No Fuss, Close-to-the-Airport Hotels
Some Choices to Consider for Longer Stays in Town.
If you need to spend an overnight in Winnipeg before leaving on an early morning flight (either up to Churchill or back home) you'll probably want a hotel close to the airport that offers free airport shuttle service and, ideally, an in-house restaurant.
For this purpose, I have always used the Best Western International Inn, 1808 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg R2V3T9 204/786-4801, toll-free 800/528-1234; fax: 204/786-1329. It is certainly not the ONLY option, but it's the one I know that serves me well when all I want is a no-fuss, low-effort place to spend the night. It has the required shuttle service, a quite nice in-house restaurant and a bar. Coffee and donuts are available for departing guests in the morning. I have never had to wait a long time for shuttle services. The rooms are ok, with the usual assortment of amenities (bathroom, tub, phone, TV). My latest one-night stay cost me $75. Information provided in the rooms includes names/phone numbers of restaurants that will deliver (pizza places mostly) and nearby restaurants to consider if you wish to go out for dinner, if you feel like making the effort.
Other near-airport hotels that offer airport shuttle service include the following list. Prices and info has been taken from Manitoba Canada 1995 Accommodation and Campground Guide published by Explore Manitoba, 1/800/665-0040. Prices have probably gone up slightly since this came out, because prices always do. Prices listed are in Canadian currency.
Airliner Inn, 1740 Elice Ave. Wpg. R3H 0B3 204/775/7131 800/665-8813 fax: 204/788-4685 $50-65 S $54-70D Wheelchair accessible
Airport Hotel 1800 Elice Ave, Wpg R3H 0B3 204/783-7035 fax: 783-9790 $33+ Wheelchair accessible
Polo Park Inn1405 St. Matthews Ave Wpg R8G 0K5 201/775-8791 800/665-0033 Fax 204/783-4039 $49.95 five rooms ahve wheelchair access.
Radisson Suite Hitel Winnipeg Airport 1800 Wellington Ave. Winnipeg R3H 1B3 Phone 800/333-3333 Fax: 204/786-6588 $120-155D includes in-room coffee makers, free movies, free parking, weekend^& romantic adventure packages available Wheelchair accessible
There are other hotels close to the airport that, according to my literature, do not offer shuttle service.
Winnipeg has many hotels of varying quality and price-range. If you intend to be spending a few days in Winnipeg, you'll either be looking for something nice or something cheap but close to where the fun is to be found.
For very cheap and close to the action, I'd recommend Osborne Village Motor Inn, 160 Osborn, Wpg. R3L 1Y6 204/452-9824 fax 204/452-0035. Ok, connected, as it is, to a popular night club known as "Ozzie's Zoo," where the creme of Winnipeg's green-haired and body-pierced youth gather to fritter away a happy evening listening to hard metal and other rock while smoking god-knows-what on nearby side streets, I'll admit this place is not for everyone. Personally, I thought it was a hoot. I stayed there the Saturday before Halloween, 1994, and found myself charmed by the fellow guest who ran up and down the hall howling like Wolfman. The rooms aren't fancy but you'd have to have your head examined if you think they should be at about $29.95-$34. You get a bed, a tub, a phone, a TV in a room likely to be overlooking Osborne Avenue, one of Winnipeg's two main areas of lively night life. You are within easy walking distance of clubs, good restaunts and interesting shops. Slightly less easy walking distance of downtown and The Exchange, Winnipeg's most interesting art-colony type areas. In other words, it's right in the middle of everything. It even has a coffee shop, although I preferred the local restaurants. Ozzie is a sweetheart who kindly locked up my camera equipment in his liquor room and cheerfully reminded me upon my arrival (I was super-hyper, talking a mile a minute, very fast, as I am wont to do) that this wasn't Los Angeles, that I was in Winnipeg now. He was a really sweet guy.
OK, for really el-cheapo lodging, there is always Ivey House International Hostel on 210 Maryland St. Wpg R3G 1L6, 204/772-3022. At $12-16 a night, you can't beat the price. Be advised that it offers no airconditioning in summer, and showers only--no tubs
Hotel Fort Garry, located on 222 Broadway, Wpg R3C 0R3 204/942-8251 800/665-8088 fax: 204/956-2351 costs about $60/night.
Place Louis Riel (All Suite Hotel) at 190 Smith St. Winnipeg, R3C 1JB 947-6961 800/665-0569 fax: 204/947-3029 offers full kitchens and sounds awfully nice, at $105S, $125D
Charter House Hotel, 330 York Avenue, Winnipeg, R3C 0N9 204/942-0101,. 800/782-0175 fax: 204/956-0665, is supposed to be nice at $55/night.
There are many others, including the Sheratin WInnipeg, 161 Donald St. Wpg R3C 1M3 204/942-5300, 800/463-6400 fax 204/943-7975 offers a somewhat more luxurious environment for about $120-135S, $130-145D per night. I would recommend that, for a full listing of hoatels, you call Explore Manitoba at the phone number I gave higher up, and request tourism materials if you really intend to visit.
Return to Winnipeg or to Getting There or to Practicalities or go all the way back to Churchill Intro Page Revised March 12, 1997