Hotel Earl of Charlevoix — Hotel in Charlevoix

We checked in this past Saturday, actually a family member booked and paid for our room and also got there before us and checked us in, so we only had to stop to and grab our keys when we arrived. So, upon arriving after a 3+ hour drive we walk in with all of our luggage, two adults and two kids. The lobby was very nice and modern feeling, clean and warm with a big fireplace. My husband and kids went to sit in the lobby while I was to get our keys. The person at the front desk made zero acknowledgement to me while he was on the phone. My family member came down to us and had only checked in an hour prior so he knew all he had to do was give us our keys, but decided to engage with the customer on the phone who was asking detailed questions and prices about each room. After standing and waiting for at least 10 minutes, the person on the phone decides to make their reservation… for JUNE! I sure hope they get the service they got on the phone when they arrive. He didn’t say anything when he hung up, just looked at me, zero apology for the wait or thanks for being patient. My family member mentioned our name and that we needed our keys, it took him 10 SECONDS to hand me the keys and again, said nothing else, not where our room was, what time the pool closes, when breakfast and checkout are, I was so dumbfounded. Our room was very nice, very clean, and actually fairly quiet for being on the 2nd floor. The pool was really nice and the water feature in the middle was so fun but the signage for it is rather small so we didn’t notice it until we were just about the leave. The towels for the pool also ran out while we were there, around 8pm. Sunday morning we made our way down for breakfast and it wasn’t two minutes from getting in to the lobby that we had lost power, not the hotels fault, it was from an ice storm. I was incredibly grateful for our timing because had we been any later, we would’ve been stuck in the elevator. The same guy from check in was down there and when the power went out he didn’t say anything to the guests getting breakfast, he stayed silent and continued to bring out the breakfast foods. I found it SO strange that as the only hotel staff in the room, you wouldn’t announce for guests to stay calm and that you’d go find out more information. Maybe that’s just me, but I really felt like the lack for hospitality here really gave this hotel a sour taste for me in the future. We only found out what was going on because another staff member came in and started talking to him and we overheard that there was an ice storm and the majority of the town was out of power. We walked back up to our room using the stairs that had some sort of lighting I’m guessing from a generator but by the time we finished gathering our things together and back out in to the hall and stairway there was zero lighting, I had to use my phones flashlight for us to use the stairs safely. As we exited and clearly were not coming back in because we had all our luggage with us, the same guy, like at me and says “hi”, me being confused because this was like the first word he had spoken to us, he says hi as we’re leaving? Maybe should’ve been more like “how was your stay?” “Do you need any suggestions on leaving town with the roads and having no power?” And so on…. While I’m sure he’s a nice person in general, he needs serious training in hotel hospitality and how to interact...

Overall, we like the Hotel Earl and we will try to go back (as long as they don't jack up the prices too much).

We bought the New Years package for two nights in the standard king room (champagne and macarons in room upon arrival) at $138/night. We thought it was well worth the money. Compared to hotel chains at a similar cost, this was a much better experience. It was clean. We were comfortable with the Covid measures taken. Staff was very helpful and pleasant.

Positives: walkable to all of downtown Charlevoix including the beach, restaurants and channel. SMS concierge service. We used this throughout the weekend to order drinks and ask questions. Responses were prompt and helpful. aesthetic was really well done and made the experience special Full bar that included well known brands as well as options from local breweries and distilleries. We really enjoyed the signature cocktails Clean, we felt comfortable with the covid measures taken, our room was clean and well maintained (there were some crumbs on the ground the vacuum must have missed from the people before us) and the bathroom felt sanitary/brand new. Staff, was pleasant and helpful. They were consistent with wearing face masks. Bedding, personally, I would prefer an additional blanket for weight but, I could have asked for that. Pillows were nice spring bed was comfortable for us.

Some drawbacks to be aware of: you may need to park on the road. While road side parking is near by, I did not like this. The hotel was pretty full for New Years and the parking lot cannot handle full hotel capacity. Worrying about parking was the biggest drawback of this hotel. The soundproofing between the room and the hallway was not great. We could hear people in the halls at times. Heating/Cooling system seemed to fluctuate a bit and the fan was quite noisy. some sections of the floor creaked in the room the minimalist design in the standard king room means there are not many convenient places to set things. Sounds minimal but I don't like putting stuff on hotel floors.

Amenities: Lobby Bar: We liked it. Like the rest of the hotel, it had a great aesthetic. Drinks were good. Indoors was closed due to covid but you can reserve an "igloo" with a heater. Indoor pool: not yet open Out door hotub: not yet open Roof top bar: not yet open Continental breakfast: open from 7:30-9:30am. We did not partake. It was also not clear if this was included or not?

Other: The Hotel Earl looks awesome. It used to be a motel but has undergone substantial updates, renovation and conversion into a hotel. With the conversion they added a whole 3rd floor to the building! I really liked the style. The renovation seems to be well done. And everything was in good shape (all though they just opened 4 months ago, Sept. 2020). The modern/mid-century aesthetic is consistent and the furnishings and decor appears to be durable/of high quality (sometimes I notice this type of decor tends to be cheap and...

For the area, The Earl of Charlevoix has definitely set themselves apart from their local competitors. That said, I think certain details may have made my experience fall short to my expectations especially considering I had just stayed at a five-star hotel in Brooklyn, New York which was the SAME PRICE as The Earl.

As you approach this property, it’s easy to find, it’s modern with a little glitzy neon boulder and clearly looks like nice a boutiquey hotel. Very tight parking with lots of guests having to park down the block on the street. The lobby was cute - a slightly more rustic part of the hotel compared to the rooms but came equipped with a small eating area and merch section. Checking in was very easy and convenient and the desk staff were attentive and friendly but definitely were not serving 5-star hospitality.

The room was large and clean, however this is where my review loses a star! I booked a king which included a green pull sofa, a small two-top table area tucked in the corner, mid-century style dresser below the TV and spacious balcony. The bed was clean but the linens were paper thin and didn’t include a duvet comforter or down blanket, just a two-ply throw and a sheet. We even opened the duffle of bedding for the sofa and they also were supplied with the same little blanket. The robe was a nice touch but also paper thin and the label was so worn you could barely read it.

The bathroom was clean and updated. I’d recommend all guests definitely prepare your towel on the hook of the door before you shower as the glass door opens to the opposite side of where the towels are. The towels were plush and clean and the amount of towels was satisfactory. The in-house line of washes was okay - nothing to brag about. The conditioner bottle was full but would not pump out so you needed to open it completely in order to use it. The shower was huge with all this room inside but the shower head was not giving good pressure at all and only provided you with a small stream of water which was underwhelming considering the amount of space you have in the shower.

We didn’t use the pool area but it looked clean and tidy. We also didn’t get a drink at the bar or even take the time to go up there but I wish I had. Breakfast was OK. Another miss of expectations given the price point of this hotel. The usual bagels with waffles but no fresh fruit or fresh eggs. The coffee machine was fun to use but didn’t have any non-diary options. It may have been me considering I was the barista, but not my best cup of coffee.

All in all, I’d stay here again! I wish the details and service were set high like the prices but I get it. Owning a hotel is hard work and I understand the cost it takes to be profitable. I’d say if you needed any area to tighten up on it would also be your social media endeavors! I feel like the great things you have at your disposal are not represented in your IG posts at all - such a missed opportunity! Best of luck and see...