and I’d stay here again.