Check the rates at the Holiday Inn Halifax Harbourview in Dartmouth. The parking is complimentary and you won't have to deal with driving and parking in downtown Halifax. It is just a short, fun watertaxi ride across the harbor to the Halifax waterfront from the Dartmouth ferry terminal, which is an easy walk from the hotel. We've used this hotel several times and found it to be friendly, well-kept and very convenient. Here's the website:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/yhzdm?irs=y

Rates tend to be lower than equivalent digs in Halifax, but you won't have to drive in and find a parking spot for access to all the best that the city has to offer. (We'll be checking it out again next week and I'll try to remember to revisit this post.)

The Holiday Inn Dartmouth really is an excellent suggestion. Parking is free. You have a terrific view of Halifax, which is a $1.75 ferry ride away. Ferries run every 15 minutes during rush hours and on the half hour between 9 am and 3:30 and 6 and midnight. The only downside is that if you want to experience the Halifax nightlife, and don't want to turn into a pumpkin, you'll have to take your car, but street parking is free and pretty easy to find in the evening.

As for the two places you mentioned, Chain Lake Road is in an industrial park/big box shopping area--totally soulless, and I doubt that the bus service is very good, especially outside working hours. Bedford Highway is a long and busy stretch of hotels, car dealers, and strip malls joining the charming, if somewhat self-conscious community of Bedford with Halifax proper. Again, you would be in not particularly attractive surroundings and at the mercy of a not particularly good transit system, but it's a better choice than Chain Lake Road.

I forgot to mention that the Holiday Inn is a 10-minute walk from the Ferry Terminal, but there is frequent bus service to downtown Halifax from a stop just across the street from the hotel. I'm not sure of the cost and schedule for the water taxi that Flyboy mentioned

Mairi, "Bedford Highway is a long and busy stretch of hotels, car dealers, and strip malls joining the charming, if somewhat self-conscious community of Bedford with Halifax proper." You couldn't have described it a better way!

Onabrkawy, here's another vote for the Dartmouth Holiday Inn. If you do decide to stay there, there is a little cafeteria in the adjoining office tower that serves an inexpensive breakfast. You can find it by turning left when you walk towards the hotel reception desk, rather than going right towards the hotel dining room.

Anselm