Welcome to VancityAsks.com’s William Lake hotel guide.
About Williams Lake, British Columbia:
Williams Lake is a small town in interior BC with a population of around 20,000 but still the 2nd largest city within the Cariboo Region of interior British Columbia, second only to Quensel.
It was first established in late-1800s during the gold rush with initiative from BC’s government in Victoria, and faced several ups and downs finally to be built into the city it is with the BC Rail development through the city.
Today, it’s a beautiful city with plenty of natural landscape (as much of #BeautifulBC) along with the 2nd largest Stampede in Canada, the Williams Lake Stampede. It’s a small town with unique character while the weather averages around 20 Celsius annually dipping bellow 0 on the winter months. Thompson Rivers University also has a campus at Williams Lake, BC.
Best Tips for Booking Williams Lake Hotels:
Williams Lake, BC has only 9 hotels being a relatively small city in interior BC.
When should you book Williams Lake Hotel?
You’re unlikely to get any last minute deals at hotels in Williams Lake, BC due to the low frequency of bookings. Prices appear to remain pretty stable at an average of $100/night whether you’re booking 1 week in advance, 1 month in advance, or 6 months in advance.
However, with the low demand for Williams Lake hotel you should have no problem booking a hotel at Williams Lake on last minute notice (unless there’s a specific hotel you really want).
If you’re booking a Williams Lake Hotel during the Williams Lake Stampede, then be sure to book it 1 month in advance as demand would be higher and prices correspondingly increase as supply reduces.
If you’re booking during the winter months, there should be no problem booking hotels the day of your visit to Williams Lake, BC if you’re willing to take a risk – you’d likely save 10-25% on your last minute booking at Sandman Hotels & Suites Williams Lake and Hamilton Hotel provided they have ample supply of rooms available.
We would however recommend booking as soon as possible as rates don’t seem to fluctuate as much with small town hotels and prices are simply dependent on supply of rooms – meaning if more rooms are booked closer towards your visit, the prices will be higher.
Hotels in small cities like Williams Lake are generally very cheap already with little room for price discrimination.
Should you book Williams Lake Hotel direct? (Or use a travel agency?)
Of the 9 Williams Lake Hotels, 5 are popular hotel franchises/brands. If you’re looking to accumulate loyalty/status nights at Best Western, Coast hotels, or Wyndham, then you might wish to book direct. Sandman does not feature a loyalty program.
Even so, these loyalty programs at Wyndham, Best Western, and Coast Hotels are very lackluster and do not provide significant benefits for bigger loyalty programs as Marriott-SPG, Hilton, or Accor hotels might have – you would likely get better immediate value booking through an online travel agency.
It is better to book through an online travel agency like Trip.com who provide additional discount for your bookings with added customer service support. (Online travel agencies like Trip.com and Expedia.ca or Priceline.com often take around 30% of the booking as fees. They then offer a % of this back to their customers as a loyalty program of sorts.)
Cheapest Online Travel Agency to Book Williams Lake Hotel?
If you’re looking to book a hotel in Williams Lake, BC through an online travel agency – we prefer using Trip.com. As the new kids on the block (but a NASDAQ listed company) they often feature better perks or incentives to get new customers on board. (I’ve notice they sometimes seem to make hotels cheaper than their competitors just for the customer acquisition. They also offer Trip Coins for booking with members and member exclusive rates.)
However, in this instance – it appears that Trip.com has prices 1-2% higher than their competitors like Expedia.ca or Hotels.com. We would recommend booking through Hotels.com for their loyalty/rewards program which provides you one night free for every 10 nights.
