Best Western Plus The Arden Park Hotel — Hotel in Stratford

I would strongly suggest avoiding this location. This hotel offers awful customer service and do not clean their rooms properly, specifically their whirlpool tubs. It's very likely that someone will get sick there.

A little backstory if you want to know. My wife and I recently booked a room there for Valentines day weekend, on the 15th. My wife enjoys whirlpool tubs so we specifically booked a pricier room that included that option. We had a great time in Startford and went back to the hotel, and my wife had a bath before bed.

While preparing to shower the next morning, I noticed a layer of strange flaky yellow/orange stuff in the tub. I had no idea what I was looking at, so I asked my wife if she knew what it was. Of course she didnt know either, and when we looked closed we noticed the jets were caked in gunk and the tub was covered in a layer of stuff made from whatever is left behind in hotel bathtubs. Disgusting.

We finished getting ready, took some pictures of the tub and left it as it was, and went to the front desk to check out. We informed the staff of what had just happened, and told them that we were upset and especially disappointed because we had booked the room specifically for the whirlpool tub. The front clerk offered an apology and nothing more. We explained that we felt the business should offer us something to compensate for the disappointment and the possibility that my wife could become sick from an infection. She told us there was nothing she could do personally because we had booked through Expedia, and offered that a manager call us since noone was available.

We left the hotel completely unhappy with our experience, but I had hoped a resolution could be found with a manager. Here we are today on the 20th, 5 days later, and a manager named Jovan called my wife. She explained what had happened, and he then began asking her why we didn't inform the staff the night before, why we waited until checking out, and if we had been given breakfast in the morning. She explained that we hadn't noticed it until getting ready to leave, and that we had been given absolutely nothing but a weak apology and a 5 day wait for follow-up.

He then offered us a free breakfast. 5 days later, in our own home in London, he offers us a free breakfast. When my wife refused and explained we would not be returning, and then asked for something more appropriate. He then offered us a $25 refund, which we still felt was inadequate for a $180 hotel room. He said it was because we hadn't notified the hotel staff, and my wife reminded him that we did notify them hence the phone call today. We advised Jovan that we would be seeking resolution through their corporate office.

So here we are. We're planning to call their corporate office and see if they offer a more suitable resolution. I also wanted to provide this as warning to others regardless of the outcome, there are several other nice hotels in Stratford more worthy of your patronage. This is another big hotel chain who distrusts their own customers and doesn't care about...

My rating is a one but should be a zero. That being said I have to explain 2 people deserve 5 stars and a raise. CHEF JAY LOVE and SERVER LESLIE!! You both were amazing and deserve the 5 STARS. If it was not for either of you I would have pulled my hotel reservations along with a dinner party for 16 people. As for the zero-your manager at the hotel level needs a course in public relations and to take a look at your policies regarding accommodations for anaphylaxis. I have never had a problem with a restaurant or a hotel accommodating my 9 year old's son anaphylaxes until now. We have always been able to bring our own food for him even at Arden's as we have attended many events there in the past. We met with the hotel manager and spoke to her regarding our concerns about the anaphylaxes and that we would like to bring our own food in for the dinner reservation as we were not comfortable with the responsibility of a busy kitchen cooking for him. Both my partner and I were told that the policy was "no outside food could come into the restaurant". My son has severe anaphylaxes to eggs/dairy/shellfish/cashews and pistachios even to the point of just skin contact that he has a reaction. The hotel manager was direct and expressed zero empathy stating we were not allowed any outside food. We asked to speak with the chef prior to the reservation to see if his meal plan could accommodate the anaphylaxis otherwise we would have to pull our reservation and move to another restaurant. This was met with a response by the manager that the chef was not there and would call my room 30 minutes prior to our dinner reservation. Again reiterating the importance of the anaphylaxis and the fact that we have never had an issue bringing our son's food into Arden's in the past or any other establishment due to the severity of his anaphylaxes. We waited until just after 430pm and zero calls from the chef (our reservation was for 5pm). We called directly asking for him and was directed to the food and beverage manager. I spoke with her and explained what was happening (she was also surprised that we were told by hotel management that we could not bring our own food into the restaurant). After all of this we were finally able to speak to Chef Jay and Leslie and they both made us feel at ease. Chef Jay went out of his way with a dinner for my son and deserves the biggest acknowledgement ever. Honestly you both saved the day. As for the hotel manager your public relation skills and policies really need to be improved. For that reason you have lost our business and my extended families. There are plenty of restaurants and hotels in Stratford that will accommodate our needs...

When I first walked in to the Hotel, it smelled a little off, like cigarette smoke; It must've been something else if the whole hotel is non-smoking but I'm not sure. Check in was fast. Up on our floor, no smell. Room was nice, and clean however, did see silverfish in the bathroom--a sign of dampness and/or mold. Only stayed one night. We had dinner in the Arden Park Restaurant, which sounds like it would be pretty, but it's not. It definitely needs an uplift, it was like a Denny's restaurant, but darker. The service that I put 2 stars for was specifically service. Although polite, not very personable. We barely saw her. Had reservations at 6pm, with a show that started at 8pm...and we did a bit of a panic as to waiting for food, and a dessert and then the bill. We got out about 7:30. The meal itself was ok...my daughter had a special that included coffee and dessert. When we finished our meals there was no mention of this...just "is that everything?" we reminded that there was a dessert included and she asked what she'd like. It took about 15-20 min and she came back and said they were out of the one my daughter picked. We did get another. But server was slow and inattentive. Our party of three have all worked in the restaurant business, we know good and bad service, as well as when a server is running her feet off or lazy. Perhaps the kitchen was in charge of getting the dessert ? Or maybe it was the server? Either way, waiting this long for food and the dessert, then the bill....it was too much. I didn't mind the room, but I will not go back to the restaurant. For the breakfast, we went over to Romeo's across the street. Overall for the price of the hotel, and the distance from the town, it was a little pricey. But I do understand that they need to get their business during the...