“A wonderful staff really made this hotel experience great!”

A wonderful staff really made this hotel experience great! I had the opportunity to travel from Pennsylvania in the United States with my six-year-old daughter to see the eclipse in Hamilton. While I doubt many will use this review for the future eclipse on 26 October 2144 and most of the area/staf… more

A wonderful staff really made this hotel experience great! I had the opportunity to travel from Pennsylvania in the United States with my six-year-old daughter to see the eclipse in Hamilton. While I doubt many will use this review for the future eclipse on 26 October 2144 and most of the area/staff will likely be different, the opportunity to view it from the hotel lot was perfect. Staff actually joined us, and many residents were able to have a clear view thanks to lucky breaks in the clouds right as the eclipse reached totality. Earlier in the same day, staff also did a great job managing a fire alarm that went off in the premise in the morning- as a Paramedic myself, seeing the staff prioritize safety is quite reassuring. This, plus the AED and other safety features of the property, were much appreciated. The room itself was also quite nice. We stayed in the King Whirlpool Suite (Rm 269). Just a note, it’s more of a studio experience than a 1-bedroom as the suite lacks doors connecting the rooms. The bathroom very slick and clean, the water pressure and shower height perfect for a tall male. There is some wear on furniture that we only noticed when using the sofa bed, which my daughter found quite comfortable. Two TVs were appreciated so we each had something to watch. The minifridge worked well for our provisions and kept our ice packs cool for the long drive home. The lobby and events area was quite nice and, while we didn’t use it, would be great for gatherings. The only negative I have on the whole experience, I think I may have incorrectly tried to set up a whirlpool bath for my kid- the drain kept draining and the tub did not fill. This may have been my error, the tub and bath experience still made my daughter happy even without bubbles. Tips: The hotel is more south and on the mountain in Hamilton, but close to the 403. We noticed many of the Go trains into Toronto stopped at Aldershot but didn’t continue to the Hamilton stations (Hamilton or West Harbour). Both times we rode we did so from Aldershot, which is about a 18 minute drive on the 403, but had ample parking AND VIA rail connections. On Upper St. James, there is a Tim Horton’s conveniently located for a quick grab-and-go style breakfast, we did not take advantage of on-site offerings. There are also a bunch of great playgrounds and parks nearby the hotel- my daughter was a big fan of William Connell Park. Finally, my daughter was quite amused by the geese that hung around on the roof, acting as Roosters do and honking to welcome the rising sun.

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