Monastery Hotel

Meh it was alright

Great stay.

This was one of many great finds during my week-long visit to Newfoundland. The day I arrived, I was so thrilled to have found this gem on an inn. The check-in experience was pleasant, and I warmly greeted by the front desk staff who empathized with the fact that my suitcase ended up on a later flight than the one I had taken. The in-room jacuzzi was also phenomenal, as was the incredibly comfortable king-sized bed. The hotel had been beautifully renovated and is so incredibly peaceful throughout. While the free breakfast options were astonishingly limited, the dining area where meals were served was also very pleasant and welcoming. When I returned to St. John's later in the week, I decided I'd try the JAG hotel -- which had also been well-reviewed, just to have a different experience. Without going into all the details, let me just say I deeply regretted not returning to the Monastery Hotel, and its serene oasis-like ambience. Next time I visit Newfoundland, I know exactly where I'll be staying, and it's right here.

Quiet, large rooms with great, giant king bed. Jacuzzi right beside the bedside worked great before sleep. Wonderful, helpful staff. A short 10 min walk from the downtown eateries; beware there are very few shops, it is not like a typical NA capital downtown. Free breakfast was FANTASTIC tasting, with outdoor or indoor seating available. Just an amazing stay. The scent of rosemary greeted you upon entry. Incredible.

Stayed in the Superior King Deluxe room over the weekend and it unfortunately was no where near the experience we were hoping for. Upon arrival we headed to our room to relax and watch some TV before heading out for dinner. However the cable box did not turn on for the TV so we ended up having to just watch something on our phones while we got ready. When we were leaving to go to dinner we mentioned to the guy at the front desk about the TV which he argued that we were doing it wrong however I know how to work a TV and this one was not working, thank fully that part was fixed by the time we returned however we returned to a random electrical cord now sitting on our bed. When we got back to the hotel after dinner and drinks we decided we would relax in the jacuzzi tub with the fire going. After filling up the tub we tried to turn on the lights and the jets however neither worked, the lights on the control panel would turn on but nothing would happen. Attempted to trouble shoot with the instructions they gave us at checkin but still no luck, so we decided to call the desk for help and got no answer there. Decided whatever as much as that sucks we can still relax in it and have the fireplace on to relax. The fireplace makes the most annoying humming noise though so that was useless to try and relax with. At this point we were so frustrated we decided to just go to sleep in one of the most uncomfortable beds I’ve ever slept in that made so much noise at any movement you made. This room and experience was in no way worth the $500 I spent to be there, the room itself was horrible as nothing worked properly and it was impossible to find anyway to actually relax there. Not to mention all the “add ons” I did to the room felt way over priced for what we actually received. Tried to fill out the paper survey they gave at checkin but there was no pen so couldn’t even leave the review of how bad of an experience it was. Was very disappointed all around trying to have a relaxing night out on our vacation in from Alberta just to spend $500 of wasted money. Would definitely not recommend to anyone, can stay at another hotel with a jacuzzi tub for half the price and probably twice the service. Not to mention no water to drink in the room and when we tried to get some from the desk the worker was asleep on a cot. Just bad all around and waste of so much money.

At this price point, we were not expecting our experience to include a small, poorly ventilated room with dingy linens and dated fixtures. The staff, while friendly, did not seem adequately trained to deliver consistent service.