The Westin Calgary Hotel, Canada

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Updated: May 7, 2021
By Santorini Dave

Essentials
• Location: 4TH Avenue SW.
• Hotel website: marriott.com
• Hotel phone: 403-266-1611
• Check prices on Booking.com

Review of The Westin Calgary in Canada.

The Westin offers spacious and comfortable rooms in two buildings as well as a heated indoor pool on the top floor close to Prince’s Island Park.

The Westin Calgary – Convenient location and modern, comfortable accommodations.

The Westin Calgary has a polished and enduring quality to it. It has two towers – the Main Tower offers modern rooms and some suites with balconies while the newer Business Tower has upscale décor and bigger rooms. There is a top-notch steakhouse and a Starbucks on-site. The indoor pool on the top floor of the hotel is heated and offers fantastic city views. The hotel is popular with business and leisure travelers due to its ideal location – perfect for accessing any of the many outdoor festivals in Prince’s Island Park, enjoying the RiverWalk, shopping on Stephen Avenue Walk, or enjoying any of the several dining, shopping, and leisure options downtown via the +15 skywalk.

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The Westin Calgary – Location

  • Area: Located on the northside of downtown Calgary, very close to Prince’s Island Park and Bow River walkway. The hotel connects with many downtown buildings and is a short walk to the CORE Shopping Centre, shops and restaurants along Stephen Avenue Walk, Calgary Tower, and the arts and entertainment district.
  • Address: 320 4TH Avenue SW.
  • Nearest CTrain: 3rd Street SW (eastbound, 400m) and 4th Street SW (westbound, 500m).
  • How to Get There: Take the CTrain to 3rd Street SW (eastbound, 400m) or 4th Street SW (westbound, 500m), both on 7th Ave. Note: The downtown CTrain corridor along 7th Avenue is free (no fare required 24/7) and leashed dogs can travel on the CTrain for free.
  • Handy to: Calgary Tower, Stephen Avenue Walk, RiverWalk, Prince’s Island Park, CORE Shopping Centre.

The Westin Calgary – The Basics

  • Ages: Guests of all ages are welcome and cribs are available on request. Special children’s menus in both the restaurants but no other amenities for them.
  • Pet Policy: Pets are allowed for free, only extra cleaning is chargeable. Pets cannot be left unattended in the rooms.
  • View: Rooms in the north face the Eau Claire Market and Prince’s Island Park. Rooms on the south overlook 4th Ave and office towers.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools or jacuzzis. Double Rooms and Business Tower rooms have full bathrooms with bathtubs.
  • Laundry: Valet dry-cleaning.
  • Parking: Valet parking for CA$38. On-site parking for CA$28 and off-site for CA$25.
  • Extras: No fees for pets. In-room safes in all accommodations.
  • When to Book: Booking 3-4 months in advance is recommended; 6 months for the Calgary Stampede.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: 403-266-1611
  • Email: calga.express@westin.com
  • Website: marriott.com

The Westin Calgary – Amenities

  • Pool: Large heated indoor pool and dry sauna on the top floor of the Business Tower with excellent views of downtown.
  • Spa: No spa. Several in-room spa treatments and massages can be booked. Spa services are provided by RnR Wellness.
  • Fitness Center: Two separate glass-enclosed areas on either end of the pool. One area is for free weights and the other has cardio machines. Open round-the-clock Monday to Thursday and 5.30 am-11 pm Friday and Saturday.
  • For Disabled Guests: Accessible rooms available.

The Westin Calgary – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants: Essence Bistro – Casual restaurant offering contemporary American fare, express lunches, and takeout. Open for breakfast and lunch only. • The Keg Steakhouse & Bar – This particular Keg is one of the better steakhouses in Calgary and features an outdoor bar and heated patio. Décor is classy with dark wood and high ceilings.
  • Café: There is a Starbucks on-site.
  • Bar/Lounge: Liquid Lounge – Located by the lobby and serves light snacks, excellent cocktails, and a good selection of wines. The Canadian-favorite Caesar Cocktail was invented here in 1969. Monday-Friday 4-9pm only.
  • Breakfast: CA$23 for buffet breakfast. Complimentary for 1 guest in each Business Tower room.
  • Room Service: Room service 24/7.

