We stayed at the Varscona for 23 days with expectation of once a week room cleaning. You would think that one cleaning per week would ensure adequate towels, toiletries, bed changing, and sink and toilet cleaned but this did not happen. Our floors were not vacuumed or bathroom cleaned for 23 days. There was a huge language barrier with housekeepers. The beds were very comfortable but pillows were awful. There were yellow stains on the sheets, comforters, and towels but were clean. Just gives you a dirty feeling when you see that. The temperature in the room was only heat, heat, and heat. Even opening the windows didn't make a difference with air quality at all. The outside noise on the weekends was very disturbing. People hollering from the bar on Whyte Street. Homeless people loitering in the underground parking area. This hotel is very rundown including rooms, and building. Carpets were disgusting. Very dumpy. Staff not trained properly. During checkout staff wanted to charge us for breakfast vouchers that we didn't even use. Adrian did fix this for us. Four staff members would ask you for these vouchers every morning. We only stayed at the Varscona for convenience purposes. We will not stay there again. We are now at the best western in St. Albert for one night, a quality hotel. A welcome package was ready for us when we checked in. Plush rooms and service is phenomenal so far.
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 1
Service: 2
Location: 4

My 6 day visit to Edmonton was wonderful and this hotel truly enhanced my experience there. I was able to meet with friends in the lobby and in the restaurant daily during my trip. Service at the front desk was extremely helpful, for general questions, for nearby activities, and for bus routes into town. The maid service was friendly and accommodating. I would look forward to staying here again and it is a great value. I enjoyed my stay here! ❤️
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Solo
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Rooms
Rooms were extremely clean and bed was super comfortable.
Nearby activities
I was able to take the bus to the Muttart Botanical Gardens, the Art Museum and funicular river valley look out.
Safety
Because I was traveling solo it was important to feel safe, which I did in this hotel.
Walkability
Hotel is close to restaurants and stores. Close to bus stops, bus routes.
Food & drinks
I enjoyed happy hour at the hotel restaurant and the happy hour appetizers were delicious. The breakfast buffet was convenient and had a wonderful variety of options.
Hotel highlights
Quiet, Great value

Very good location. Although on whyte ave, our room was quiet. Check in was a good experience. A few things to note: -the thermostat in the room does not appear to affect temperature whatsoever. It's old and still reads in Fahrenheit. We experimented with turning it down to 50, and it still did not make the room any cooler. -the TV system is outdated. Won't chromecast and the guide is an old school guide channel you have to wait for -the bathroom shower had moldy grout and caulking that could easily be fixed with some bleach. It doesn't get cleaned properly. The water leaks out while having a shower, therefore your mat gets completely soaked each shower. Some water damage on the bathroom door from this. -the coffee machine was malfunctioning All of this said, the bed was comfortable. The price was low enough to justify some of the run down features of this hotel. Not horrible, but I wouldn't necessarily go back.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 3
Service: 5
Location: 5
Hotel highlights
Great value

This is an older hotel that has been updated. The price was very reasonable, the location excellent and the staff were professional, very helpful and personable. My stay was comfortable and pleasant. I will stay at the Varscona again and am happy to recommend it to others.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Solo
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Rooms
While this is an older hotel, i found the rooms to be large, I appreciated the modern coffee machine with ample coffee supplies, the cotton bathrobes were nice to have and it was surprisingly quiet at night considering Whyte Ave is a busy street. I was very comfortable.
Nearby activities
The transit is in front of the hotel so it was easy to get around the city. The hotel is in the middle of a busy street with plenty of eateries and shops. Everything is accessible from this hotel.
Safety
I felt safe at this the hotel. The staff were always visible and helpful which added to my feeling of security.
Hotel highlights
Quiet, Great value

Most hotel rooms are about the need for a place to sleep. Do that well, and most people will remember and return. Don't do it well, we probably won't return. The bed itself was comfortable. The bedding was terrible! The mattress pad wouldn't stay in place nor would the sheets. After one night, it was like there had been a battle. The pillow cases were badly creased. Bad news if an ear lands on those creases when asleep. Makes for a painful experience. I spoke to the front desk about getting appropriate bedding but nothing changed. Same holey sheet and creased pillow cases. Breakfast is not included but very good for $10/person. The mini fridge was caked with ice. The decor was just plain strange in the room itself. I hoped for better.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 3
Service: 4
Location: 3

I have no issues with the rooms or the service, both were reasonable and the hotel staff was very friendly. The location is absolutely awful, hopefully there is never an emergency because all the emergency exits have drug addicts sitting outside of the doors. I stayed here for two days and the entire time every time I walked around the back of the hotel there were people smoking crack and shooting themselves up. I would expect that these people should be removed from the property or even arrested for the blatant crime. But this is Edmonton… seems the police only care about traffic crimes and are too cowardly to deal with the real safety issues. I do not recommend coming to Edmonton it is extremely unsafe.
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 1

Great location on White Avenue everything is around you that you needed from liquor stores to stores a little bit of everything nice pubs to go into a nice establishment to go into and it was too bad of an experience which is good I would recommend it for other people I would get it stars out of five I give them four
Trip type
Business
Travel group
Solo
Rooms: 4
Service: 4
Location: 4
Rooms
Rooms for super clean I was happy with my rooms I'm always happy with the clearness in my room and thank you
Hotel highlights
Quiet