5 Best Hotels in Williams Lake, BC:
1) Overall Best Williams Lake Hotel – Ramada By Wyndham Williams Lake:
Click here for Special Offer to Book Ramada by Wyndham Williams Lake
We never thought we’d be recommending a Ramada hotel in our best hotels recommendation because quite frankly, most Ramada hotels (and many Wyndham hotel brands) run towards the budget spectrum of hotels… often resulting in really bad value for guests – unless you enjoy cigarette burned carpets and derelict furnishings taking you back to the 1980s (when the hotels were probably built). Many of the Ramada hotels often find themselves in bad neighbourhoods as well, that’s almost as consistent as the careless service known with Ramada hotels – just look at Ramada in Vancouver or Victoria if you need an example. The Ramada in Vancouver has homeless sleeping regularly outside as does the Howard Johnson while the Ramada in Victoria is known to be in a questionable neighbourhood of Victoria, BC.
Nevertheless, this Ramada by Wyndham Williams Lake stands apart with clean rooms, great service, hot breakfast, and phenomenal value (good prices). The location is also conveniently located on the edge of Williams Lake downtown and walking distance to Williams Lake itself.
The rooms importantly are also newer than most hotel rooms in Williams Lake with modern furnishing and reasonably cleaned between each guest. The hot breakfast is a great added bonus to start your day right and make your visit to Williams Lake more enjoyable. The excellent and convenient location in Williams Lake is the icing on the cake providing easy access to downtown Williams Lake with dining options and a balance with nature walking to Williams Lake itself. The price is well on the money and averages around $125 a night.
Ramada by Wyndham Williams Lake is well deserving of our “Overall Best Williams Lake Hotel” feature.
Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154925-d183559-Reviews-Coast_Fraser_Inn-Williams_Lake_Cariboo_British_Columbia.html
Address: 1118 Lakeview Crescent, Williams Lake, BC V2G 1A3
2) Best Williams Lake Hotel for Families – Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake:
Click here for Special Offer to Book Sandman Hotel & Suites William Lake
We’ve recommend Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake as the #2 Best Hotel in Williams Lake for its (1) phenomenal location in the heart of downtown Williams Lake and the (2) nicely renovated newer rooms to provide a comfortable stay for your visit to Williams Lake, BC. (3) Excellent value as the price typically is slightly above $100 which provides excellent value for such location and hotel room in Williams Lake. You’re much better off spending the extra $30 and having a comfortable stay than cheap out with a budget hotel in Williams Lake like Stampeder’s Hotel or Hamilton Hotel leaving a bad taste to your Williams Lake visit.
While the main drawback is Sandman Hotels do not provide complementary breakfast as other hotels in Williams Lake do – which truly is a nice perk to have with hotel stays (why do you think airlines serve meals 2 hours before landing?) however its convenient location in Downtown Williams Lake mean dining options are aplenty and with the room rates typically $20 lower than Ramada by Wyndham Williams Lake, you could just think of it like a free breakfast! (not quite the same convenience nonetheless).
It’s still an excellent hotel in Williams Lake for families and business travelers who may prefer better rooms and location for their visit as Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake is known for. (As in better rooms than most other Williams Lake hotels – the Sandman Hotels brand takes great effort to regularly renovating their rooms to keep up with the mid-range hotel category). The suites hotel may also be much appreciate for families who would prefer cooking family meals in their room as a family activity especially with a grocery store nearby.
The Sandman Hotel & Suites is well deserving of being considered the #2 Best hotel in Williams Lake. Bright and clean rooms and friendly service located conveniently in Williams Lake with plentiful dining and leisure options.
Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154925-d182636-Reviews-Sandman_Hotel_Suites_Williams_Lake-Williams_Lake_Cariboo_British_Columbia.html
Address: 664 Oliver St, Williams Lake, BC V2G 1M6
3) Best Williams Lake Hotel for Local Experience – Coast Fraser Inn:
Click here for Special Offer to Book Coast Fraser Inn
Coast Hotels is another familiar BC hotel chain (although lacking behind the reputation of Sandman Hotels and Accent Inns in our opinion) and Coast Fraser Inn in Williams Lake, BC provides the reliability and quality you might come to expect of Coast Hotels.
The location of Coast Fraser Inn is conveniently situated in Williams Lake downtown with walking distance to many dining or amenities (including a fitness centre) with a Boston Pizza right besides the Williams Lake Hotel. There’s not much to complain about the locality where Coast Fraser Inn finds itself in Williams Lake – however it is not quite as convenient as Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake.
