Varscona has old times charm. You can tell the building is old and the rooms could be updated.

Otherwise the little time I spent here was great. Clean room, a bit of an awkward set up in the bathroom but not horrible. If the door was open you couldn't get out of the shower because you'd end up hitting the door or the toilet. Also the shower curtain is thin and I ended up getting water... more

Very friendly staff. Always ready to accommodate.

Fully recommend this hotel close to other restaurants and shop. Friendly staff.

I loved my stay at Varscona during a recent trip to Edmonton. Not only is it super cozy with a fire waiting for you when you arrive, the staff is top notch and friendly.... but I think everyone is friendly in Canada!

As soon as you walk into the lobby, it has a cabin feel to it. There are a bunch of couches and chairs there if you're looking to meet up with some friends or just cozy up by the... more

Neighbourhood hotel with extras

Comfortable rooms in small neighbourhood with extras!

Nice Hotel - Good location

I have stayed at the Varscona many times over the years. The staff is always friendly, rooms are pleasant, and they do a nice wine and cheese in the evening and breakfast in the morning.

Great staff.

The staff at the Varsvona were great. I would recommend this hotel to anyone. We loved the atmosphere at the hotel as well.

Good location but needs upgrading

Good points are as follows: Happy with location. Nice view of Whyte Ave from our room. Fairly comfy bed & pillows. Adequate parking set up available. Not so great points: Extremely poor water pressure..... Especially for bathroom sink.... Barely enough to brush teeth. The tub pressure was slightly better but likely not good enough to shampoo hair and rinse therefore did not attempt. Lastly, the... more

Lovely Boutique Hotel

Recently stayed for 3 nights. The hotel is undergoing some renovations and we were able to stay on the 6th floor which had recently been finished. Clean, updated, comfortable and most importantly ....quiet. Excellent location on Whyte Avenue. Loads of little shops around plenty of bars and places to eat. Easy access to downtown and roads to Airport. Wine tasting everyday 5:30-6:30. cheese and... more

Terrible

I'll just cut down to it.

Dropped off my dry cleaning on Monday, didn't see it until Friday. The sink in the bathroom wouldn't drain at all, the fan in the room pumping out heat was louder than send. And the shower knob would mysteriously auto rotate to go from the perfect temperature to scorching. I had to shower at my friends place.

Won't ever stay here again

Great location and service

My husband and I stayed for 2 nights in a king size room. It was a good experience.

great location

heard great things about this place and it was what Id hoped

Excellent location, helpful and competent staff

We recently stayed at the Varscona for one night. Very friendly and helpful staff at the front desk at check-in. It's an excellent location with convenient access. We particularly like the 15 minute front door loading zone, we've stayed at their affiliate (The Metterra on Whyte) where the parking/unloading can be an issue due to location/surrounding establishments. It's an older hotel and... more

Condition of Hotel

The hotel needs to be upgraded as I noticed frayed carpet in my room and, although clean, the face cloth was stained. The hotel has a tired look.

Watch out for rate tricks

Refused to honour discounts offered on the website after refusing to match Expedia rate. Be very careful if booking.

Great for a business trip!

The staff provided exceptional service - I travel a lot and really appreciate the extra little touches that I found at the Varscona - bathrobes, lots of places to plug in cell phone chargers and laptops, fridge and microwave, a great desk for working. The fitness facilities were top of the line and the neighbourhood is interesting with lots of restaurants close by.

Varscona Hotel

Hotel bathroom and bedroom was clean and comfortable though the bathroom was aged and the tub appeared to be quite old. It overall was a pleasant stay as they staff is very accommodating and the valet parking was well executed.

Needs some updating

The room was outdated and not very clean. Overall dirty room The AC didn't work There was a bar outside of our window and music played until 2am The hotel was a maze not laid out very well Service was good front desk was friendly

Nice hotel

Fore sure, I advice this hotel to my friends. The room was very clean and comfortable and in one word excellent!!! Breakfast was very good and I liked the hotel staff.

Great Hotel on Whyte Ave

The hotel was lovely, clean and right in the middle of the great nightlife on Whyte Ave. The continental breakfast was great too, fresh and delicious. I would highly recommend this hotel.

Great hotel. Nice experience

Vale parking it was good to just walk in! Hotel staff was nice and very accommodating to our needs.

Close to all amenities

Excellent service and cleanness. Recent re-furbish.

Great friendly staff, nice rooms and excellent location. Would definitely stay here again!

A friend and I decided to have a stay cation and so we booked at the Varscona. The final bill was only about $190 including all taxes. This also included a free wine tasting and a free breakfast.