The Westin Calgary – Rooms

  • Room Types: Deluxe (1 King/2 Queens) • Traditional (1 King/2 Queens) • Executive Junior Suite (1 King/2 Queens) • Business Tower (1 King/2 Queens) • List of all Rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: The hotel is 100% smoke-free.
  • Best Room: The Executive Junior Suites (main tower) are spacious and feature balconies, sofas, and coffee tables.
  • For Families: Adjoining rooms are available. Kids menus at the restaurants.

The Westin Calgary – What’s Nearby

Recommended Nearby Tours

  • Xploring Calgary Bus Tour – Very interesting and informative bus tour (passenger van, 12 guests) of Canada Olympic Park, Lougheed House, Stampede Park, Fort Calgary, and downtown Calgary. Starting point: Calgary Tower (1 km).
  • Calgary Downtown Intro Walking Tour – Excellent walking tour of Calgary’s downtown and its history, public art, sculptures, +15 skywalk system, and Chinatown. Starting point: Calgary Municipal Plaza (1 km).
  • Stampede Art and Wild West Walking Tour – This excellent walking tour highlights Calgary Stampede’s history, the wall murals and sculptures on the Stampede grounds, chuckwagon races, and the rodeo. Starting point: Stampede Gate inside Stampede Grounds (1.5 km).

Best Nearby Restaurants

  • OEB Breakfast Co. – Excellent egg-inspired breakfast fare and a cool vibe. Few vegetarian options. Open for breakfast and lunch only. (400m).
  • Rodney’s Oyster House – Simply amazing seafood in an airy industrial-chic vibe. Open L/D. Check before you go as they sometimes close for private events. (800m).
  • Deane House Restaurant – In Inglewood. If you are up for a long walk along the Bow River, you may want to visit (and have Afternoon Tea perhaps), at this historic house set in a beautiful garden in Inglewood. (2.5 km).

Best Nearby Bars and Breweries

  • James Joyce Irish Pub & Restaurant – Authentic Irish pub in a historic building on Stephen Avenue Walk. This place hops non-stop, especially on weekend evenings. (1 km).
  • Last Best Brewing & Distilling – This contemporary brew pub offers its own brand of in-house beer and delicious pub-fare. Happy hour every day 2-6pm. (1 km).
  • Trolley 5 – Two-level brewery where you can watch the brewing process from any seat. Outdoor patio spills onto the sidewalk and the hustle and bustle of 17th Avenue. (2 km).

Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops

  • Stephen Avenue Walk – Pedestrian mall that’s an energetic mix of retail, historical, and cultural destinations – all located on 8 Avenue SW, between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE. (500m).
  • CORE Shopping Centre – 140+ stores spanning several city blocks, including the flagship stores of Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen, Simons, and The Bay. Home to the Devonian Gardens. Weekends: Free parking for the first 3 hours (starting at mall opening) and a CA$2 flat rate applies thereafter. Weekdays: Free parking after 3 pm. Valet parking is complimentary, however parking fare (for stall) will still apply. (600m).

Nearby Attractions

  • Devonian Gardens – The top level of CORE shopping center is home to Devonian Gardens, a large and popular indoor botanical garden with a children’s play area. (400m).
  • Prince’s Island Park – Beautiful and popular island park with picnic spots and several gardens, and also where several festivals are held, including Canada Day celebrations and Calgary Folk Festival. The only way to get to the island is via one of the many pedestrian bridges. The bike and pedestrian Peace Bridge nearby is an architectural marvel. (1 km).
  • Calgary Tower – Observation tower offering fantastic 360-degree views of the city. For the brave, there is an area with a glass floor looking straight down. Also a restaurant/lounge which offers a full rotating view of the city as it revolves once every 45 minutes during lunchtime and every hour during dinner service. Tip: Your elevation fare is complimentary when you order an entrée from the restaurant. (1 km).
  • Studio Bell, National Music Centre – Museum of instruments and memorabilia with interactive exhibits for all ages. Test how good your singing really is in the sound booth, play various instruments, and tour the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Tons of cool artifacts. Some fun exhibits for the kids in the Bodyphonic gallery, especially where the room is the instrument and you see sound move as you use your hands and feet to control the tone. The kids love this one. (1.5 km).

Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores

  • Island Foods – Small shop in Eau Claire Market specializing in gourmet snacks, foods, chocolates, crackers, and imported cookies. (400m).
  • Safeway – Large supermarket with deli, bakery, and on-site Starbucks. (1.5 km).

The Westin Calgary – The Hotel

The hotel is located in a busy downtown neighborhood.

