Calgary......Question #3
Mar 20th, 2004, 05:22 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Calgary......Question #3
The info for the CONFERENCE we are attending at the end of May lists 2 hotels. I would appreciate some feed back about these 2 places. The rate are about the same. Both are located near the University. They are the BEST WESTERN and the HAMPTON INN. Thanks again for your assistance.
Mar 20th, 2004, 08:20 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello WhyNot, I have not stayed at either of these properties. However, they are located very close to each other in a strip of hotels and motels nicknamed Motel Village. I suspect there's a reason their prices are similar, namely, the accommodations and amenities probably are similar too.
Besides being close to the University of Calgary and McMahon (football) Stadium), Motel Village is easily accessible.
It's just off the TransCanada or #1 Highway (which becomes 16th Avenue North when it passes through Calgary). From Motel Village it's easy to get onto the TransCanada Highway / 16th Avenue to drive to the mountains in the west or the airport in the northeast quadrant of the city.
Motel Village has a commuter train station, Banff Trail Station, alongside it, and it's a short train ride from there to downtown.
There are restaurants in Motel Village, but most of them are fast food and chain restaurants. Perhaps the most upscale one of the lot is Red Lobster. However, you do not have to go far to find what might be called "real" restaurants. For instance, you'd be quite close to the neighbourhood of Kensington which has a variety of restaurants, all the way from moderately priced to expensive, and covering several ethnicities.
Oh, I guess I still haven't answered your question about the hotels. Although I haven't stayed in either of them, the Best Western Village Park Inn is quite popular with conference and wedding groups, so my hunch -- and it is only a hunch -- is that the Best Western might have a SLIGHT edge over the Hampton Inn.
Besides being close to the University of Calgary and McMahon (football) Stadium), Motel Village is easily accessible.
It's just off the TransCanada or #1 Highway (which becomes 16th Avenue North when it passes through Calgary). From Motel Village it's easy to get onto the TransCanada Highway / 16th Avenue to drive to the mountains in the west or the airport in the northeast quadrant of the city.
Motel Village has a commuter train station, Banff Trail Station, alongside it, and it's a short train ride from there to downtown.
There are restaurants in Motel Village, but most of them are fast food and chain restaurants. Perhaps the most upscale one of the lot is Red Lobster. However, you do not have to go far to find what might be called "real" restaurants. For instance, you'd be quite close to the neighbourhood of Kensington which has a variety of restaurants, all the way from moderately priced to expensive, and covering several ethnicities.
Oh, I guess I still haven't answered your question about the hotels. Although I haven't stayed in either of them, the Best Western Village Park Inn is quite popular with conference and wedding groups, so my hunch -- and it is only a hunch -- is that the Best Western might have a SLIGHT edge over the Hampton Inn.
Mar 20th, 2004, 04:00 PM
#4
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello WhyNot,
The Kensington-Sunnyside area has lots of good restaurants. The ones I've tried are:
La Luna Rossa
(Italian)
823- 14 Street N.W.
Tel. 270-0707
Menu has both moderately priced and more expensive offerings. The more reasonably priced ones are delicious, and represent excellent value. Reservations essential. THEY HAVE A GUEST PARKING LOT.
Maurya Fine East Indian Cuisine
1204 Kensington Road N.W.
Tel. 270-3133
Good food, moderately priced.
Osteria De Medici
201 - 10th Street N.W.
(at the corner of Kensington Road)
Tel. 283-5553
Excellent Italian restaurant, but rather on the expensive side. La Luna Rossa, a few blocks away, is better value, IMO.
Besides the ones I've mentioned, there are many others restaurants in Kensington -- seafood, Ethiopian, Japanese, Hungarian, you name it. If I were you, I would just walk around till I spotted one that looked inviting.
Kensington is a short drive from Motel Village, but parking is at a premium in Kensington. If you don't want the hassle of finding parking, you could consider taking a short train ride to Kensington. In that case catch the south-bound (Fish Creek) train from Banff Trail Station, which is adjacent to Motel Village, and get off at the next station, which is Sunnyside.