The rooms were comfortable, although not overly spacious, we were pleased. The air conditioning worked fabulously and we revelled in the linen. It was like constantly having the cool side of the... more

Great location and value

Enjoyed our stay. Room was clean and comfortable. No towel bars in bathroom made it impossible to hang and reuse towels.

nice area

Staff very helpful. .breakfast options are great. Front desk very friendly.

Nice getaway

Great location Free valet parking A little noisy on the weekend but not too bad. Clean Friendly Great service

A nice quaint area

My stay at this hotel was great. The staff was very friendly. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. I would stay here again. The hotel is located very close to some nice shopping boutiques and restaurants.

Nice hotel located close to hospitals

Our stay was very pleasant. Staff were attentive and helpful. Had a nice room on the 5th floor that had a King Bed and lots of room to move around.

Heart of trendy Whyte Ave

Clean and quiet for busy area. Wine and cheese was a bonus.

Good value for money

Varscona definitely gives you value for your money. Rooms were clean, well equipped and the staff was friendly. The parking garage next door is an added bonus, since we did not have to squeeze into a narrow parking with our truck and we never had to struggle to find a spot. The hotel is slightly less luxurious than some of... more

Comfortable room right on whyte. Close proximity to shops and restaurants and bars. The night life here on the weekends are intense, tons of ppl going to the bars. But I never felt unsafe at any point. We walked over to an Asian restaurant at 11pm, and everything went fine. The staff is very friendly and the breakfast buffet was really good. More breakfast options than your regular holiday inn... more

Great boutique hotel on Whyte

Couldn't have been happier. The staff are that great combination of friendly and focused. My bed was to die for. Premium linens, perfect pillows for side and back sleep, lovely, light warm comforter. The air was fresh, place was super clean, good supply of toiletries. Free Wi-Fi and breakfast. How can you go wrong? I also enjoy the eclectic Whyte... more

A great mid-week stay on Whyte

I have been to many hotels before and none come close to Varscona on service quality! The staff were incredibly accommodating. Valet parking was efficient and done quickly to accommodate my needs. Breakfast and wine-and cheese were great perks and helped me feel at home. I had a stressful 3 days of work to do, but the work-trip was very... more

Great stay

There is absolutely nothing bad to say about this hotel. Complimentary valet parking; quick and easy check in; clean, quiet, and comfortable rooms (yes, including the beds); and it's on Whyte Avenue, which is always fun. Professional and friendly services all around.

My Usual Spot in Edmonton

As always I stayed at the Varscona, like I do every time I visit Edmonton. As Always, It was a wonderful experience, and made the holiday to Edmonton pleasant. Rooms are very comfortable, and seem to have been renovated since I was there last. I don't know what kind of beds they have, but it is the most comfortable bed... more

The best customer service and hotel

My husband had been transported via ambulance from cold lake (4hrs away) to the hospital in edmonton. The kids and I had not slept for over 36hrs when we checked in. The staff was welcoming, warm, helpful and soooo pleasant! They came to my car, unloaded all the luggage while i dealt with my two little ones (4 and 8),... more

This little hotel is divine. There are no big hotel chain rewards, but come here for an enjoyable getaway, or business trip stay over. Free valet parking. The furnishings are elegant and clean. The location cannot be beat with many choices of cool places to eat out. Fitness centre, free wine tasting from 5.30-6.30, and breakfast included. It's boutiquey and cute, I loved it.

Excellent

For the price you will not do better on whyte ave. Includes valet parking. Rooms are spacious and well appointed. Walking distance to any restaurant or night spot you would want. Shopping or just sitting on a park bench enjoying the ambience. A good place to stay with friends or your loved one.

A very nice surprise

My wife and I booked and stayed at the Varscona Hotel on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton in March of 2014. We come into to town a couple of times a year to see some outstanding blues performers on Whyte Ave. We have stayed at other hotels and enjoyed them. I booked this one for a change and thought, "we shall... more

Medical stay at Varscona

Have stayed twice at Varscona for Medical procedures for my hubby and they gave us hospital rates during our stay. Being from way, way, way out of town was nice to know that hotels provide this. A pretty and comfortable hotel in the heart of hustle and bustle of Whyte.... numerous eating and watering holes.....OByrnes being my FAV and a... more

Great staff and convenient location

The Varscona on Whyte is located in a trendy area of Edmonton, where there is a good selection of boutique shopping. The hotel staff is very welcoming and helpful. Amenities included a small business center, fitness facility (fairly decent!), and breakfast service. The breakfast service was good, but I would have liked to see more selection of hot items such... more

Varscona on Whyte

Have stayed there for business a number of times. Very friendly, quick service. Good price and includes valet parking and breakfast. Location is in the heart of old Strathcona. Spacious, new rooms that are comfortable. Couple of missing items would be shoe shine kits and mini bar.

