The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler — Hotel in Whistler Resort Municipality

Listed as a 4 star hotel, barely meets that rating. room was old and in poor condition with ripped comforter, vent in bathroom didn't work and clearly hasn't worked for sometime as the build up of steam has caused the shower rod to rust and the apparently pressed wood (or fake wood) frame on the bathroom mirror to show signs of disintegrating, the handle to flush the toilet was worn down to the plastic underneath which inexplicably grossed me out each time I had to touch it to flush. The headboard for the bed is wrapped in leather or faux leather was worn out and peeling where people had repeatedly rested their head. The fireplace kept coming on without our touching the controls, and since we were there in June was a real problem. The air conditioner was set to 70 initially but since there was humidity in the room it constantly felt warm. We had it set to 67 the entire week after the first day and it never cooled the room below 70. The walls were scraped and dented. All of this combined to create a feel of being in a neglected property and overall sense of filth. I was never totally comfortable, except for the beds (more on their comfort below).

The kitchenette is located at the foot of the beds which means any messes or crumbs dropped were in the main traffic area to the living space and easily tracked/transferred into the bed and on the carpets. No broom or small stick vacuum is provided to mitigate this, so I was on the floor on hands/knees with a sock as a broom and a piece of paper torn from a magazine as a dust pan. There was no way to remove any crumbs or dirt from the carpeted area. When the cleaning crew came to service the room they did not vacuum, which compounds the filthy feeling in the room. There is a "coffee maker" in the room, but as you can see in the photos, it only takes a certain kind of pkgd coffee the hotel provides but doesn't replenish and can't be bought at the store. Also, if you fill the coffee maker with water it overfills the cup and spills everywhere. You have to use the provided cup to "measure" out how much water is needed. There are laundry facilities on each floor and you can pay to use them with an app. There is only 1 washer and 1 drier on each floor and in late June it was a battle to find one available. And once you do... don't be a second late moving your items from the washer to the dryer or risk your wet belongings tossed on top of the machines. We never had that happen but witnessed it on another floor when in search of an available machine. The ice machine is in the same room as the washer/dryer the ice machine on our floor was broken. The pools and hot tubs were available for all, including children. There is no adults only area or adults only hours. The indoor/outdoor pools which are connected were small and only 4 feet deep. Not large/ long enough to swim laps, and you couldn't have anyway with all the kids and float toys. There are two hot tubs, one indoor and one outdoor. My husband and I attempted a relaxing happy hour poolside which was thwarted by no alcohol allowed or served in the pool area and kids were allowed and were present in the hot tubs. The indoor hot tub was broken. Towels are provided at the pool and were amply stocked. The locker rooms were large but didn't provide any shampoo, conditioner, soap, you have to get towels in the pool area. There were no hair dryers either. You would expect these sort of things from a 4 star hotel. Redeeming qualities: Lobby was nice and maintained well. Front desk staff and all staff we encountered were absolutely wonderful! The beds were so comfy it was like floating in a cloud, if it hadn't been hot in our room we would've slept quite well. The view from our room, though not mountain, had a nice collection of evergreens buffering us between neighboring hotels. Location of the hotel is near the lower village which has a really great night life as well as near the Whistler gondola (vs Blackcomb which is in the...

The service at this hotel is horrendous.

The most egregious case of this was when we were retrieving our vehicle from valet and were made to wait over 35 minutes for the retrieval of the car. Note that this was around 2:30pm, it wasn’t particularly busy, and there were plenty of valet staff around. After handing the voucher over to the valet desk, we were informed that the car will be out shortly. However, after standing around and waiting for 20 minutes, I followed up with the valet gentleman. He seemed to have forgotten about me, even though there had been no further guest drop offs or pickups since I had handed over my voucher. The whole time I was waiting, the other 2 valet staff were either doing nothing or standing around chatting with other Westin employees. I would have appreciated that at least 1) if it were going to take 35 minutes, to be informed of that in advance so that I’m not standing around outside in the cold waiting for it to arrive “shortly”, and 2) to be proactively provided with updates, rather than being met with a ‘who are you’ when I followed-up with the same gentleman who had been standing at the desk doing nothing the whole time. It was only after a further 15 minutes that our car arrived.

It seems that this “not my problem” attitude with employees is prevalent throughout the hotel. Another example of is when I asked concierge to temporarily hold onto some items for me after I had checked out. Their initial response was “No, unfortunately it needs to go into your room”. I had to explain that I had already checked out for them to acquiesce and say, “ok fine, I think we can take it then”. It was quite unpleasant to be initially waved off, despite the fact that storing baggage is service that is generally provided by hotels.