The hotel is located on the corner of 3rd St SW and 4th Ave SW.

The modern lobby is large but has limited seating.

The lobby is modern but seating is limited.

Deluxe Double rooms are small but comfortable.

Deluxe Double rooms are the smallest but are still comfortable with two double beds. All rooms have mini-fridges and in-room safes.

The bathrooms are modern and have bathtubs.

Their bathrooms are modern and come with bath and shower combos.

Main Tower King Rooms are modern and spacious.

King Rooms in the Main Tower are modern and spacious.

Bathrooms have shower cubicles.

They feature showers only.

The north-facing rooms in the Main Tower overlook the Eau Claire Market.

Main Tower rooms on the north side overlook the Eau Claire Market.

Business Tower rooms are better and offer complimentary breakfast for 1.

All the rooms in the Business Tower are an upgrade in both décor and room size. They also include hot and cold breakfast buffet for one person.

All Business Tower rooms come with bathtubs.

Bathrooms of all Business Tower rooms include bathtubs.

Business Tower King rooms are very spacious.

Business Tower King rooms are spacious and feature comfortable armchairs with footrests.

All rooms offer views of the busy downtown area.

Room views are urban. This room overlooks west across 3rd Street SW.

Junior Suites have large sitting areas.

The corner Junior Suites have large sitting areas with sofas and can be joined to either traditional or delux rooms for larger groups and families.

Bathrooms are big but do not feature bathtubs.

Junior Suite bathrooms are spacious but only feature large shower areas.

Essence Bistro is busy during breakfast.

The hotel restaurant, Essence Bistro, has a casual atmosphere.

Keg Steakhouse & Bar is a classy joint on-site.

The on-site Keg Steakhouse & Bar has an outdoor bar and heated patio.

Liquid Lounge features full-length windows.

Liquid Lounge in the lobb is bright with floor-to-ceiling windows and serves excellent cocktails.

The gym is split into 2 rooms by the pool.

The gym is an enclosed glass-walled room off the pool deck and offers a variety of cardio machines.

The second room has weights.

A second fitness room by the pool deck has free weights and a weights machine.

The Business Tower houses the indoor pool.

The heated pool is located on the top floor of the Business Tower and is not really convenient for guests staying in the Main Tower.

The pool deck offers views of downtown Calgary.

View from the pool deck looking east.

There are a lot of public art installations in the city.

Public art installations such as this can be found across downtown.

Studio Bell is the home of the National Music Centre.

Studio Bell, National Music Centre showcases musical instruments and has several fun interactive exhibits.

It has several interactive musical exhibits for children.

Some rooms act as musical instruments and kids, especially, have lots of fun using their hands and legs to play music.

OEB Breakfast Co. serves mostly egg-based breakfast dishes.

OEB Breakfast Co. serves excellent egg-inspired breakfast dishes in a cool space.

Rodney's is popular for oysters and seafood.

Rodney’s is renowned for its seafood, especially oysters.

Dean House Restaurant is popular for Afternoon Tea.

The historic Dean House Restaurant is known for its Afternoon Tea, a 30-minute walk from the hotel.

Last Best Brewing & Distilling serves its own craft beer.

Last Best Brewing & Distilling serves excellent in-house craft beer and pub-fare.

Trolley 5 is another great craft brewery.

The 2-level Trolley 5 brewery serves its own craft beer and has an outdoor patio as well.

Stephen Avenue is a large pedestrian mall on 8th Avenue SW.

8 Avenue SW, stretching between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE is a major pedestrian mall known as Stephen Avenue.

Devonian Gardens are located in the CORE Shopping Centre.

CORE Shopping Centre is huge and features Devonian Gardens as well as free parking.

Safeway supermarket has a deli, bakery, and Starbucks.

Safeway supermarket is popular because it also has an on-site deli, bakery, and Starbucks.

Prince's Island Park is a beautiful and very popular park in downtown Calgary.

Prince’s Island Park is a beautiful and very popular park in downtown Calgary.

The Peace Bridge is an iconic pedestrian bridge.

If you would rather see the Peace Bridge instead, continue walking west past the pedestrian bridge for about 12 minutes.

RiverWalk is a picturesque place to walk to ride a bike.

RiverWalk is an attractive 4 km (2.5 miles) urban pathway along the banks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. It’s a beautiful spot for a stroll or to ride a pedal/electric bike.

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Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.