Varscona

Staff were friendly. Carpets need cleaning. Furniture looking a bit tired. Bed and linens were excellent. Continental breakfast was very good. Sound transmission OK, could hear a bit of hallway and outside noise. Otherwise a pleasant stay.

Great location, rough service

Loved where the varscona is located and the free garage parking. The cleaning staff dropped the ball huge however. We stayed 4 nights. 2 of which our room was cleaned when we came back from our days adventures. The last morning the hotel maid walked into the room without knocking.

Great Hotel and great Location

I took my wife and kids her in January for a weekend at the waterpark!!! The hotel was amazing! We stayed in a suite that they upgraded us to for nothing and we loved it!! Big spacious rooms, great hot breakfast include in the rate, and amazing staff!!! We would return for sure!!!

Great stay on Whyte Ave

We wanted a hotel right on Whyte Ave close to the bars and restaurants. This hotel was recommended to me and it was great! The room was a comfortable size for 4 adults, and within walking distance to everything on Whyte, even in minus 20 weather! Hotel is clean, everyone was very nice,parkade close by. There is a Second Cup... more

Great hotel, great location

Nice location, lot's of amenities nearby (restaurants etc.) and shopping. Great place to stay if you're going to the university or the Stollery. Nice hotel, clean, well appointed rooms, front desk staff were very pleasant and helpful, and they have a nice Second Cup in the lobby, and Murriettas is next door. Rooms are well glazed so there are no... more

Great little hotel on Whyte

Despite being only a 2.5 star hotel this hotel gets the simple things right. My room was spacious, clean and very quiet. My experience here has been better than some 4 star hotels I have stayed at. The location is great as it is right on Whyte and is also close to UofA. I definitely recommend staying here if you're... more

Best or second best hotel in Edmonton. Stay here

Right on Whyte Avenue (Edmonton's small entertainment district), this is a high-end hotel at midrange prices. It is clean, modern, quiet, and provides immediate walking access to many great restaurants and bars and shops. I recommend the Continental Treat for authentic European meals, Yanni's for the best Greek you will have in Western Canada, King and I for Edmonton's best... more

Nicely Done

Easy check-in, accommodating, comfortable room and clean facility. The hallway to the parking garage could use a larger sign for direction to the parking facility off the second floor....I took the wrong door and ended up outside having to walk back around to get inside...despite this small inconvenience (of not looking at the sign on the wall)...the location is great... more

Super friendly Staff

My stay here was really great. It was nice to have valet parking, as there was such a snow storm that night. The staff were very helpful with me, and the rooms were modern had a cozy effect. The beds were very comfortable as well. It was nice to be close to many stores and restaurants. I will defiantly stay... more

Nice Boutique Hotel but Attention to Detail Required

This hotel has potential, but attention to detail is required. It is on a trendy street close to the University of Alberta, so there are a lot of small shops and restaurants close by. The free valet parking is good.
The lobby is very welcoming. The rooms are just average, which is fine, but I was quite disgusted when I... more

Great little hotel

My husband and I stayed at the Varscona on November 23. We found the hotel to be charming - the staff was exceptionally helpful at check in, our room was great, and there were lots of added amenities that we had't expected. There was a wine tasting from 5:30 to 6:30, parking included, and breakfast in the morning.
We had... more

Dissapointing customer service

We have stayed at this and the other hotels in this group many many times and have always enjoyed our stay. About 8 months ago the valet accidentally dented the side of the car and the management was very reluctant to pay for the repair. After 6 months and many calls and faxes as well as a threat to report... more

Nice

Great location, reasonable price and the place has character!

Fantastic , awesome staff , no bs paying for use of the business room.
I would definitely recommend.

Always welcoming

My daughter goes to the U of A and when I visit Edmonton I stay at the Varscona. Rooms are clean, beds are very comfortable. There is a Keurig machine in the room but there is a Second Cup in the lobby, I love it. Great fun shops and restaurants close by. This is my go to hotel when visiting... more

Lovely hotel on Whyte

Really nice hotel! Very bright and inviting lobby. There is a free parking garage just around the corner. Big room and really clean! The continental breakfast had lots of selection to meet everyone's needs! Would recommend and stay again!

