I stayed at the Varscona on business. I know Edmonton well but had never really noticed the Varscona with its entrance just off Whyte Avenue.

Some people call the Varscona a boutique hotel, I wouldn't really call it that because it doesn't have the interior ambiance/intimate atmosphere for what I would consider boutique, also it is a bit bigger with conference rooms and such. Don't expect an uber trendy boutique like you'd find in New York and the Varscona will suit you just fine.

My room faced 106th street on the second floor so I was a bit worried about noise, but it was very quiet. Unfortunately I got shafted with the room directly across from the ice machine, so I woke up to ice making noises twice, but not a peep from other people or outside, so I was impressed there.

The room was very clean and well maintained. My only complaint would be the heat/AC controls were a bit slow to respond.

The location of the hotel can't be beat, from walking to a bunch of great bars and restaurants on Whyte to the proximity to the University, this hotel is in a great location. Walking around Garneau with the university-town atmosphere was excellent.

My only other complaint was that when I arrived there was no place to park in front of the hotel to check in and get a parking pass. I needed to park a couple blocks away and walk up, grab a parking pass, walk back down and then drive into the parkade. The guy who checked me in didn't tell me there was a valet and I didn't find that out until the next day.

This is a solid if unspectacular hotel in a great location which can be booked for a reasonable price.

Stayed for 3 nights and had a great time. I was concerned at first about the parking but the valet parking worked very well. Drop car off at front door in evening at had it back in the morning . Desk only asked for 15 minutes lead time and never waited for car once. Room was quiet and clean. Would stay again.
Considering the price of hotel rooms in Edmonton this is a very reasonable choice.

My husband, two sons and I travelled to Edmonton on July 31, 2005 for a concert at the Klondike Days exhibition. We were looking for a hotel closer to the K Days grounds but they were all booked. We saw on the map that the Varscona was on a good transit service line so we booked them for that night.

The hotel was very clean throughout, the main areas as well as the rooms. Even though this was high season there were no issues with cleanliness or prompt staff attention.

There is no parking lot or even a place to pull in the front in order to unload; however, there is valet service which required 15 minute advance notice and there is also a parking pass if you want to park in another parkade yourself.

The staff were very friendly and helpful, the rooms were eentsy but very clean. There was a bar fridge stocked with juices and soft drinks and a coffee pot for the morning.

Although the hotel -- and our window -- faced directly onto Whyte Avenue during party season we didn't hear a thing in the room. The insulation in the room is awesome and we couldn't hear a peep anywhere. The beds were very comfy. There were no weird smells anywhere and it was not stuffy at all.

There was even a complimentary breakfast the next day with an assortment of cereals, fruits, bagels and such. I seem to recall the food being good.

Oh, and the transit service was great. My older son and I went to the concert while the younger son and his dad stayed at the hotel and there were no issues with taking the bus and train in the middle of the night. Everything was very clean and there were no weird characters to make us feel uncomfortable.

I loved the Varscona and would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anybody. I wish they were all run like this.

We spent one night at the Varscona on Whyte in Edmonton

We found this hotel to be fairly comfortable and clean. It is also situated in a great location on Whyte Ave, where there are plenty of cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants.

We were also impressed with the valet services and business centre facilities, which provided free internet access.

The front desk staff were also polite and helpful.

We would definitely stay here again next time we visit Edmonton.