Fabulous Fail! Fairmont ‘Luxury’ Hotel

Yesterday afternoon as I was messaging with my friends over at Toque and Canoe about a post they did when they stayed at the Opus Hotel . The conversation starter happened as I was explaining that I was currently staying in the ‘yuckiest‘ hotel in Canada.

Part of being ‘fabulous’ has required me to spend about 1,600 nights in hotels over the last 10 years. For the most part they have been pretty average with a few diamonds in the rough here and there like Palazzo, Las Vegas.

I have always been willing to overlook things like giant stray hairs left by vacationers before me and things like chicken chow mein caked to my ice tongs at the Westin.

But yesterday the room I was given was something I could not overlook!

At first glance your thoughts would be, “Why is he staying at a youth hostel?” or “Is that a homeless shelter?” But sadly it is not either… The hotel in question is the Fairmont DT Winnipeg MB.

Words cannot describe the horror on my face when I discovered the rippling stained carpet. But quick on my feet I decided to make a ‘towel runway’ to get me from the door – to the bathroom – to my bed. I was not about to get some strange foot fungus.

Now you might ask why I didn’t contact the front desk to be moved… honestly, my words had alluded me and I was worried anger would come across at the staff that didn’t deserve it, after all they were very nice and helpful at check in and this wasn’t their fault.

Instead I connected to the internet and sent their corporate a message with photos. Within 12 hours I was contact by the hotel manager who apologized and let me know to contact her should I stay at the hotel again, so she could ensure I had a more comfortable stay. I appreciated the sentiment, but without corporate loosening the purse strings and ripping out the carpet in room 518, I don’t plan on coming back.

Mr. Fab a way from home