This Sandman Hotel has lots going for it. I chose the hotel in the first place because of its close proximity to the Tesla Supercharger at the Highstreet mall. It was very convenient.
The hotel has also been really nicely upgraded and refurbished. The fixtures, such as the rainhead showerheads, the outlet and charging areas, the furniture, comfortable bed etc. have all been thoughtfully redesigned -- even a recycling bin and non-slip mat for the shower.
There are, however, a few drawbacks: There's nothing they can do about it this, but their proximity to the Transcanada Highway and South Fraser mean there is lots of traffic and it is pretty loud during the day and even early evening. I'm not sure if they have double-pane windows, but I went out to get a set of headphones to help me go to sleep.
My check-in experience was also less than optimal. During COVID times, many hotels are doing pre-registration, or other means to ensure very quick, contactless check-in. There was one man ahead of me who had a bunch of extra questions and requests, and I waited for awhile. There was only one person at the desk, but at one point, another employee (presumably a manager of some kind) saw me standing in line and deliberately went into the office that was across from the lobby. That was exceedingly poor customer experience... even without the means to check me in himself, he needed to come over, apologize for the wait, ask how my trip was and assure me I would be taken care of as soon as possible. Guest relations 101. Instead I went on waiting. Once I got to the desk, check in was courteous and quick.
There is also not breakfast offered on site. There is a Denny's next door, but in COVID times, I am not dining indoors, so I left the hotel to go to Starbucks and another place the other day. I would have gladly paid extra to have had an easy on-site breakfast option.
Finally, the one eco-friendly option I am not seeing here yet are bulk shampoo, conditioner and body wash dispensers. We have these in our vacation rental, and little bottles are really going out of style, so I hope they will consider them for the future.
Mostly though, a good stay at a very reasonable price! read more