Beyond this, my other complaints revolve around the honoring of my benefits as a Titanium Elite member. I arrived at ~11:00pm and requested a Suite Upgrade per my Titanium Elite status. I was informed that while the suite is available, it is part of their “premium” collection, and therefore is not eligible for a complimentary upgrade. I found this to be fair enough, so I indicated that I would be happy to pay for an upgrade. Given the fact that it was late in the evening with multiple rooms still available, as well as the fact that I should be entitled to a suite upgrade to begin with, I felt that it shouldn’t be particularly costly for a last-minute upgrade. However, the amount for the upgrade was $500+, which in combination with what I had paid for my room, would have been more expensive than just booking that room outright. I found this to be mildly disappointing, as I did not feel it was worth paying such a large amount for an upgrade that should have been complimentary per my elite benefits.

I proceeded to request late checkout per my elite benefits. The representative informed me that I would need to come back the next morning to ask. I found this to be strange as it was already quite late in the evening, so they should already have a decent idea of their capacity. Having to wake up early to request late checkout seems counterintuitive to the nature of the benefit. Regardless, I revisited in the morning, and the first lady I spoke to was quite dismissive saying, “we don’t provide late checkout at this property”. At first, I took it at face value, but after thinking about it, and realizing that what she was saying contradicted what I had been initially told, I circled back and asked again. The second representative I spoke to actually looked into my reservation, and offered me 1pm late checkout, which I accepted. However, it seems like this didn’t go through as I was automatically checked-out at 11am regardless, which was also mildly frustrating. Overall, I found it to be quite the ordeal for a benefit that is proactively offered at every other Marriott Bonvoy property...

I’ve never been someone to write reviews or leave feedbacks, but with this chapter of my life, I’ve started documenting my journey, not just the places I visit, but the emotions, healing, and quiet moments that define them. I began traveling from Switzerland earlier this year after the passing of my husband, Paul. We had spent a lifetime planning trips we never took, Whistler was one of them. Paul loved to ski. We often imagined staying here, breathing in the alpine air, and spending days surrounded by peaks. I came to fulfil that shared dream, carrying his memory with me. It was a cold, rainy evening when I arrived at the Westin around 7pm. The sky was grey, mirroring my mood. I checked in with a lovely reception girl, Holly, who gave me the warmest welcome. She explained everything about the hotel and shared thoughtful insights on the village, where to go, what to see, even some local secrets. Her kindness made me feel less like a stranger and more like I was being looked after. That alone would have been enough. Later that evening, I sat quietly by the fireplace, watching the rain, lost in thoughts of Paul. The weather had kept me from the mountains, and my heart felt heavier than ever. That’s when I noticed a man in a double-breasted suit, short-haired and bearded, moving through the lobby, adjusting furniture and tidying up. It was unusual to see someone so well-dressed doing such work, yet he carried himself with quiet pride and care. As he worked, our eyes met. He didn’t speak, but his gentle smile made me feel seen, like he recognised the weight I was carrying. A few minutes later, he placed a bottle of water and some folded napkins beside me. He didn’t intrude, just offered presence. That simple gesture opened the floodgates. I spoke about Paul, the suddenness of the loss, and how different life feels without the person you’ve shared everything with. He listened with patience and empathy. He didn’t try to fix anything, just held space. He’d experienced deep personal loss himself, and we spoke quietly about grief, memory, and the silent bond between those who’ve lived through it. What stayed with me were his words: “Death is transcendence, but love… love is eternal.” Before parting, he asked if I’d eaten. I hadn’t. So, he returned with two umbrellas and walked me through the first floor of the resort into Whistler Village. Despite the rain, it was beautiful. He showed me Whistler Mountain, tucked-away corners, and warm spots in the village. He then brought me to a lovely South American restaurant called Balam, and before returning to the resort, he encouraged me to enjoy the evening, for myself, and for Paul. That man’s name is Yohan. I’ve stayed in many places, but I’ve never encountered someone like him, someone who leads not just with professionalism, but with genuine heart. What he gave me that night wasn’t part of any job description. It was humanity at its most generous. Since then, I’ve seen that same spirit across the hotel. From warm greetings to thoughtful touches in the room, from the smiles of housekeeping ladies to the attentive restaurant team, every moment reminded me that I was in a place that truly cared. This wasn’t just a hotel stay. It was a moment of healing. To Holly, Yohan, and the entire Westin team, thank you for helping me carry Paul’s memory up into these mountains, and for reminding me that while loss changes us, love continues to guide the way.

With heartfelt...