Great hotel, well equipped, spacious. But why was so much disposable?
For a chain hotel we were generally impressed even though we were only here for one night and weren’t able to use all the facilities such as the pool. The room was massive and had everything we needed... more
For a chain hotel we were generally impressed even though we were only here for one night and weren’t able to use all the facilities such as the pool. The room was massive and had everything we needed. The hotel was centrally located next to various shops and petrol stations that made it convenient for us as a stopover between Vancouver and Banff, and also as a starting point for a half day wine tour. Staff were friendly and helpful - booking taxis and calling our wine tour guide to let them know we had arrived.
In fact, only two things spoilt this otherwise excellent hotel. The bedroom décor was dark brown – so much brown in fact that it was really quite gloomy which was a shame. More significantly however, was the prevalence of single-use disposal ‘stuff’ just about everywhere. In the room, there were no mugs or glasses, just plastic cups and lids and a pod coffee machine. At breakfast, the food was actually among some of the best we had, but EVERY utensil was plastic or single use. The irony was that the serviettes were proudly displayed as being recycled ‘saving the planet in one small step’. Frankly recycled napkins are a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of products - cutlery, cups, plates, bowls, milk pots, jam carton etc - that were all disposable, single use items. We have since learned that this appears to be common in Canada. We found it bizarre. Not least because it was so unnecessary – the kitchen in the hotel was large enough to hold hot water, a sink and a dishwasher. less
Rosemary P, General Manager at Best Western Plus Wine Country Hotel & Suites, responded to this review
Thank you for your kind review. I am pleased that overall you had a very enjoyable stay and that the team was able to meet your needs and expectations.
Yes, in Canada and the US, hotels use a lot of disposable products. Most of our paper cups, bowls and plates are made of sugar cane and are bio-degradable. We do have recyclable cutlery and the clear cups are a bi-product of corn and are compostable. Due to Canadian health standard regulations, significant systems have to be in place and multi-use jam containers are not acceptable and kitchen requirements are very specific and extensive which take up a lot of square feet which is not easy for tight retrofits.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your comments.
Kind regards,
Rosemary Paterson, General Manager
Best Western Plus Wine Country Hotel & Suites