From Sunnyside Station, walk past the Safeway supermarket to 10th Street, walk a block or so southwards along 10th Street to the corner of Kensington Road. Turn west on Kensington Road, and keep walking. You'll find several restaurants along 10th Street and Kensington Road.
The Kensington-Sunnyside area has lots of good restaurants. The ones I've tried are:
La Luna Rossa
(Italian)
823- 14 Street N.W.
Tel. 270-0707
Menu has both moderately priced and more expensive offerings. The more reasonably priced ones are delicious, and represent excellent value. Reservations essential. THEY HAVE A GUEST PARKING LOT.
Maurya Fine East Indian Cuisine
1204 Kensington Road N.W.
Tel. 270-3133
Good food, moderately priced.
Osteria De Medici
201 - 10th Street N.W.
(at the corner of Kensington Road)
Tel. 283-5553
Excellent Italian restaurant, but rather on the expensive side. La Luna Rossa, a few blocks away, is better value, IMO.
Besides the ones I've mentioned, there are many others restaurants in Kensington -- seafood, Ethiopian, Japanese, Hungarian, you name it. If I were you, I would just walk around till I spotted one that looked inviting.
Kensington is a short drive from Motel Village, but parking is at a premium in Kensington. If you don't want the hassle of finding parking, you could consider taking a short train ride to Kensington. In that case catch the south-bound (Fish Creek) train from Banff Trail Station, which is adjacent to Motel Village, and get off at the next station, which is Sunnyside.
From Sunnyside Station, walk past the Safeway supermarket to 10th Street, walk a block or so southwards along 10th Street to the corner of Kensington Road. Turn west on Kensington Road, and keep walking. You'll find several restaurants along 10th Street and Kensington Road.
Mar 21st, 2004, 08:15 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey there Judy..........you are a wonderful source of INFO............thanks!!!!!!!! What places to eat would I find near the Best Western??
How long of a walk would it be from teh Best Western to the U of C campus?
How long of a walk would it be from teh Best Western to the U of C campus?
Mar 21st, 2004, 10:29 AM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WhyNot; The walk from the Best Western to the university arch (on its SE edge) would be about 15 - 20 minutes, depending on your pace.
There is a decent Vietnamese restaurant in the strip mall to the west of the hotel (less than a 5 minute walk) called Saigon Y2K. There is also a new restaurant just opened at the other end of that strip mall that advertises itself as Barbeque, Blues and Beer. Sorry, I haven't tried it yet, although we could well become regulars if my husband has anything to say about it!
Going a little further (3 -5 minutes) west, there is Nick's, which has a varied menu of steak, hamburgers, pasta, pizza, etc. Nothing fancy, but you can have a decent meal there; it is well patronized and has been around for about 25 years.
One of the best things about staying in either of these motels is the convenience to the commuter train station as Judy_in_Calgary mentioned. In addition to accessing Kensington-Sunnyside which I highly recommend as well; a further 5 minutes puts you straight into the heart of downtown which opens up a whole new realm of possibilites.......
There is a decent Vietnamese restaurant in the strip mall to the west of the hotel (less than a 5 minute walk) called Saigon Y2K. There is also a new restaurant just opened at the other end of that strip mall that advertises itself as Barbeque, Blues and Beer. Sorry, I haven't tried it yet, although we could well become regulars if my husband has anything to say about it!
Going a little further (3 -5 minutes) west, there is Nick's, which has a varied menu of steak, hamburgers, pasta, pizza, etc. Nothing fancy, but you can have a decent meal there; it is well patronized and has been around for about 25 years.
One of the best things about staying in either of these motels is the convenience to the commuter train station as Judy_in_Calgary mentioned. In addition to accessing Kensington-Sunnyside which I highly recommend as well; a further 5 minutes puts you straight into the heart of downtown which opens up a whole new realm of possibilites.......
