I didn’t make the “flagship” thing up – opened in 2019, the Calgary downtown location became “the largest property in the brand’s global portfolio”. It also “marks the 800 th hotel for the brand”, so Marriott and the franchisee went above and beyond to set a new bar for new Residence Inn locations. Indeed, this Residence Inn has to be the best Residence Inn I’ve experienced, or even the best select service hotel I have ever stayed at.
The hotel occupies a high-rise building and has its own drive way and parking entrance in the heart of Calgary. Check-in was smooth and the upgraded suite I got was amazing, with a panoramic view of Calgary, including the CN Calgary Tower.
I was also greeted with a welcome snack (house cookies and water) and a personalized handwritten card upon entering my suite – what kind of Residence Inn does this!
I was also very much surprised by their breakfast offerings – while other Residence Inns tend to offer the uninspiring frozen stuff, the buffet here was splendid with hot and cold options, properly scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, fruit and cheese and more – again, this is what I’d expect in a full service club lounge, yet I was able to enjoy all this at a Residence Inn! This hotel also featured a restaurant which is rare for this brand, however the hours were awkward for my trip plans so I didn’t get to experience it outside of breakfast.
Downtown Calgary can be a competitive market for premium hotels, and yet I did not regret choosing the Residence Inn over the Marriott and the Delta, even considering the brand being a select service hotel and the rates being comparable. The service and amenities offered here were truly not on the same level with other Residence Inns in North America. In fact, it definitely would not be breaking character at all if one day they decided to switch to a more upscale brand with minor or no change to what they currently offer. A Marriott Executive Apartment anyone? =P
RealScore
Service: 7.5
Design and Room Size: 8.5
In-room Amenities: 9
Bathroom Size and Layout: 8
View from (my) Room: 9
Hotel Location: 9
Available Guest Facilities: 8
Food Quality: 9
Food and Beverage Service: N/A
Executive Lounge Quality: N/A
Final RealScore: 8.38
Final RealRating: AA
Hotel is built/opened: 2019
Total number of rooms: 390
Length of stay: 2 nights
Membership level at check-in: Platinum
Room type experienced: One-bedroom Suite
Hotel4Real! 
Leave a comment