My stay at the Varscona on Whyte

Great multicultural neighborhood with lots of historical buildings and ethnic restaurants around. The hotel had only one elevator and it was a bit slow. One had to use the room key card for the elevator to start.

Wonderful Place to Stay

I spent six nights at the Varscona as I was in Edmonton for my daughter's wedding.
It was beautiful, clean and comfortable! Location was excellent! The staff were friendly and extremely helpful!.
I would highly recommend this hotel and hope to return there again.

Great location

I stay here when I travel on business. I really enjoy the location on Whyte Avenue. There is a lot to do and see on Whyte.
The building is older and the Wi-Fi isn't very good. Sometimes you can hear the noise from Whyte Avenue, there is a bar right next to the hotel and in the summertime when people... more

Decent hotel but needs some work

Overall, I enjoyed my time at the Varscona. I was very happy that I chose to stay in Old Strathcona - a much more lively and interesting neighbourhood than downtown. However, as a business traveller, I was relying on reliable wi-fi and that was not available. They tried to move me to a different room, but were unable to find... more

Great location, great room, great breakie and the wine tasting was awesome

Great value. Room was up-to-date and beds very comfy; bedding smart; bathroom clean; windows open for fresh air, great security in hotel since the elevator only works with room key. Ask for a room facing away from Whyte Avenue if you want a quiet room. The location was lively and fun -- lots happening on Whyte Avenue, boutiques, stores, coffee... more

Not quite in the middle of all the action

Stayed for 1 night, September 24-25. Reserved one room at the nightly government rate of $119 CAD. I was visiting the University of Alberta and wanted to stay relatively close to the campus (less than 5 minutes by car), and I convinced myself to choose the Varscona based on the exceptional reviews.
I arrived and was promptly checked in. Parking... more

Very good location and very nice staff.
\n\n
Breakfast was not as well as English breakfast.

Great location; cheerful service; wine and cheese tasting. We arrived just in time for wine and cheese tasting. It was a very relaxing way to recover from our somewhat frustrating drive in. Also appreciated the free parking.
\n\n
The breakfast was good but we felt the buffet could have been arranged better to afford fluid flow. As it was, there were bottlenecks and we felt sorry for the... more

I loved that breakfast was inclusive of the rate that we were offered and that there was hot food (not just muffins and cereal). The beds were so comfy, I could hardly get my fiancé out of bed in the morning!!
\n\n
I would have liked to see it a little more modern. The colours in the rooms were bland. For a hotel on whyte I expected a little more imagination to have gone into the decor.

I had a great stay here. Location right on Whyte (entrance is on 106th, parkade is on Whyte) with great options for dining and shopping right out the door. The property is beautiful if a tad stuffy (compared to sister property Matrix for example) with superfluous bronze bathroom accents that scream "1985," but the beds are top notch and my room had a massive- I'd guess 50"- flatscreen TV that... more

Ease of access to Whyte and distance from U of A. Staff were friendly.
\n\n
Thought the room rate high for what was offered.

Dinning
\n\n
Not enough convenient outlets for electronics

cheese and wine in the evening! good staff
\n\n
the breakfast room was very small

Hospitable staff
\n\n
Lack of variety in breakfast options. Also really bad internet connection in the room.

Location was fantastic, just on the corner of whyte ave. Staff were friendly and helpful. Rooms were clean. Bed very big and comfortable. Breakfast and complimentory wine/cheese were good. Good that breakfast was included in the price. Rooms were quiet and allthough there was some small noise from the main street, this was totally acceptable and within limits considering it is situated in the... more

The hotelis well maintained and staff are well trained and very helpful. The breakfast is good. The location is excellent. We were there to help our daughter to move before university starts.

Sehr gutes Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis, kostenloses Parken, Frühstück inkl., sehr nettes Personal, zentrale Lage

服务，设施，舒适度。
\n\n
早餐花样不丰富。

goede service, vriendelijk personeel. Ben lichte slaper, maar heb niets gemerkt van het uitgaanspubliek en dus heerlijk kunnen slapen.
\n\n
Als ik dan toch wat zou moeten noemen.. de beperkte keuze bij het ontbijt.

