Hotel Review: Best Western Gold Rush Inn, Whitehorse, Yukon
The Gold Rush Inn is located in the historical downtown core of Whitehorse, Yukon. It is currently branded as a Best Western hotel and has recently scored highly on their twice annual inspections. Operating as a 3.5 star hotel, as rated by Canada Select, the Gold Rush Inn offers true northern hospitality. Originally built in the 1960's during the aftermath of the Alaska Highway construction, the hotel has been expanded and upgraded to a total of four floors and a hundred hotel rooms and suites. Also included in this hotel are several meeting rooms of various sizes, a lounge and restaurant, a fitness centre, and laundry facilities.
Having undergone extensive renovations in the winter of 2008-2009, the hotel rooms at the Gold Rush Inn are the finest in the city of Whitehorse. The rooms are quite large and come in various configurations, including one or two queen-size beds, business class rooms on the top floor, suites with king-size beds, and jacuzzi suites. In addition, the hotel offers something that no other hotel offers in Whitehorse, one or two bedroom suites with full-size kitchens. All hotel rooms have access to an ethernet connection or wireless connection for internet access, both of which are painless to setup and quite fast.
All the beds in the hotel rooms are a full-size mattress, making for a very comfortable sleep. The furnishings in the room are a modern style and pleasing to the eye. There is plenty of storage for clothes if you are staying longer than a few nights, with several drawers in the dresser, a large closet with hangers, and a luggage rack in the room. Also included in the room is a large flatscreen television, microwave, mini-fridge, a small table and several comfortable chairs to sit in, plus a work desk and leather desk chair. The bathrooms are very comfortable and nice to be in with a very modern sink, a full-size shower and tub.
The business class rooms are located on the top floor and come in either a one queen or one king bed configuration. As an added bonus, the rooms come equipped with air conditioning units which are handy in the rare days when it is hot in the north. The suites on the top floor include a two person jacuzzi tub and are quite spacious. These rooms on the top floor are also the quietest out of the entire hotel, because there is very little foot traffic through the corridors.
Just off the main lobby, you will find the Gold Pan Saloon, which is where breakfast is served in the morning, and changes over into a lounge after 11 in the morning. The rustic atmosphere offers a true northern experience for visitors. Having one of the last sit-around bars in the city, the waitresses and bartenders can tell you all sorts of stories about the local legends, many of which still occupy the lounge during the happy hour. The menu for the lounge offers a great variety to choose from, and the breakfasts there are quickly becoming a local favourite. There are plenty of beers on tap, including Guiness, plus the usual domestic drinks. The locally brewed beers are quite delicious and are award winning. The lounge also offers live music from Thursday to Saturday night, usually a mix of local bands, but they do bring in some talent from other parts of Canada. The hotel rooms above the bar are generally closed off during these nights, so do not worry about not sleeping on the weekend.
With the hotel being located in the downtown core, transportation to and from the airport would normally be a problem, but, thankfully, the hotel operates a shuttle service. The service is available for all major flights, to and from the airport. Check with the front desk for departure times, and be there a few minutes early. Taxis are readily available, as well, with convenient courtesy phones available in the lobby.
As a special treat for guests of the hotel, there are spa services available through Elements. They will hold two appointments a day for hotel guests until late morning, so be sure to arrange with them upon checkin as they are normally full with appointments.
No matter where you go within this hotel, whether it is the Gold Pan Saloon, the lobby, or meeting staff in the hallways, you will always be greeted with a smile. The staff and locals will go out of their way to make you feel welcome at this hotel, offering genuine customer service.
For more information and to make a booking, visit their website: Best Western Gold Rush Inn.
Written by James McCullough
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