Comfort Inn

Consistency is the secret to success for any business that delivers excellence to customers. I mean this for any size of business, be it big, or small and this came to mind after having stayed for two nights at the Comfort Inn at Parry Sound, Ontario. This was our second trip to this Comfort Inn and our first time was about a year previous. Following that stay, we wrote in positive terms about our overnight stays. That's where the consistency comes into play. Two of the same staff members who were there looking after us in July 2023 were there during our stay in 2024. Those two staff members were Dawn at the reception desk and Parry at the breakfast nook. Dawn is an assistant manager and was prompt and professional in her assistance to us. Parry was looking after Comfort Inn patrons at the breakfast nook, as he did when we last visited. A third staff member who helped us was Christine at the reception desk. We don't know the names of those who work in housekeeping, but they deserve accolades too because they do excellent work. Our room, number 229, was on the second floor and our window looked out at the nearby McDonald's restaurant and its parking lot. One might think that busy spot would create traffic noise which would bother hotel patrons, but that was not the case. Our room was spotless and well equipped. We enjoyed the make-your-own coffee and tea provided by the hotel. Note: as with many hotels (including Big Name hotels in Toronto,) this hotel will provide linen changes and such upon request. Breakfast at the main-floor breakfast nook offered some hot food – such as folded-over omelettes, sausages, bacon and hash browns, as well as make-your-own waffles from two choices of batter. Anything you need help with? Parry will be nearby and glad to assist. This Comfort Inn is easy to find if you come off the north-south highway 400/69 nearby at Bowes Street interchange. Bowes Street, as you enter Parry Sound, will bring you alongside McDonald's and watch for the driveway to McDonald's. When you turn into McDonald's, you will see that the Comfort Inn's driveway is to your left. The main entrance is at the far end (the east end) and there is lots of parking for patrons around this hotel. Now for the big news. A staff member proudly told us that this Comfort Inn will be renovating, probably as the summer tourist season winds down. As part of that renovation, the breakfast nook will be expanded. That is good news, because the current breakfast nook – basic and fine as it is – could use more tables to better handle the flow of customers. We found this Comfort Inn to be good value for money and would stay there again because of the consistency of excellent service and clean accommodation.

We were greeted by a friendly receptionist. Our room was very clean and a good size. We had 2 queen beds. The breakfast was good. Also close to a Starbucks and Tim hortons. Would recommend. Great price. Close to the highway and to the downtown.

Clean room, busy hotel. Stayed for two nights and room was not touched by housekeeping. Expected at the very least that garbage would be emptied and fresh coffee packets dropped off. Only two bath towels. The bare minimum.

Just stayed one night on journey from a Toronto up to Lake Superior. Very basic but was cheap so better than expected. Breakfast too was basic but wholesome food. Staff were very helpful and fellow customers, lots of construction workers, were all lovely.

We stayed two nights, a Thursday in August and a Sunday in September. The August night was a two-star experience. Pretty quiet, clean enough, in general OK. Motel was nearly full of construction crews. Breakfast, 1 hour after the buffet opened, was a disaster - out of coffee, out of bread/pastries, out of steam table items, out of yogurt, only fruit left was spoiled. No buffet attendant apart from the desk clerk. Friends who arrived around 6pm found no desk clerk and could not begin to check in for many minutes. So, not the best experience for on-the-road travellers. (Second night was much better).

When I first wrote about the Comfort Inn on Bowes Street in Parry Sound it was decades ago for a travel guide I wrote called “George's Georgian Bay”. I had not stayed there, then, but it was recommended. Flash forward to August, 2023, and my wife Nancy and I were staying for two nights at this Comfort Inn thanks to an easy-to-use booking on-line involving Choice Hotels Canada. McDonald's restaurant, just off the highway on Bowes Street, is the landmark to use for finding this Comfort Inn and I shall get back to that in this review which aims to give you a lot of information. We arrived a few hours ahead of check-in time of 3 p.m., and were greeted by a cheerful employee, Dawn, at the reception counter. We wanted to make our presence known and then carry on to spend part of the day at nearby Killbear Provincial Park. “No problem!” enthused Dawn, noting that she would do the paperwork and we could pick up the keys later. We came back to the Comfort Inn mid-evening, Dawn was busy with other customers and another cheerful staff member, Brianna, assisted us and sent us to a room on the second floor; Room 229. The room was well equipped with a mini-fridge, a microwave, an excellent television, a coffee maker (with coffee and tea in small packages), and an iron and ironing board in a cupboard. The view across the parking lot toward McDonald's turned out to be an interesting thing. There were all manner of vehicles coming and going including one emblazoned with “sea lamprey control” lettering and another from Morrow's Plumbing. For a while a huge Bud Light truck was parked there and later a transport driver pulled into the out lane and had to reverse his huge rig 100 yards, or so, back to a turning space at an adjacent Shell station. We found the room and its bathroom as spotlessly clean as we found the downstairs reception and entrance areas. But our room was very cool and a wall-mounted heating-cooling unit was blasting cold air. I tried turning a dial on a control panel and that did not help. I pressed an off button and the unit went quiet without any air blasting from it. That left me looking for an “on” button, which I could not see. I pressed other buttons and nothing happened. While Nancy waited in the room, I hiked back to the reception area and minutes later a helpful Brianna was pressing buttons on the heating-cooling unit. There was no hesitation about helping and within minutes Brianna's “magic touch” had the unit working, but at the level we desired. During our stay, we were to find that any employee we encountered was friendly and helpful. So top marks to them for that and what seemed to be a teamwork effort! A recommendation: If you have mobility challenges, ask for a main-floor room when booking. They have two levels at this Comfort Inn, which has 60 rooms, and second-floor rooms are accessible only by stairs. I did not see an elevator and am pretty sure they don't have one. This Comfort Inn, I l

Room was clean and the bed was comfortable. The continental breakfast was standard for a hotel and filled me up for a hard day's work. The staff was friendly and very accommodating with any issues that arose when it came to using my room key. This is a nice spot to stay during my Muskoka trips.

A clean and comfortable stay. Room was quiet. The price was fair and included breakfast was decent and staff were attentive to keep breakfast area stocked and clean. I wouldn’t hesitate to return. Bed was comfortable with plenty of fluffy pillows.

The hotel is located 2 min drive from the downtown and within 2 min walk to few fast food chains. It's clean inside, quiet and doesn't have a smell. The breakfast was really superior. The only con I could mention is that the beds could be just a little wider. However it's clearly indicated when you book. In general - very good choice for the money