Excellent service from staff; perfect location for shopping and restaurants.
\n\n
My room had a very old tub with some missing enamel. A bottle of mineral water had leaked out in the fridge and everything inside was sticky. I left note for cleaners; they replaced bottle of mineral water but didn't wash out fridge.

gute Lage, lebhafte Gegend, Frühstück für europäische Verhältnisse in Ordnung. Bequeme Betten, Bad sauber

The very helpful staff
\n\n
Getting woke up at 730am by fire alarm on my 2ndlast morning with no explanation, had to evacuate hotel,

Zimmer gut. Lage in der Stadt sehr gut.
\n\n
Frühstücksraum genannt Hospitality Room: Eiskalt, dunkel. Hilfe beim Finden von Teewasser z.B. nur auf intensives Nachfragen. Angebot an Frühstücks Dingen ausreichend. Frühstüchszeit nur bis 09Uhr!

Good location in a lively part of town. Our room was quiet, even though
the street scene outside was lively and the room had a street view
(second floor).
\n\n
The breakfast room is dark (no windows) and far too small for the
number of people trying to use it. We stopped having breakfast there
after two days. The key cards work about 25% of the time (both in the
roomlock and the elevator).... more

love the area. the location is easy to get to. convenient to most of the city.

Great Hotel in the Middle of all the Action

We booked this hotel for one night while travelling from Jasper to Saskatoon and it was a great place. Initially a problem finding the remote car park but parking out the front enabled us to get directions to the multi storey car park.
Our Room was large and service great. For a change there was good bathroom lighting.
We went... more

Even a free wine tasting (every night except Sunday

I was really impressed by this hotel, even though it is geared more for the business traveller, and had no pool, the staff was excellent and the room was clean and comfortable. The stay 2 nights and get one free policy was a real blessing for me (it meant I had some extra money to shop on Whyte Avenue with)... more

fabulous service

internet is horrible, but they are putting in a new system at some point apparently. customer serice is amazing. great place if you can get a discount rate. an obviously older building, but service makes up for the little oddities.

Great place to stay on whyte ave

We stay in Edmonton a long time. We're we're there for medical reasons. The staff were great !! The hotel should get the restaurant up and running. To go out and get food three times a day. It could be better. But the staff and the hotel are great. Thanks for helping us in our stay at you hotel. We... more

Varscona on Whyte Ave

The Varscona and it's sister hotel The Metterra are the only choice for me when I want to spend time on the exciting and trendy Whyte Ave. My friend and I choose the Vascona for a weekend visit to the Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival. The location allows us to park our car (with free valet service) for the weekend and... more

Excellent Service

Stayed at the Varscona on Whyte August 12- 14th 2013. A very quaint little hotel, with excellent service. Very comfortable beds, nice pillows and fresh linens. A second cup in the lobby, and a continental breakfast on the second floor. An older building, but in great shape. Very close to downtown shops, and easy to drive anywhere from there. Lots... more

Excellent service

My 13 day stay at the Varscona was superb. Very helpful and attentive staff, spotlessly clean, comfortable and extremely convenient. Nice breakfasts, newspapers and complimentary wine & cheese evenings for guests. Located in Old Strathcona which is a great area to stay in

Varscona Hotel

Have been staying there for several years-----my home in edmonton. Old building, well taken care of, great staff, 2nd cup coffee shop as well as a Pub and an Italian restaurant off the lobby. Nice area for walking around , lots of shops,and many places to eat.

Great location on Whyte Ave

This hotel is situated in a great part of Old Strathcona. It's within walking distance of the University and close to some good restaurants. The service is consistently good. The hotel is starting to show signs that another renovation is probably due, but it is still quite acceptable at the moment.

Free rides to the University in the mornings. Convenient ride to the airport. Breakfast. Friendly and helpful staff.
\n\n
Only eggs for breakfast were boiled ones. Not a big deal though.

Room service was poor was hung up on and food was cold with no cream sugar for 13.00 coffee thermos no salt no pepper for a 65.00 breakfast for 2 ..also we stayed because we were told about the wedding rate but because we booked throu bookings dot com we didn't get the wedding rate everyone else did

As per the above
\n\n
Given the cost of the room regardless of the level of comfort it is not a classic historical structure located in a beautiful setting with wonderful amennities to justify the king room rate with taxes. I will not return for that reason only.

Location,continental breakfast,free parking,comfortable

Breakfast included , nice spread
\n\n
Decor in room dated

Comfortable and convenient

This is one of my favourite places to stay in Edmonton in my favourite area, Whyte Ave. I've stayed here many times with only one slip up of overbooking. The early evening wine is very nice, even though I am usually unable to catch it more than once on my business trip. It would be nice if they extended the... more

Nice Hotel and Good Location

We were on a 3 day business trip to Edmonton and this hotel was a convenient location for us. This is not a 5 star hotel but the price is very reasonable for a downtown hotel and the facilities are quite adequate. Excellent for a short stay especially if you re paying out of your own pocket. There are lots... more

Nice place

We stay here occasionally and this last time they had move the "wine and cheese tasting" and the "breakfast" back into the hotel! Ya! They have listened as the past year the restaurant next door was looking after this but was not doing a good job of it.

clean, majority of staff were friendly
\n\n
Lost my husband's dress pants for 2 days, quite stressful as I was there for my daughter's university grad. The initial styaff person did not handle it well. The end result was they found the pants and delivered them at the last minute.

