I stayed one night on the 23rd floor of this aging hotel
The good
- spectacular view; my reservation specifically stated river view
- reasonably priced on the weekend
- central location, it's just a short walk to Churchill Square Arts District (music hall, theatre, library)
- lobby has updated furniture and carpet
- closet in my room is fairly spacious, even with the blanket and iron with board
- wood furniture is okay (not modern, but okay) including the writing desk and small round table. There are small tables on both sides of the double bed
- wifi and local calls are free
- bathroom has a large mirror, a blow dryer, and a small makeup mirror with light. Retrofits include new toilet, curved shower curtain rod, new shower curtains, and new shower head.
- Air conditioning works well, plus there is one small window that opens. Window covering include sheers and blackout drapes.
- TV is an okay size, and has lots of channels and pay per view movies
- triple-sheeted bed has numerous pillows
- inroom coffeemaker, and both an old and new clock radio (the new one has a CD player; you're provided with a free CD of relaxing music)
- ice machines on all floors but 7 & 9; those have a pop machine instead
- 24hr fitness room (access to the 4th floor room with your room card) has been updated: Most of the equipment is Nautilus brand. There are: 3 treadmills, 2 elipticals, 1 stepper, 2 bikes, a few weight machines, free weights. A water cooler, pop/water vending machine, small towels, wipes for cleaning the equipment, and even a bathroom. Useful fans. Lots of windows. Walls are a slate blue.
- Business room (4th floor, access with your room key) is a converted hotel room with a view. So, in addition to the 4 workstations (and there is a printer and at least one phone), there's a bathroom.
- free Globe & Mail and local paper available e.g. by elevator or in lobby

the bad
- hotel room decor is atrociously dull. Desk chair and high back chair should have been replaced 15 years ago. There's only 2 pictures in the room. Both old, one is especially faded. Walls in the room are all the same muted cream-coloured wallpaper (except for the dated bathroom wallpaper). Patterned drapes are old and ugly.
- bathroom is so dull: white counter, white floor and white wall tile, white towels and white shower curtain, white toilet and white tub, and ugly muted wallpaper
- tile closest to the tub not especially clean, sink faucet filter needs replacement/service
- old mattress
- berber carpet had a stain, likely coffee. No baseboards
- the small alcove with light above and electrical outlet on the side? looks like a fridge should be in there
- there's storage bins under the tv, but not actual drawers for clothes
- over 300 rooms, but no pool, sauna, whirlpool
- staircases are scary in appearance
- there are 3 elevators, but I regularly had long waits - and the hotel did not seem busy
- business centre has no supplies e.g. notepads, pens, staplers, paper clips, etc
- front desk staff I encountered only adequate for service

the ugly
- I tried to check-out using the TV. I could see the bill (which I also received under my door), but the system errored out at the final stage. Twice. When I called to be checked out, the hotel operator says I must go to the front desk: When I asked why, she said it's policy! (Fortunately, she put me through to the front desk, who checked me out)
- the bathroom has no fan; Sign on the shower states that the smoke detector may go off if bathroom door left open
- parking garage is creepy
- no front door service. I had a street person panhandling at the front driveway; another at the church steps next door

I stayed at the Chateau Lacombe for a night with my husband and 4-month-old son in a junior suite. I booked it directly through the hotel's telephone booking. Our package included breakfast. I specifically asked if it included breakfast at the hotel's revolving rooftop restaurant, La Ronde (they have a fantastic buffet brunch), and the attendant told me it did, so I booked the Bed and Breakfast package, instead of just the room. It turns out, the breakfast was only good for room service or the cafe (we ordered room service, which wasn't very good, so we just ended up going to La Ronde and paying for a second breakfast).

Otherwise, the service at the hotel was great. Check-in was quick, we were the only ones in the lobby for our late-evening check-in. I asked for a crib to be delivered to our room (which arrived quite prompty, but was old and rickety).

The room was very clean with a nice view but very, very dated. It looked like it hadn't been redone since the early 90s (other than being very well kept). The bathroom was nice, with good amenities.

I would have liked to have seen a pool.

There is good parking right at the hotel, but I didn't see a valet.

The location is great, just of Japser Avenue. Lots of restaurants in walking distance.

I wouldn't stay there again though, there are nicer hotels in Edmonton for around the same rate, many downtown.

We where so excited to come to Chateau lacombe.. What a disappointment that was.. Our room was not the cleanest ,the bathroom tub had grantite off in places.. About 10.30 an alarm went off we all had to vacate, small fire in the basement .Outside in the cold for over an hour.. We had to run down stairs 11 floors there was dog poop on level 3 on all the stairs and on all levels there was cigerette butts on ALL the landings not just 1 but ALL>>>> Then to top it off at around 545 an alarm went off again and again we all had to vacate.. lt was fun not getting any sleep.. And l got back 57.00 which the manager said l would get all money back.. !37.00 .. This was the worse hotel we ever stayed at in all our travels ..

I have to say I was disappointed. The room itself - 2 double beds - was not bad and we chose (and paid extra for) a panaoramic view overlooking the North Saskatchewan. Beds were comfy but the room was tiny. The bathroom reminded me of the 1970s with an ugly little tub and toilet that flushed unenthusiatically.

Reception was friendly and efficient but the ugly side of things shows when you park your car. First off, there is no security at all. Vandals and vagrants have the same access to the garage paying customers do. The vestibules of the elevators are foul and smelly and those elevators (unlike the ones that go up into the hotel tower) are poorly carpeted, otherwise worn and dirty. It is really hard to get the image of one's entyr from the parkade into teh hotel out of your mind.

As I was travelling with a dog, I decided to take the parking elevator down to the lowest level where (I though) I could exit this accessing Edmonton's lovely riverfront parks. Instead, I ended up in an even smellier darker catacmb that ended in a un-openable door to the street. Why the hotel even has the elevator descend into this horror show beats me. They could at least have marked that there is no exit and saved customers seeing just how badly that have let the maintenance go.

The price for the privilege of this medicore and, in parts, almost literally crappy experience, was nothing special. Synopsis: go elsewhere.