Take a Staycation in Edmonton

In the current economic climate, more and more Canadians are opting to take a ’staycation’ in Canada instead of leaving the country for their annual vacation. The theory behind a staycation is that by staying closer to home you can save money while at the same time perhaps see an interesting part of your own country that you may not have visited before. With that in mind, we thought we would put together a case for taking a staycation in Edmonton, by examining the value Edmonton hotels are providing when compared to other world cities.
According to Hotels.ca, a 3 night stay in Edmonton from June 11-14 2010 in their best selling 3 star hotel (Sawridge Inn - Edmonton South) will cost you $90 per room per night, while the lowest priced hotel (Howard Johnson Hotel) can be had for just $63 per night. Those prices certainly sound reasonable, but how do they compare to other destinations?
Well just down the road in Calgary, the best selling 3 star hotel would set you back $109 per night for the same dates, and $67 per night for the cheapest Calgary hotel. Vancouver hotels seem to have a wider range, costing $162 for the 3 star property and just $49 for the cheapest, and for a hotel in Whistler the cost would be $166 per night for the 3 star property and $92 per night for the lowest priced hotel.
With the current strength of the Canadian dollar against the British pound and the Euro, Europe may be an attractive destination for Canadians at the moment.
If you were considering a trip to the UK, you would no doubt wish to visit the capital city, however London hotels are notoriously expensive, and according to Hotels.ca the same 3 day stay would cost $201 per night in their best selling 3 star hotel, more than double the cost of the Edmonton equivalent, but fortunately at the budget end there are several properties for less than $60 per night. A visit to the north of England would be less costly at $73 per night for a 3 star hotel in Manchester and $42 at the economical end.
As a further comparison, elsewhere in Europe, for the same dates Barcelona hotels range from $51 (cheapest) to $159 (best selling 3 star), and the range for Amsterdam hotels is $90 to $127.

Conclusion

From the destinations we chose, only Manchester offered a cheaper 3 star hotel than Edmonton, with the other European cities being from 40% to 120% more expensive and the rates for other Canadian cities being from 15-80% higher, making Edmonton an economical choice for those staying in mid-range accommodation. However if you are looking for the cheapest hotel possible it does seem as if several other cities, even within Canada, may be able to beat Edmonton on price.

Downtown or Old Strathcona?

There is a tremendous choice of Edmonton hotels right across the city, but for those that want to be in the heart of the action, the question is often whether to stay in a hotel in downtown Edmonton, or a hotel in Old Strathcona.
While the two areas are not very far apart there are differences between them. Old Strathcona has a historical charm and is home to the well known Edmonton centre for music, shopping and entertainment Whyte Ave. Downtown Edmonton is more of a business district, and is obviously ideal for those in town on business or for those looking for a more modern, less Bohemian atmosphere.
While your best option really depends on the purpose of your visit, it is good to be aware of what’s available for your visit to Edmonton.

Edmonton B&B

For the comforts of home at an affordable price, why not stay at an Edmonton bed and breakfast? Many people consider the B&B option when they visit vacations spots such as Jasper and Banff, but a lot of people don’t realize that staying at a bed and breakfast in the city is a good option for either business or pleasure. While it may be difficult to find a B&B right in the centre of Edmonton, there are several within a reasonable distance, and if your are on a budget, there is a good chance that you were not planning on staying in a city centre hotel in any case.
We feel the location of the Alberta Setting Sun and McLellan House to be close enough to the city centre amenities without having to pay city centre prices.