This is a tough one to review because I actually think the 3 1/2 stars is spot on, but as you know we can't give half stars.

The pros:
- Location, location, location. I'm pretty sure you are in the middle of everything hip.
- Free (working) Wi-Fi
- A coffee shop in the lobby
- Super friendly staff. I mean, super!
- Nice shower products
- The rooms and hotel are clean.

However, it looks like... more

Great place to stay in Edmonton

I stayed at the Varscona for a one night stay...overall the beds were really comfortable, the staff was very friendly and helpful and the rooms were clean. The location is in the middle of numerous restaurants and easy access to other spots in Edmonton. I'd certainly stay again or at their sister hotel the Materra.

Excellent for Business

The Varscona was perfect for a business stay. The rooms were comfortable and quiet. There was plenty to do in the evenings near by. The breakfast was great and the internet in my rooms was fast. The valet parking was also quick to bring your car around and I never had to wait if I called down ahead.

Great Perks

This hotel is just around the corner from the most popular part of Whyte Avenue. The hotel is clean and well appointed and the location is great because the late night noise isn't disturbing at all. The staff are personable, professional and very helpful. The free valet service was very convienient and useful. I also especially liked how there was... more

Great location, nice place!
\n\n
All was perfect.

I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel. We usually stay at the Mettera, which is also on Whyte and owned by the same company. We decided to give the Varscona a try and it was great. I enjoyed their wine and cheese hour that they had for hotel guest and the continental breakfast the next morning was really good. It kind of reminded me of my stay in Sonoma and Napa Valley. The beds were... more

Great deal overall, but watch room selection

Went here several years ago to the Fringe Festival, and it was the preferred location for the actors...a happening kind of place, right in the middle of things, as folks say. And returned for a conference this past week. The conference was at the university, which is a reasonable walking distance (2k) from the hotel.
Lots of great extras here--the... more

If you like to shop , small eating establishments or large youll find it on Whyte Ave everything is there , And the busses go th

If you like to shop browse the small shops ,small eating establishment or large , its all there.if your without a vechile , buses run through very frequent , within 15 minutes to 112 street to University Hospital and shops .
Great hotel , complimentary breakfast as coffee/ muffins , waffles and wine tasting in evenings .

J'ai apprécié le personnel très avenant. De plus, l'hôtel se trouve proche de Old Strathcona, une rue très sympathique et très jolie sur lqauelle on trouve boutiques, restaurants et pubs.

In the hub of it all

Visiting Edmonton and you want to be within walking distance of eateries,
music, art, markets and excellent unique shops the Varscona Hotel offers
a super ambiance!
It is an older establishment, but the room was very clean and updated.
The parkade offered great easy parking, with access to the hotel.
We were ticketed one night in the parkade, but the... more

Great location and lots of extras

For the money, this is a fantastic value. We scored a 48-hour sale for a weekend in May so we paid $127.50 a night before tax. It's a nice size hotel - 6 floors with a Second Cup coffee shop on the main level. Rooms are average but nicely updated and clean. Liked the big showerhead and robes! I had... more

The staff very good
\n\n
The breakfast ends early. Maybe until at 10:00 woud be better.

Right on Whyte

When I checked into the Varscona I found the reception staff to be extremely efficient and helpful. I was given clear instructions on how to locate the FREE parking, the Murrieta's lounge with complementary wine and snacks, and the breakfast room with a very reasonable breakfast which was included in the price of our stay.
Our room had a very... more

I loved the breakfast and paper in the morning. I loved the wine and cheese. Whyte Ave. is a great place to be in the city. Parking was convenient and helpful

Comfortable beds
\n\n
Exercise room only has one treadmill, one elliptical and one recumbent
bike. Not enough electrical outlets for charging iPhones and iPad.
Thermostat was installed in reverse. Hotel Wi-Fi kept dropping
connection. Bathroom old and dated

The beds and linens were very comfortable TV's were modern and large Keurig coffee maker in room Good value for money with free drink and breakfast included
\n\n
No atmosphere at Murietta's, noone greeted us for quite some time Staff were a tad unwelcoming especially in the bar

Rooms were comfortable, staff were friendly, free parking, great location.
\n\n
No swimming pool or hot tub.

