Hotel Arts Kensington

This was our first time staying in calgary and we found a wonderful hotel. The neighbourhood was full of eclectic stores and good restaurants, a cool area to wander. The continental breakfast was delicious and fresh, with many nice touches. Our room had six pillows and was comfy. Our staff stood out, as her service was prompt and helpful. Refilled Water in glass bottles, glass drinking glasses and wine glasses, a small fridge, a posh bathroom; every detail was taken care of.

I don’t even want to tell people about this hotel but I will. It’s so quaint and in the perfect area. The staff are so friendly and the amenities are perfect. Love the underground heated parking and free breakfast. The restaurant is amazing and the in room spa services are a nice touch. You can’t go wrong in this area, there are cute little shops and restaurants. This is one of our favorite escapes. We will be back!

I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel Arts Kensington. The location is perfect — close to downtown but still quiet and charming. My room was beautifully designed and even had a cozy fireplace, which made it feel extra special. The hotel has that true boutique feel — stylish, comfortable, and personal. The restaurant was excellent as well. Overall, great service, great vibe — I’d definitely stay here again.

Everything was perfect here. The room was well-thought out (even has a door stopper so the door doesn't close while you're moving luggage), clean, comfortable, quiet and everything worked. The location was absolutely perfect. The young Asian man that checked me in was friendly and helpful. He also took extra time answering my questions along with showing me maps of the area on his screen. If you need a luxurious room at a very reasonable cost, this is it.

We loved our stay at the Hotel Arts in Kensington. The hotel is ideally located in a lively neighborhood with lots of shops and restaurants nearby and a short walk to the heart of downtown. Our room was large, clean and comfortable. Slept so well on the comfy beds! Everything in the well-maintained room worked great. Fast internet. The free parking in the basement made this a good overall value in our view. Staff were friendly and helpful. Free breakfast was a bonus, though wouldn't expect too much.

Had a lovely stay at Hotel Arts Kensington! Staff was super friendly and made the check in and check out process extremely easy in comparison to other hotels I’ve stayed at. The Oxbow restaurant had some amazing food for dinner that my partner and I enjoyed, i definitely recommend the duck breast!! Our room was fantastic, clean, cozy and had that feeling of home! Thank you Hotel Arts Kensington!!

Location is fantastic, rooms and breakfast very good. Our stay was let down by the lady on reception. She couldnt have been less interested if she tried, to the point of being just rude. Shame as everyone else we met there was lovely.

The perfect boutique hotel in a great location. Easy to get to area restaurants. The room is a great size and the continental breakfast was just right.

Absolute 5 stars all the way. After having a couple of dodgy Airbnb experiences in the immediately neighborhood someone recommended HAK. We've most definitely found our home away from home when we're in town to visit our daughter in the future. We spent 7 nights in the Suite, and what a great room it was complete with a lovely fireplace and a great shower and tub where you can really relax. We honestly slept better than we have in awhile. The bed is that comfy and the room is totally quiet in spite of overlooking a fairly busy street. The addition of the balcony was a real plus. Breakfast in the morning was a welcome and included a few healthy options we cherished. The front desk staff is friendly, engaging if you want to chat, and just bent over backwards to make our stay the best. Very highly recommended. As someone that travels a lot, I can tell you this is a rare gem, priced affordably for this kind of quality, and the location is a terrific jumping off spot for anything downtown or the hip Kensington scene. We'll definitely return.

