Crowne Plaza Kitchener-Waterloo

So, the leading positive is the buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant -Aqua. Decent selection and good quality. Fresh omelet station. It is generally an add-on or a slightly higher room cost when included. The front desk service was friendly. Parking is expensive at $12 per day down a back alley and under a low concrete parkade roof - max height of just over 6 feet. Limited parking available. Service for cleaning making up the room is the decided downfall here. We placed the Grey- please make up the room card on the door each morning before departing. First day, nothing by 5:00pm. First room attendant in the hall - not my assigned room, second attendant - not my room, third attendant - not my room. Pattern? Finally, someone bothered to take ownership and brief a supervisor? to request someone. I'm not sure about the purpose of the signs since clearly they are meaningless. Two days later, a Saturday...same thing. 4:30 pm and still no service. I mean, we are content with towels and coffee pods, but you need to find someone first to even achieve that... A couple of the last days, the room attendant was very good and friendly. Last day, 28c out, and a/c stopped working. Not optimal. Only one of the two front elevators is in service, and that one was not functioning on one day. Overall, it was a very average experience. It was a bit of a let-down for a Crowne Plaza, particularly when the hotel was never particularly busy during our 7 night stay.

Great location

The room was clean but quite outdated, with a musty odor, reminiscent of damp towels. The bed and pillows were comfortable, which was a plus. However, there were no toothbrushes, toothpaste, or slippers provided. The coffee machine in the room had water pooled in the tray, likely from the previous guest's usage and it appeared never have been cleaned. Additionally , there was no hot water kettle or bottled water provided in the room which was disappointing.  The lobby, corridors, and other public areas had a strong smell of bleach, which was overwhelming. The buffet breakfast was a highlight. For CAD$20, it offered a wide selection, and the quality was excellent, making it a great value. Service was a bit of a mixed bag. Restaurant staff, especially Erica, was fantastic—attentive, polite, and thoughtful. She checked in with every guest to ensure they were satisfied with their meal. Unfortunately, some of the male staff seemed to be less eager to serve non-Caucasian guests, which was disappointing and made the experience feel less welcoming. I also want to give a special mention to Chitra at reception. I arrived early, and she went out of her way to accommodate me, even managing to arrange an early check-in. She also informed me about the late check-out benefit available to IHG members, which the other male receptionist had not explained when he simply rejected my request. Overall, the hotel is somewhat pricey, but the breakfast and service (especially from Erica and Chitra) made up for some of the other shortcomings.