The king sized bed was luxurious and so comfortable! Dinner at
Murietta's was delicious! I don't think I would have gone there
had it not been for the voucher I was given upon arrival.
\n\n
The breakfast was fine but missing the basics like butter and someone to
ask for butter. But other than that, my stay was great.

The hotel is really clean and well located on Whyte Avenue. It has a great restaurant and the breakfast was delicious

very friendly,very efficient at making us feel comfortable and at home.
\n\n
too noisy. whyte avenue is a haven of bars and restraunts. obviously when people return to hotel its extremely noisy. especially at 2.30 am. the only drawback. not very good soundproofing.

I can't comment on the stay at this hotel but I did attend an event there in one of the conference rooms. The layout of the room was long and wide and with the tables and chairs, it wasn't ideal. It wasn't poor, but it didn't allow for more space between the front and walking towards the back where the refreshments were. I did like the coat rack in the room as that was convenient. The washrooms... more

Location. Good quality breakfast. My stay was free.
\n\n
Screwed up with my room type. Didn't get what I booked and failed to
get us a better room. But. The receptionist was very nice, apologized
and made out stay free.

location
\n\n
only one elevator and parkade not easy to access

There are no comments available for this review

The valet parking was great. The complimentary breakfast was convenient. Nothing special, but good. The Fitness Room was great. Location was really convenient.
\n\n
The rooms on the lower floor were quite noisy. The young ladies staying next door to my sister's room on the 2nd Floor were talking and laughing loudly in the hallway until 2am.

Location, friendly staff, dining oportunities around, rooms were clean and comfortable
\n\n
There was no one microwave available to warm something up. Eggs, maffins for breakfast were cold, not good in winter time.

Location on Whyte Avenue is great. Place was clean and staff was excellent.
\n\n
Whyte Avenue traffic noise is notable. Lack of air-conditioning or fan made noise more prevalent.

locaton, free WIFI,
\n\n
breakfast inedible.

Clean, spacious king-size room. Basic stocked mini bar. 32" flat screen tv. Very comfortable. Iron and ironing board. Apples on the front desk. Excellent area for food and shopping - even a little quirky at times - enjoyable! I would definitely stay again and will not hesitate to recommend the hotel.
\n\n
The breakfast buffet/a-la-carte service was barely recommendable. Even with free vouchers... more

excellent staff

Great hotel. I gave them a "good" on facilitates because we were doing a training there with about 60 people sitting at round tables, and found that room was too long and thin. They put the screen in the middle of the long wall, and people one either ends couldn't see it clearly. Nor could they hear each other. More square rooms are better for trainings.

Good location near Whyte Avenue. Spacious and elegant rooms.
\n\n
Loud and disturbing cleaning staff. Thin walls.

Usually much more expensive than the deal we got with Booking.com

location and surrounding restaurants were great.

Freindly, competent staff, no complaints, nice rooms.

The room was clean, the staff very friendly and the special price was right for us. We were visiting our son in the city, and also very much enjoyed the very reasonably priced breakfast and Muriettas.

To make this short and sweet:

Great location. You're right in the middle of everything.
Free wifi and it's relatively quick.
Free valet parking.
Free cold breakfast or a $7 credit towards a hot one.

The bad?
Terrible exercise room.
Place hasn't been updated since the 80s.

A rock solid place to stay while in Edmonton.

A great place to stay on Whyte Avenue - convenient location, a great front desk, and clean, spacious rooms. They are good here for making reservations for the same day (if something is available) and there is a Second Cup and Murrieta's restaurant on the main floor. Staying here is not cheap, but you also get coupons for a free drink and breakfast at Murrieta's.

had pleasant stay

the staff were very professional , well go there again .

family wedding and shopping spree

I was absolutely blown away by not only the location to very unique shops and restaurants but by the decor and most importantly how the staff bent over backwards to help us enjoy our stay.We had a slight problem trying to adjust our room temperature (we are techno challenged) and when we called the front desk - someone showed up to the door within 5 minutes and explained how to adjust the... more

Great stay on whyte ave

Convenient location and comfy room. Great place for a night out.

Great night out

Our room was comfortable, staff were amazing. We were in town one night, quick check in midafternoon. The valet was available to take the car when we arrived and offered assistance with luggage. The room was a little outdated but nice. The bed as very comfy, and the bathroom standard with Toiletries provided. We could hear a few loud guests but no more than other hotels weve stayed at in the... more

Great location, clean and new interior design, and reasonably priced. Great place to stay if you've partied h@!%!*n whyte ave and don't want to or can't make your way back home for the night.

