Algonquin East Gate Motel — Hotel in South Algonquin Township

There are no bargains to be had in the village of Whitney, because one company operates 4 of the motels - this one, the Algonquin Dream Catcher, the Rolling Rapids, and the Bellwood Inn. The same night we paid $179 plus tax to stay in this motel, the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa was selling rooms for $131 a night... go figure.||This motel consists of two buildings. The older building, probably dating from the '50s or '60s, contains rooms 1 to 7. The newer building, less than 10 years old, contains rooms 8 to 11. We stayed in the newer building. Best to confirm which building you will be put in when you make your reservation.||The room was clean, quiet, modern, and comfortable, but very small. There was no space for a desk, or chairs, or bedside tables. In other words, the room was good for sleeping, but that's all it was good for. It had a nice shower, big flat screen TV, a fridge, and a microwave. No dresser, no desk, no closet, no coathangers. Wi-fi was very quick, but we were the only guests in the motel that night.||If you want to stay close to the eastern entrance to Algonquin Park, there's not much choice other than motels in Whitney or the lodges within the park itself. But, if you are just driving across Ontario on Highway 60 and not interested in the park, look for a hotel or motel in Barry's Bay (further east) or Huntsville (further west) and it will cost you much, much less to stay in either of those towns, probably half the price of...

I am giving the Algonquin East Gate Motel 5 stars, not because it's a 5 star hotel/motel but because it's exactly as advertised and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I see some reviews saying the rooms are dated etc. Our room was very clean, albeit a bit old, but their website clearly and accurately shows photos of each and every room - so you know before you book what you are getting into! I gave 5 stars because I wasn't expecting much from the photos, but as I said it was very clean, cleaner than I expected! Definitely worth the price (especially being so close to the East Gate of Algonquin Provincial Park). We checked in very late due to a lot of traffic and they were very helpful on the phone to tell us how to check in even after staff at the office had left for the night. They even leave their personal phone number if you have any issues which I thought was great. I also saw a staff member immediately go to clean our room after we left, so I expect this is the case for all rooms upon checkout there. If you're looking for 5 star accommodations, meals, spas, the whole deal... this is not the place for you. If you are looking for an affordable, clean, and friendly place to stay as close to Algonquin park as you can get, this is the place! We will definitely be returning the next time we come...

We booked room 7 without realizing this room has not been renovated, so I guess that's on me for not reading more closely.

That being said, the state of this room was not good and could be improved for far less than a total gut job. The bathroom in particular was in a shameful state, with a moldy, discoloured shower curtain, stained toilet bowl and rotting baseboards.

The beds and linens were clean, check-in was quick and friendly. The room lacked a few basic amenities like a box of tissues, a hair dryer and a microwave. No dresser and only 4 hangers meant our clothes had no place to go.

We appreciated the closeness to the park, the included park passes and the dog friendly availability. The spend 3 nights for the price 2 nights winter deal is what convinced us to book here for the first time as we normally stay in Huntsville.

Based on reading other reviews there seems to be a pattern of satisfied customers in the renovated rooms and dissatisfied customers in the older rooms. Make sure you double check which room...