A fantastic hotel, the staff is friendly and accommodating to our needs. Husband had a procedure at the nearby U of A and the staff were great with any requests we had. The rooms were fantastic with great views, they were clean and the bed was so comfy! The restaurant (&) was beautiful and our meals were so delicious! Overall we had a great experience and would highly recommend staying at the Varscona!
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Hotel highlights
Luxury, Great view, Quiet

I had a wonderful stay at the Varscona Hotel on Whyte. The lobby was welcoming and a great place to relax and meet up with friends, the buffet breakfast had a nice selection of items and the complimentary wine was very enjoyable. The room was clean and had the most comfortable bed, the staff was friendly and the hotel was in a great location.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Friends
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Hotel highlights
Great view, Quiet, Great value

The rooms haven't been updated in quite some time. Shower knobs creep to different temperatures, toilet seats shift back and forth, and just general wear and tear is becoming visible. The location can be quite loud as well. They used to have valet parking as well, but that has since been discontinued. The cleaning staff and front counter are fantastic, so it makes up for some of the other issues.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 3
Service: 5
Location: 3

I loved my stay at Varscona. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The staff went out of their way to be accommodating. The restaurant was great, breakfast in the buffet room was yummy and the wine tasting with the appetizers were exceptional. The loccation was perfect. I will definitely stay there again.
Travel group
Friends
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Rooms
The rooms were kept very clean.
Hotel highlights
Great value

Place is run down. Bed was pretty comfortable. Rooms are clean. Common areas are trash. Ripped and faded carpets. Duct tape on doors. Every stairwell smells like urine. Location is amazing and I would stay here again if they renovate, which I can only assume is going to be real soon. Every staff member I interacted with was great!
Travel group
Friends
Rooms: 3
Service: 5
Location: 5

Room and service were excellent! Very friendly and responsive! Location was good if you want to pursue Whyte ave. A little loud at night at times! Parking lot available which is nice!
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Family
Rooms: 4
Service: 5
Location: 4
Nearby activities
Lots of food and drink and shopping on Whyte Ave
Hotel highlights
Great value

Our experience has really been lovely. Sheet are clean and fresh. Beds are soft but firm. We don’t much care for the design of the shower but it does look good, but water seems to leak onto the floor while showering. Very pretty rooms. The only big negative is the sounds from the street on the weekends. It’s not the hotels fault though. We would definitely stay here again. Maybe bring ear plugs?

The location of this hotel is great, however the housekeeping is unacceptable for me. There is a used tissue left on top of the wardrobe and there is only 1 roll of toilet paper provided. The towels are not changed daily. Given this price range of Vascona during peak period, I would rather chose another hotel to stay the next time.
Rooms: 1
Service: 3
Location: 5

Great spot on Whyte ave. Rooms are a little plain but slept great Breakfast was great again. Bacon done to perfection, grilled potato wedges and good coffee with real cream.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 4
Service: 4
Location: 5
Walkability
Right in the heart of Whyte ave.
Hotel highlights
Quiet, Great value

Wanted to attend an event at the Yardbird for New Years. This hotel was a short walk so we didn't gave to pay for event parking or worry about drinking abd driving. Lots if options for eating as well
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Family
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5
Rooms
Very well appointed
Hotel highlights
Great value

Very good value hotel. Not new by any means, or as sophisticated as newer places, but the staff were friendly and it was a clean tidy room.
Trip type
Business
Travel group
Solo
Rooms: 4
Service: 5
Location: 5

My stay at the Varscona Hotel can be described as disappointing at best and I would not recommend you waste your money. The hotel does not have secure parking. Parking is in an insecure impark with no gate and no camera. While parked in the

Pretty disappointed with this last visit on the weekend. Have stayed here many times but this time was a bit different. As we had to check out very early the next morning to catch a flight, we were going to miss the free breakfast included

What a terrible experience. I had my wedding ceremony at the Varscona on June 3rd, and choosing this venue is forever going to be the only stain on my wedding day. I could not regret it more. First of all, they had told me I would get free

The location is great, it's walking distance to all kinds of things. The hotel staff is lovely and we really enjoyed the breakfast, especially with our two-year-old. The room was pretty standard, nice enough. We enjoyed it.

Alot could be done for the theme of the hotel. Its so dark inside, the brighter colours could lighted up the place and renovating the old look will make it a more lively place. Due to its age mybe it has residual dirty.

A nice boutique hotel in the heart of Whyte Avenue. Close to shops, restaurants and bars. My room was comfortable and spacious, well decorated. The bed and pillows were very comfortable. I had a great sleep. More

Parking was included. Clean rooms and friendly staff. Beautiful location and overall just amazing, definitely recommend
Rooms: 5
Service: 5
Location: 5

Great nite stay, very cumphy room with coffee. The pillows were nice. Great spot to go to the Irish bar downstairs. They have good secure parking also. Thanks April. More

Attended a work meeting here in their conference room. The room was kinda small for how many tables they tried to squeeze into the front. Otherwise, It was pretty nice.

Walking distance to University of Alberta (around 25 minutes). There's a cafe and restaurants around the hotel. The room is clean and the staffs are nice. More

Overall comfortable. Helpful and pleasant people. As a vegetarian, some vegetarian options would have been good. More

Had a great stay and I love the location and the price.
Trip type
Vacati…
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