Introduction
After months of trying, I was able to book a train trip from Toronto to Halifax. Since this was done rather last minute, I had to make a quick decision on where to stay when I arrived. Read here my blog about the train trip to Halifax.
I had my train trip booked, my flight home locked in. I now had to research where to stay. The issue was that my trip was booked over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Something I would not normally do because you will pay a premium for hotel rooms. Let’s walk through my booking logic after a few historical facts about Halifax.
History of Halifax
Halifax is the capital city of Nova Scotia, a province on the east coast of Canada. Known for its beautiful coastline, Halifax has been a busy port city since the 1700s. It was where Titanic survivors were brought back to after the disaster. The city is filled with rich history and culture.
More Halifax History
During the War of 1812, Halifax was where British forces gathered and fought off American invaders. Halifax played an important role during World War II as well, where it was a major port for convoys heading to Europe.
1917 Halifax Harbour Explosion
On December 6th, 1917, a French ship carrying explosives collided with a Norwegian vessel in Halifax harbour. The explosion destroyed many buildings and killed nearly 2,000 people. It remains the largest man-made explosion prior to the development of atomic bombs.
Where to Stay in Halifax
Now that we have some background on Halifax, where should you stay during your visit? I decided to stay near the downtown core as it seemed like there was more going on nearby and easy access to public transportation.
This said, staying in the downtown core was not going to be cheap. The city of Halifax has been working hard at revitalizing its core. Old and new hotels are smattered throughout the area.
Places to Stay in Halifax
As you move away from the core, the prices come down. Dartmouth, Halifax’s sister city across the harbour has some of the most reasonable prices. I almost went for it but then started calculating the costs of daily Uber rides or taxis back and forth to the areas that I wanted to visit and well, the prices started to even up!
The Marriott Brands
Previously in blogs, I have made it known that the Marriott brands are my go-to hotels. In Montreal, I will always stay at a Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, or Courtyard. They are consistent in service and styles which make travelling much more “homey”.
I first looked at the Courtyard in downtown Halifax. It ticked off many of the boxes. Centrally located right on the Halifax harbour, it offered a good jump-off location to many of the venues that I planned on visiting. It was right next door to the Alexander Keith’s brewery (Alexander Keith’s is a large brewer of beer in Canada). That would be dangerous!
The Courtyard was also near many public transportation routes.
This hotel is always my first choice. Contrary to popular opinion, I am not a big restaurant guy. I like my space and I like to take my time eating. Many times, if I stay at the Residence Inn, I will grocery shop and eat in the room. So, a full-service kitchen is right up my alley.
Now the Residence is further up from the harbour. It is about four blocks or ten-minute walk at most.
The hotel is also a short walk to the Citadel, one of the major tourist attractions in Halifax.
Now the tiebreaker was that at the Residence Inn, the breakfast is complimentary whereas at the Courtyard it was not. In the end, I booked the Residence Inn.
The Best Hotel Stay In Halifax
If the Residence Inn is your choice, you will not regret it. The designers have taken a good amount of time to give visitors the best hotel stay possible.
They have thought through the needs of travellers and in particular business travellers. The first thing that I noticed was the number of outlets available – both electrical and USB ports. I travel with tons of equipment for picture taking and editing. This means I pack extension cords, outlet extenders and USB converters. None of these were necessary for Halifax.
On top of this fact, the room was large and laid out logically. The television was large enough to see the screen. The sofa was comfortable and had more outlets so one could put their legs up and work. And finally, the shower…. oh-la-la!
Now my negatives: the breakfast while okay could use some work – the Montreal breakfast is so much better. And while it did not bother me, but I did find that there was some street noise. Given it was a holiday weekend, it was quieter than I imagine a bustling summertime night could be.
Where to Stay in the Halifax Area
Dartmouth has some great deals. It is connected to Halifax by two bridges and a ferry that runs about every 15 to 30 minutes. If you are looking to save money this could be an option.
North Halifax has some beautiful, luxurious hotels. If you want to splurge and not be downtown, this could also be an option.
South Halifax has some beautiful hotels that are a bit more residential in feel and is also the home to two of Halifax’s universities: Dalhousie and Mount Allison. If you are travelling during the summer, you may want to check out the dormitory accommodations that can be inexpensive. But research it first!
Bed and Breakfasts In Nova Scotia
Now depending on your itinerary, you may want to investigate bed and breakfasts not only in Halifax but throughout Nova Scotia. On my walks, I saw quite a few B’n’Bs in Halifax. They looked comfortable and well-maintained. They could be a jumping-off point for tours throughout the province.
On a side trip out of Halifax, to Peggy’s Cove, I saw many more B’n’Bs. So, if renting a car is in your budget check them out.
Advertisement
Conclusion: where to stay in Halifax
Halifax has many options for where to stay. From budget hotels, luxury hotels, B’n’Bs and even university dorms during the summer. If you want my recommendation – go with the Residence Inn by Marriott! But definitely do your research and see what best suits your needs and budget. Happy travels!
Note from Author: This is just my opinion and experience. Other travellers may have different recommendations. As always, do your own research before booking accommodations. Happy travels!