Convenience

Staff was helpfullHotel was clean.Location was great.Someone practiced slamming doors at about 4 am each morning, Other then sound our stay was great.

Business trip

Great Boutique Hotel. Great location. Clean and small.

Nice hotel in the middle of the action.

The Varscona on Whyte is one of my favorites in Edmonton. Clean, comfortable rooms and great service. Varscona has two sister hotels, the Mettera (just a couple of blocks up Whyte from the Varscona), and the Matrix, just off Jasper Avenue. The Varscona is the oldest of the three, and is probably due for a renovation, but it's still A-OK in my books. If... more

Whyte Ave fun

I stayed on Whyte to celebrate St Pat's day and not have to drive! The Varscona offers an evening wine tasting which is a nice touch and starts the evening off nicely. The rooms are clean. The front staff is accommodating. The cleaning staff however starts very early in the morning and are quite loud-not pleasant when the guests are trying to sleep in!

The hotel is well kept and the staff is bang on. The location is perfect for people who want to stay downtown and experience Whyte Ave's ambiance. My wife and I stayed at the hotel and when we got our room, I have to admit that it was one of the smallest rooms I had every stayed in at Edmonton. The room was super clean and the bathroom sparkling. The only thing is after a day of shopping we... more

It was great!

We attended a climbing competition at the U of AEverything was fine!The same

Great Location

I regularly come up and book this hotel every month. Great rooms, great location. Nice to have the coffee shop at the bottom of the hotel. Great staff as well.Definitely recommend.

Note: it's a slightly older hotel (and the furniture has not been upgraded recently), so if 'new' is important to you you should probably downgrade this review to a 3.

Otherwise, I found them to be a professional and accommodating hotel. I was generally pleased by the service and amenities, yet they do not nickel-and-dime you like more upscale hotels tend to do. I found the area outside a... more

Great Value

The location was allright. We were not comfortable walking around in the area after dark. There were some pubs in the neighborhood that were so seedy that we crossed the street not to use the sidewalk in front. The dinning options were plentiful and good. The hotel is right next to the university but there were not many students on the street. Another thing worth noting was that there was only... more

We enjoyed our stay at the Varscona. The hotel was clean, the rooms were fresh and it's in a great area on Whyte Avenue. Just outside the front door is everything you need.

They even have a number of shops downstairs in the hotel and a pub. On Fridays they offer a free wine and cheese sampling. The valet service was very convenient and all of it was at a reasonable price.

I'll be staying at... more

overnight stay

. I drove from Calgary to go to a concert in Edmonton. The hotel was easy to find but hard to park in front of in order to get the valet. The check in was super easy.Our room was very clean and comfortable, The noise from the street was a bit distracting when we settled to go to sleep but the bed was very comfortable. There was alot of great resturants within walking distance, The complimentary... more

I spent 4 nights at this hotel, and loved having the wine tasting evenings. The self serve breakfast was also good. There was an excellent selection of menu items.

The location is good, however the outside noise level was high on the Friday night (lots of stuff happening outside on Whyte Ave). I am sure a room on the back of the hotel might have been less noisy.

The only complaint I had was... more

Excellent Loction

This boutique hotel has a great location on Whyte Avenue and has a wonderful wine tasting event every week night. Usually 2 reds and 2 whites, as well as a nice cheese plate. The noise could be bad depending room location. Ie. facing the street compared to facing the back. The buffet breakfast was also adequate: fruits, cold hard boiled eggs, toast, cereals, coffee, tea, juices etc. and also... more

Varscona: great hotel, great location

Stayed at Varscona from 10/1-10/3/2007. Pull up to the front of the hotel, on a side street, and unload your luggage in the lobby. They park your car for you. Give them 10-20 minutes and they bring it around when you need it again. The complimentary wine and cheese tasting was great; Concierge Room staff was welcoming and friendly - also had grapes, crackers, salsa...wonderful way to unwind... more

Wine Tasting + Breakfasts = a good combo

I stayed at the Varscona for a week-long training course, and had this as one of the recommended hotels from the training company. The wine tastings after dinner-time were a nice treat. The location quite good, directly on Whyte avenue (which is the main strip of Edmonton that sees the most action). There is an Irish pub directly connected to it, adding to the convenience. I was happy with the... more

great location

Nicely appointed rooms valet service great location on whyte ave near entertainment theatres good restaurants and great shops