OT: Kelowna Hotels
 

I'm in Kewlona for a wedding in September, and am curious as to the boards thoughts on the hotels in this area.

The wedding party has recommended the Ramada Lodge or the Coast Capri. The Ramada has good reviews - but its a Ramada and I'd like to try and avoid Cendant Corp hotels if I can (bad HoJo experience in AVP). The Coast Capri has sketchy reviews, albeit somewhat dated.

What does the learned board think? Cheers!

Both the Okanagan Grand Hotel by the waterfront and the Manteo Resort are excellent posh resorts and very nice. Both are waterfront properties. Best Western Inn on the 93 highway is also pretty good in my opinion. The Grand and Manteo are quite expensive in the summer, standard room is $200 + for sure and the BWI has pretty big rooms on the tower side. I have stayed in all three and like the Manteo the best for its Villas.

IMO, the two nicest hotels in Kelowna are the Grand and the Eldorado.

The Grand is downtown Kelowna on Okanagan Lake, it is a large high rise "full service" hotel, very nice. They offer limited corporate discounts in summer, and likely Septmeber as well, as it is wine season.

The Eldorado is also on Okanagan Lake, but a 5 min drive from downtown. It is a smaller boutique style property, has one of the best restaurants in Kelowna and a fun bar/pub. This property would be my choice. Ditto for the discounting.

The Coast Capri is very popular for day meetings/courses, rooms and property are very plain and ordinary. The same can be said for the Ramada as well.

It will depend partially upon your budget, where the wedding is and your ground transportation.

I think the Capri is too far out in strip mall hell but quite acceptable. The Grand is the best, but if your budget is lower the Royal Anne, in downtown has very nice rooms -just make sure you get a room facing the main street (bernard) as they have a pub/cold beer store on the other side. We stayed there last year for a wedding and the staff was great.

The pub/cold beer store is the Willow, also has "other " entertainment, as well as hotel rooms. If you need a room by the hour and not the night, the Willow could be an alternative for you :D

PJ's suggestion of the Royal Anne is an excellent suggestion for lower cost downtown. I couldn't agree more about the Capri and stripmall hell.

I stayed in the Holiday Inn Express Kelowna in April and was extremely impressed by the cleaness of this property. The free continental breakfast is simply outstanding and the staff were very willing to please. I even receive a bag of free cookie in my room for being a basic Priority Club member, along with a hand signed Welcome card from the manager. The price ( is much more reasonable than the Resort hotels by the lake.

If you're a CAA member, make sure you pick up a BC hotel guide and inside contains a coupon for $10 off the CAA room rate.

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and it was perfectly acceptable. (The Grand was sold out when I went. :( ) Anyways, the morning breakfast is nice and it's only about a 10 min drive to the lake from there.

I generally stayed at the HI Express when visiting Kelowna and say it can get a little pricey depending on season but it is a clean hotel and the staff have always been friendly. Take it for what it is and you won't be disappointed :) It is close to a mall and there are things to do around it to keep you occupied.

Avoid the Sandman as the rooms are tiny and the air conditioners are 1/2 the size they need to be so the room never really cools down properly there.

I have heard good things about the Ramada but never stayed there.

There is a Holiday Inn in Westbank (about 10-15 minutes) that I really like as the beds are quite comfortable and the rooms are nicely decorated. I think the resturaunt is a Fogg N Sudds, nothing special but nothing bad either.

Thanks for the info on Kelowna hotels.My wife has a conference at the Grand just before Thanksgiving.I am going to test the wine ,a non-working trip west. ^

Maybe we need a Kelowna gathering. Only 50 min up the valley from me.

Holy crap guys, thanks for all the advice. Shame none of it was on the Capri directly ;) (I kid, I kid!)

October Get-together in Kelowna sounds good.I'll be there inKelowna :)

Me too.

I'd recommend a very small winery called Saint. Hubert. It's owned by a very nice Swiss couple and located right next to the big Summerhill. Having lunch at the Forester's Restaurant at the Summerhill winery is also very nice!!

The only problem with this place is the wine. I have been reminded that the Ozzies make a much better red than the Okanagan vitners. The Kiwis make a much better white. Would it be poor taste to go for supper, enjoy the view and BYOB ;)