This weekend, I went to the Okanagan to tour the wineries, something I have always wanted to do…read more (And I had a fantastic time--what an amazing weekend!) My friend found Desert Surfside Waterfront Accommodation through Expedia, and he booked the last two bedroom suite available. (The hotel was sold out the weekend of our stay.)
According to my friend's booking, each bedroom had a queen sized bed, but when we got there, one of the rooms had two twin beds instead of a queen sized bed. However, that worked out in our favour, as our group consisted of me and my boyfriend and two people who weren't a couple, so the fourth person did not have to sleep on the sofa bed as we had planned.
The suites at Desert Surfside Waterfront Accommodation have a kitchen, stocked with cutlery and cooking utensils, including wine glasses and a corkscrew, necessities for a visit to wine country. (Although you must bring all your own food and condiments, including salt and pepper, and things like plastic wrap and aluminum foil.) There are also BBQs available for guests to use, so we put some steaks on the grill for dinner Saturday night.
Desert Surfside Waterfront Accommodation was clean and quiet, and the wifi was excellent--you logged in once, and that was it--the wifi did not cut out, nor did you have to log in every time you came back to the hotel. Quite a pleasant experience overall. I'm not sure what their prices are like during peak season, but I would recommend Desert Surfside Waterfront Accommodation for a small group. We paid $140 a night, and split four ways, it was very economical. And because of the sofa bed, the suite could accommodate up to six people.
The one snag was we thought check-in ended at 9pm, as my friend's reservation confirmation clearly stated 9pm. So imagine our surprise when we got there around 8:30pm (and we really struggled to get there by 9pm), only to find that the office had closed, and check-in ended at 6pm! Apparently, the 9pm check-in end time was their summer hours, and they had recently switched to their fall hours. It was probably an Expedia issue, but I would recommend calling them directly and confirming their office hours. (I can't find any information about check-in hours on their website.)
Another thing to note: instead of keys or key cards, each suite has an electronic lock, and to open the door, you enter a four digit code. However, when you enter the code, you at first think you did it incorrectly, as it beeps and flashes red, then a moment later, flashes green and unlocks. While we were on our way, the building manager had called to give us the code, just in case we arrived after check-in (which we did), however, he neglected to give us our suite number! We did manage to get a hold of the manager when we arrived at 8:30pm, as his suite was right beside the office, and he saw us through the window, looking puzzled.
Overall, a good place to stay for groups who are on a budget, but be aware of their early check-in hours, and call first to confirm!
[Yelp collections: Hotels]
