Christine R.
Yelp
What a difference a few floors make. Originally, I booked an economy room at the Atlantica because I figured, what the heck, it's just a place to crash while attending a conference in Halifax. When we got there, I was disappointed - while the room was clean, the bed was comfy, and there were Aveda products in the bathroom, everything seemed a little worn around the edges. There was a view of a vacant lot from the window, plus the hotel was a little farther from downtown than I anticipated. Don't even get me started on the hotel pool area, with its slippery deck and tiny, tired-looking change rooms, sauna and hot tub.
But whatever, I told myself ... this is what you get for a bargain price sometimes, resigning myself to a two-star mistake. On the second night of our stay, Saturday, we started noticing a lot of noise in the hallway. Chicks cackling loudly. Guys stomping up and down. Doors slamming and marathon ice machine sessions. OK, fine, probably just people having a pre-party before going out. Halifax is a party town!
So we went out for dinner. We came back. The hallway party still seems to be going on, ice machine and all. The hotel security guard has his hands full with trying to keep the peace, but it was looking like a noisy night. So we headed down to the front desk to see if we could switch to a room in a less lively hallway, even just for the night. Well, the front desk staff apologized for the craziness - a real Down East wedding going on, apparently - then immediately switched us up, and how! Executive room. No extra charge. Now we're talking: 14th floor spiffiness with all the little perks. Bathrobes. Mini fridge. View of the skyline. Even breakfast buffet privileges.
So the lesson is, don't be a cheap idiot like me. If you pay a little extra here, you get a much nicer room, and it's still a better value than most hotels in Halifax.The Atlantica is a farther walk from downtown and the waterfront, but as many have mentioned, it's easy to find because it's such a landmark. This time, the wonderful staff saved me from myself, but next time I travel to Halifax, it'll be Executive style, all the way.