From $190 US
– Friendly, attentive and knowledgable staff will make you smile
– The design is a touch plain and dated, but new decor looks lovely and will be installed starting August 2014 
Right in the centre of Edmonton’s hipster Old Strathcona neighbourhood — voted one of the top 10 coolest neighbourhoods in Canada — is the Varscona Hotel.
There are 89 spacious rooms in this boutique property that is focussed on friendly service and making sure you relax and enjoy. All rooms have fridges, Keurig coffee machines and cozy spa bathrobes ready to curl up in.
You will eat very well at the Varscona. The onsite restaurant — about to undergo a name change — is a favourite of locals. The hotel offers a big daily breakfast (included), and one of Canada’s favourite coffee shops — The Second Cup — is attached to the lobby. Six evenings a week the Varscona also offers complimentary wine and cheese. I discovered that my favourite band — The Dave Matthews Band — makes wine and that it’s pretty good!
If you need space for a function, the hotel has several choices for everything from weddings to meetings. The business centre, open 24 hours, is outfitted with both a Mac and a PC. The fitness centre is great, and the hotel is only a couple blocks from Edmonton’s gorgeous river valley.
Stroll across the High Level Bridge for the views and then explore the legislature’s park-like grounds, fountains and beautiful buildings. Back on the south side of the river, check out Old Strathcona’s fantastic dining and shopping scene.
You’ll sleep really well at the Varscona — the beds are so comfortable it is hard to get up in the morning!
