Hotel Review: Crowne Plaza Hamilton, ON

This is my second stay at the Crowne Plaza.  I usually stay at the Staybridge Suites in Hamilton, but I’ve been waiting too long to book my hotel and so I end up at the Crowne Plaza.

I shouldn’t really say “end up” though since it is a property that really seems like it is trying.  Downtown Hamilton is an interesting experience and there are several head shops, tattoo parlors, and pawn shops near the hotel.  There are also some awesome Asian restaurants so  I shouldn’t really complain.

Both times I have been upgraded to the club floor which includes continental (bagels and cereal) breakfast.  The pool I believe was recently renovated before my stay back in June because the extremely friendly waitress kept insisting I needed to check it out.  I did bring my bathing suit, but I checked out the fitness room instead (because I’m training for a marathon, not a triathlon).

My favorite feature of the room is the drape clip.  There are many times where the drapes just don’t meet properly or the AC likes to blow the curtains out.  Granted, I was on the 7th floor so a peek from a passer-by would be rare, but some mornings I don’t like the sun to wake me up!

The staff is friendly and helpful.  There is one main waitress in the restaurant and she will remember you from one visit to the next.  She will also let you know what’s going on.

The fitness room had a lot of different things compared to Hampton Inn fitness rooms.  I only used the lone treadmill.  It doesn’t reset after it has been stopped unless you pull out the emergency stop clip.  The treadmill actually felt safer when I was running than when I was walking.  It worked though.  There are 2 flat screen TVs in the fitness room and 1 is positioned with easy viewing from the treadmill.  There is also a bathroom with a sauna right across the hall.  There is a step out of the bathroom.   I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t remember it from the way in.  If the floor had been wetter I might have taken a tumble, but I managed to find the floor with both feet.

I like the Staybridge because it has nice breakfast and an OK dinner included in the rate, but the Crowne Plaza has better parking since it has a garage and doesn’t require double parking.

I’ve been doing a lot more Priority Club and although there is a software issue preventing most of their hotels from getting my room under my correct name (I book the room under my current name through my travel agent’s website and some how when I go to check in the reservation is under my maiden name with an address I haven’t lived in for 4 years).  I should probably reclaim the status with them I lost a few years ago.