I rarely write reviews, but I will never stay at this hotel again. My husband and I stayed there for two nights and chose this particular hotel because of the location and how great it looked online. I called the hotel to book and asked about secure parking and was told that it is available on site. I specifically told the guest service member that I required parking and was told not to worry. We arrived around 8:30 at night and the guest service member said that parking was full and she said that we could just park anywhere outside. We tried to find parking outside as she had suggested and there were no parking spots available within a reasonable distance of the hotel. When I returned to the front desk I told her that I was returning the keys because we couldn't find parking and it was unacceptable when you specifically inform the hotel at booking that you need parking that there isn't parking available. Because she could tell that I was angry, she informed the manager, who came out and said that she could magically find us a spot if we drove back to the parking garage and waited for someone who was leaving in 5 mins. The young man who drove out of the parking garage clearly looked like a hotel staff member and not a guest - I'm assuming that he had been instructed to move to make room in the parking garage for the upset hotel guest. I understand that the hotel has only 14 parking stalls but at no time during our stay did I see the parking garage full. TWICE when I went to our vehicle when it was parked I saw a hotel staff member go to her vehicle which was parked there. Clearly, this hotel manager is fine with LYING to guests about the availability of parking up to the point where a guest pushes back and insists on parking in the hotel or finding other accommodations. Why isn't there a contingency plan for when they actually have a full parking garage and a guest needs to park? Our room was very standard, the breakfast was pathetic (other reviews point this out so I wasn't expecting much), there was no microwave in the room, there wasn't a mini fridge (even though there was a clear spot for it with a plug in), and there wasn't even an ice machine that guests can use (you have to ask hotel staff to bring you some ice from the kitchen). I'm fine with paying the inflated price only because of the location but this hotel should NOT be claiming to be a luxury hotel for so many reasons. We didn't eat at the restaurant so I cannot comment on that. Note: the Room Operations Manager did contact me to apologize AFTER I had given an unfavorable review. He said that we would be given "free upgrades" should we decide to stay with them again. We've been lied to once, we won't be putting ourselves in that situation ever again.

Such a charming, lovely Hotel! Everything about it was deluxe and wonderful. Small and intimate great location highly recommend staying there when in Calgary

Pretty nifty hotel. Very small.and boutique. My favorite part about This hotel is how its Not in downtown, yet Close to it as well as Cozy Walking distance to Tons of coffee houses n restaurants.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is hands down THE BEST HOTEL I have ever stayed in. And I travel quite a bit for work and leisure, so my sample size is pretty big. Here are all the reasons this place was amazing: (1) clean clean clean (2) free wifi, which is hard to come around for luxury hotels (3) morning coffee/tea brought to your room--they place it outside your room in a thermos which keeps it warm, along with the morning paper (4) breakfast credit of $20 at the Chef's Table, which has been voted one of the best restaurants in the Northwest. Get the lemon ricotta pancakes (5) friendly staff--can't even count the ways how nice they were (6) Aveda toiletries--SCORE!! (7) excellent location along the river away from downtown but still close enough if you wanted to walk or take the train 5 minutes away If I'm ever in Calgary again, I'm definitely staying here.

Loved this hotel! It's charming and at a great location that provides a stunning view of the Calgary skyline. One of the girls met us in the parkade and took us directly to our room. In the elevator she even offered me a coffee. It was very clean with a extremely comfortable bed. They leave you bottled water, chocolates and breakfast vouchers for the restaurant downstairs. They bring fresh coffee or tea to your door in the morning and leave it there waiting for you to drink. We drank it in bed together but there is also a balcony! In the bathroom It had a huge tub, large shower head and Aveda products instead of cheap toiletries. It was a great, romantic experience for us! Cons: -No air conditioning - Small parkade that you have to pay $15/Day regardless of paying $200+ a day for the room. It was a VERY tight fit for our truck. Prefect if you drive a smart car, motorcycle, or smaller car.

Always trying to "mix it up" when visiting YYC, I stayed at Kensington Riverside Inn this time around. Boy, was it fabulous! First off, it's all about the cute neighborhood feel at this small boutique hotel. Walking distance from shops, restaurants, all the cool things that Kensington has to offer. If you drive, there's even underground parking for guests. Second, the staff is beyond nice. I can't remember the last time someone walked me to my room upon check in. They showed me how the key worked, complimentary water and advised on turndown service. This didn't seem like an attempt at an extra tip, it's just how they do things at the Kensington Riverside Inn. Oh, and they bring you complimentary coffee/tea/juice along with a newspaper in the early morning. Left at your front door when you're ready. Accommodations were perfect. Rarely do I say this, but I *wish* I could've stayed an extra day just to enjoy the comfy bed and cable TV. Nice sized room, clean bathroom, plenty of channels to watch before falling asleep. I did notice some street noise in the evening, after I turned off the TV, but nothing that kept me awake for long. The adjacent hotel restaurant is at your disposal and a good option for breakfast, especially on a rainy day when you don't want to leave this cozy abode. So glad that I came across this cute spot and assuming it's within budget for travel in the future, this will be my go-to accommodations in Calgary.

