Located in the charming village of Bromont, the Beatnik Hotel is a small hotel casual hotel set in the serene landscape of the forests surrounding Gale Lake. Beatnik, a word that implied the artistic self-expression of the 1950-1960s, the hotel lives up to its name and has a hipster vibe with an eclectic mix of bold artworks, dark walls, along with retro light fixtures and accessories such as turntables and typewriters.
The 23 room retro-modern hotel is unlike any I’ve ever stayed at, offering two distinct experiences. The Beatnik hotel is divided into 2 main buildings, in one building the rooms have a small kitchenette, air conditioning, and backyard patio tables. The other half of the hotel does not have in-room kitchenettes, air conditioning, or the private patio tables, but shares communal spaces including a dining room and lounge room.
For my stay, I was in the large studio which has one bedroom with a queen bed, another small divided area with two bunk beds, and a futon in the living area that also could turn into a bed.
The main bedroom was a very tight room where it was overly cramped to the point I would find it necessary to stand on the bed to close the bedroom door as the door would nearly hit the foot of the bed. While on either side of the bed there were just a few feet of space, which made the bed feel too large for the room.
Within the chamber, there was a small bar for hanging clothes, and a large air conditioning unit that was intended to cool the entire hotel room and living space. Unfortunately, the air conditioner even when left on all day, barely cooled the apartment and it was so loud I couldn’t sleep so I had to turn the machine off.
The other sleeping area with the two bunk beds was essentially a closet divided with a curtain. It had enough space for the bunk beds and had two wooden crates on the wall that were meant to store extra blankets.
Another critical flaw of the room were the beds themselves which were all horribly uncomfortable. I visited the Beatnik Hotel with 4 other people, with us having two of the largest room on either side of the hotel to have both experiences, none of the 5 us managed to get a decent nights sleep. All of us struggled with the rooms being too hot to sleep in (even in my air conditioned room), the beds too hard leaving us having difficulty sleeping.
My room did provide a small kitchenette with a mini sink, bar refrigerator, microwave, 2 stovetop elements, a coffee maker, and a few dishes would work to prepare some simple meals.
Overall I felt the room, much like the rest of the hotel had some stylish design choices, for example, my room featured a beautiful minimalist cage chandelier, Eiffel chairs, and some bold art.
For example, my room featured a large mural of Heather Landis’s photography from her Abyss of the Disheartened series of a couple holding hands under water and an illustration of a woman with floral tattoos and black body paint which is entitled Marianna by Ruben Ireland.
One of the major strengths of the hotel would have to be the location. The Beatnik hotel is conveniently located to the ski slopes and Balnea Spa. Just a short drive away you can explore the charming skill village of Bromont which is delightful to stroll through to browse the antique stores, craft beer pubs, delicious bakeries or outlet mall.
Around the hotel, there is a nice patio in the front with lounge chairs where you can view the forest which is a relaxing spot to have your morning coffee. While within the middle courtyard there is a pool and hammock that is perfect to spend a lazy summer afternoon relaxing in.
At the hotel, there is also a small bistro that you can buy coffee, soda or kombucha throughout the day.
For breakfast, you can also purchase the continental breakfast which included cheese, meat, and pastries if you do not wish to head into town or make breakfast in your room.
Another major problem I had at the hotel, was while one of the staff working at the hotel was nothing but kind and polite the other employees both my friends and I interacted with were faced the blunt rudeness several times during our stay. Each time we asked for help (our rooms being too hot, problems with showers, the beds being uncomfortable) the same staff was rude to us and refused to assist us in any way. For example, I was answered with sarcastic comments implying the problem was my fault for staying at the hotel or was answered with them shrugging and not even offering to do anything or even pretending to care. I have never experienced such rude customer service ever when staying at a hotel!
Overall half of the Beatnik Hotel, feels like a nice summer camp or hostel with private rooms and a shared common kitchen and dining spaces. The other half of the hotel, which I stayed at conceptually had design aesthetics of a boutique hotel, but the cramped spaces and uncomfortable beds make it miss the mark. Perhaps with some major renovations, this hotel might be better, but overall this Beatnik Hotel was a huge disappointment.