A Review of the Centro Motel

The first and most important thing to review is the bed. The beds at Centro are, in a word, fantastic. First off, the size is grand, and I do mean grand. The mattresses are King size, and table enough that jumping on one side has no affect whatsoever on the other side. The firmness is also good, after spending a night sleeping on it I can happily report no ill effects to my back or neck, which is usually what happens when I sleep in a motel. The bed sheets were high quality thread count, and felt quite comfortable to sleep in.

The bathrooms were small, showers only, no bathtubs, but definitely a good enough size to be functional. The water pressure was good in the shower, no needle spray, though the water seemed softer than what you normally get in Calgary, which leads me to believe that it get treated through a water softener at some point. The toilets were low-flow, with flush regulators that let you choose how much water to use at a time.

            The amenities in the room were quite nice. There was decent coffee ready for brewing in the machine, a handy guide to religions instead of a Gideon’s Bible, and a small fridge that was the perfect size to handle a bunch of restaurant leftovers. It turns out we didn’t need them; part of the deal with Centro is a free breakfast. The breakfast was no Steak and Eggs, but was a continental-style affair.    

             The overall quality of the furnishings in the rooms was very good. It was all a pretty good blend of style and function. The Centro manages to avoid the most common pitfall of the average motel, which is to dress up the rooms in too cutesy a style. At the Centro, the sheets are plain white, not flower patterned, the walls are a neutral colour, no floral wallpaper or kitschy paintings on the walls, only some tastefully understated landscape shots of the nearby Rocky Mountains. Although, this might give the impression of an austere, cold room, it actually creates a comfortable and easy-going living space.  

            The only real flaw with Centro is the current state of the air-conditioning. It doesn’t have any. However, that’s only going to be for another week, as high-efficiency units are currently being shipped in for immediate installation in the rooms. Even still, with a small fan in the room it was perfectly comfortable in near thirty degree heat.



Comments

[localguy]

Being between houses and waiting on ours to be ready we happened upon CentroMotel. It was conveniently located along the TransCanada (16th Ave NW) and appeared quite nice...and they allowed pets! (we had our small Bishon-Spaniel cross with us). We knew it was quite new as we were aware of the previous incarnation at this location which left a lot to be desired...one scary place, that one!

While the room was small, it was clean, with comfortable beds, quilts, and tastefully decorated. A nice big shower, too.

While the Centro is still 'a work in progress' and has a few kinks to iron out (no microwaves in rooms which is problematic for those staying more than a night or two; a bar fridge that is exactly that...more a wine cooler than a fridge; no airconditioning yet although that is in the process of being rectified), it is recommended.

The manager, Chris, is pleasant and helpful as are all the staff.