Myself and four buddies on a roadtrip happened upon this hotel by chance. We were looking for a hotel taht was nearby a casino that we wanted to visit. We found a listing for the Holiday Inn Downtown Calgary. When we called them we were put through to the Arts. They told us that The Arts had bought the Holiday Inn recently.

When we got there, we were very impressed. It looked like some major renovations had been done. Everything was very stylish. The lobby had a great decor. I think we were most impressed when we got to our room. Last September, I stayed at the brand new Wynn hotel in Las Vegas. The rooms at the Hotel Arts compared favorably. The beds had plush down pillows and comforters, there was a patio over-looking the pool, and there was huge flat screen TV on the wall.

Another feature of the hotel that we enjoyed was the pool area. It is directly attached the martini bar, so when you are sitting around the pool, the waitresses come around to take drink and food orders. We spent one beautiful afternoon at the pool side drinking highballs, and we ended up having a great meal. Including drinks, our bill was probably $80 each but it was well worth. The food was high quality. I had the pan seared sable fish which was quite tasty (although less than I would normally eat). My other friends has the lamb dish and one had the chicken breast (all of which looked great).

The staff at the hotel was always very friendly when we were entering or exiting the hotel.

The only complaint that we would possibly have came from a misunderstanding at the front desk. When we checked-in, my friend asked specifically twice how much it would cost for two nights. They quoted him a little over $200 which sounded too good to be true given the quality of the hotel. We found out on check out that it was too good to be true. It turns out that they were quoting him the nightly rate. Ooops. He paid it after they showed him that he had signed a form agreeing to that price, but wasn't too happy with the fact that they didn't make it a bit clearer.

Besides that everything about this hotel was dynomite. I think I would probably stay there again knowing that the rate was over $200 per night....as long as my friend was paying. :)

As soon as I entered the hotel I was impressed. The decor was stunning; very modern but cozy. The room was very nice as well. The bed was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. I enjoyed a drink at the poolside before spending the evening in the chic Raw bar. The music was refreshing & the ambiance was inviting. I would highly recommend this location to those looking for a beautiful & chic hotel get away. Even if you live in Calgary stay there & get away from the ordinary.

I recently stayed at the Hotel Arts for an entire month and it was absolutely wonderful. The staff was so friendly and accomodating, the room and the hotel in general was beautiful (hard to believe it used to be a Holiday Inn), and the location was perfect - between downtown and 17th Ave (shopping/restaurant district) and very close to Stampede Park. And the price was very reasonable. Oh, and the BED!!! The most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in. As far as I am concerned, this is THE place to stay in Calgary.
In response to some of the unfavorable reviews... yes, the pool area is sometimes booked for private functions, but there were plenty of times I saw people swimming/sunbathing. And as for the safety of the surrounding area, I never felt unsafe and I was always out walking by myself.
I HIGHLY recommend this hotel. Hotel Arts, keep up the good work!!

Just a note to anyone looking forward to the pool at Hotel Arts in Calgary, just as I was. Pool hours 8am-10pm are okay, but it was very dirty in the morning. When I asked whether someone was going to clean it, I got a blank look from the desk staff, and was just told 'yes, the pool is open'. In the evening, the pool seems to be part of their restaurant, as the deck was always full of well dressed people sipping cocktails. This makes it practically unuseable, unless you like to be at the centre of attention in a bathing suit. I doubt children would be appreciated.

Other than that it was ok, if over-priced.