A stunning hotel located near the heart of downtown Calgary with the warmest employees, exceptional amenities and wonderful breakfast. I have stayed at the Kensington Riverside Inn for business three or four times and I have always had a pleasant experience. You feel at home from the time you enter. They note down your coffee or tea preference from previous stays and it is waiting for you outside your door in the morning. The little touches really make this hotel a pleasure to stay. Because there are only a handful of rooms, you don't get people running through the hallways, loud music or noise. The staff and guests are very respectful. Stay at the Kensington Riverside Inn, you will not be disappointed.

My sister was staying here for business and I tagged along for a vacation. One of the local folks in the office booked this hotel for her - I'm pretty sure they want to impress her because I am definitely impressed with this hotel. This boutique hotel is small, charming and has a lot of great ambiance. Let me list the things I noticed: (1) The room feels luxurious - the bed is comfy and there are two armchairs, a fireplace and a desk area for work. I do not feel crowded in the room which is great! (2) I love the bathroom. It's a spacious bathroom with a heat lamp/fan and while the products are no longer Aveda (as in an earlier review), I do like the new brand, skoah, and the fact that the product is in an eco-friendly dispenser system. (3) There is a bed turn down service which is lovely. (4) There are bottles of water in the room for you. (I don't think there is a charge as there is no sign indicating that.) (5) You get a restaurant credit daily. The restaurant and bar are phenomenal. (6) There is underground parking - entrance in the back alley with intercom system to the front desk. (7) You get a thermos of coffee or tea in the morning delivered to your door with the newspaper. AWESOME! Because I don't ever use those coffee makers in the room - who knows how long that water has been sitting in the reservoir or what's growing in that water tank. The coffee was great! (8) Location seems to be great. I haven't yet explored, but will update my review after I do that. (9) Free wifi Best of all, the folks here are great!

First time stay and started off well. The point of staying is to get a good nights sleep. Room was very noisy. Drums playing and garage cans banging late into the night. Location is great and staff were great but the rest was average at best. They do offer complementary tea or coffee leave outside the door before 7, by 7:15 when I retrieved mine it was barley warm water left inside the thermos. Place needs some TLC. Door knob is loose and dead bolt took some work to engage. It's not the worst place but it's starting to fade in style and function. Location would be the only reason I might consider returning. Best to bring ear plugs if you decide to stay!

Pretty sure this hotel is haunted. The staff seem like they are zombies and the food is ok at best but not worth the price and having to put up with the weird environment. The location as was ok for 10 minutes but there are way cooler places to stay in Calgary. Had the worse sleep ever and actually hated this hotel.

Have stayed here a few times. The first time was over a year ago, and the service was impeccable. Subsequent visits were very nice, though not quite as perfect. The rooms are all very nice with the standard TV, phone, radio, etc. They give you a mint at night, and the restaurant in the hotel is superb. The Kensington area is a really walkable area, which is nice for someone who is new in town. They give you breakfast in the AM and coffee or tea in the AM. Also, it's very close to downtown - just a walk across Memorial. Definitely a nice place to stay just outside of downtown but giving you the option to go there.

Food is good, however service is painfully slow. 40 minutes to get breakfast and only one server. It appears that cannot cook for more then one table at a time.

I just stayed here with my mom and sister and we loved it! The room was beautiful with lots of light and windows, very spacious, and tastefully decorated in soothing colors and with stylish, comfortable furniture. The shower and bathtub were luxurious and the shampoo and other products were really nice. The location is great-- walkable to cute shops and restaurants. On top of everything else, we were greeted by Nathan who was incredibly helpful and friendly, and upon discovering I had left my favorite jacket in the taxi that had dropped us off at the hotel, Nathan went to work for me to track down the jacket and arrange for it to be sent to my home (and I just received it!) He really went above and beyond to help us. We also had dinner at the hotel's restaurant, Oxbow, and were so impressed with the food, the service and the décor. What a great way to end the day: to relax over a great meal and then just walk up the stairs to your lovely room! I highly recommend this hotel!

What a wonderful hotel! Very friendly and helpful staff, great rooms and great food. The location is also great. My only regret is that our stay was not longer. Would definitely return.