The big benefit that Coast Fraser Inn has going for it is the complementary hot breakfast, great local service (they truly emphasize a local experience) with personable service members, as well as standard rooms you would expect in a Williams Lake hotel. As with most aging hotel that might not have underwent a full renovation yet, your experience with regards to the room furnishing would be hit and miss but mostly good.
The Coast hotel brand is also big on sustainability so you will find big shampoo and soap bottles within all their hotels than the single use plastic disposables (Very BC-ian). If environmentally friendly practices are important to you then this is another reason to book at Coast Fraser Inn when visiting Williams Lake. Rooms are good but it is an aging hotel.
If you’re looking for a boutique hotel in Williams Lake and one that screams local, Coast Fraser Inn is likely your BEST choice for a Williams Lake hotel without taking the risk of ruining your stay in Williams Lake with a non-branded local hotel. (Another comparable option we considered was Dummondlodge but Coast Fraser Inn had better location, service, breakfast, and as a full service hotel with online booking makes your experience prior and during your stay much easier… than a manual booking required at Dummondlodge without price list.)
A night at Coast Fraser Inn averages around $125 which is similar to Ramada by Wyndham Williams Lake Hotel. Coast Fraser Inn is an excellent value for a local Williams Lake hotel with the consistency and quality you’d expect from a Coast branded hotel. While they also have a rewards program, you’re better off booking with an online travel agency that provides price guarantee an a discount through their rewards program.
Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154925-d183559-Reviews-or5-Coast_Fraser_Inn-Williams_Lake_Cariboo_British_Columbia.html
Address: 285 Donald Rd, Williams Lake, BC V2G 4K4
4) Best Williams Lake Hotel for Business Travelers – Best Western Williams Lake:
Click here for Special Offer to Book Best Western Williams Lake
The Best Western Williams Lake Hotel is generally the pricier option among hotels in Williams Lake with prices around $140+ during the off peak season. It is also one of the newer hotels in Williams Lake having opened in 2012 meaning guests can enjoy newer beds and rooms along with their amenities.
While the prices for Best Western Williams Lake are typically higher than previously mentioned options, they also garner a loyal list of customers who appreciate the mid-range hotel’s newer amenities. Most notable besides their indoor pool and hot tub is the complementary “continental” breakfast which serves a variety of hot and cold options including scrambled eggs, sausages, fresh waffle machine, fruits, yogurts, and of course coffee & juices.
The location of the Best Western in Williams Lake is far from ideal; while it has lake view and walking distance to Williams Lake – you are out from the downtown core with not many dining options in the vicinity (unlike Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake which provides many dining options within walking distance – sometimes after a long time on the road or a long day, it might be ideal to go for a leisurely stroll than another drive to find dining options). If you’re driving by through Williams Lake and looking for a rest or don’t mind a slight drive to downtown Williams Lake, the location is serene (except the highway) and fitting.
Best Western Williams Lake is very suitable for business travelers with newer property for comfort at slightly higher prices than other of the best hotels in Williams Lake we’ve mentioned, fast wifi and connectivity, along with a complementary full breakfast to start the day right! The rooms are good and service friendly so there’s not much to complain about staying at Best Western Williams Lake if you’re looking for a hotel in Williams Lake; the Best Western Williams Lake is especially fitting if you’re looking for a hotel in Williams Lake travelling on business. The breakfast here is much better than other Williams Lake hotels.
Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154925-d3199467-Reviews-Best_Western_Williams_Lake_Hotel-Williams_Lake_Cariboo_British_Columbia.html
Address: 1850 Broadway Ave S, Williams Lake, BC V2G 5G8
5) Best Cheap Williams Lake Hotel – Valleyview Motel:
Click here to Book Valleyview Motel – Cheap Williams Lake Hotel
Valleyview Motel in Williams Lake, British Columbia is a locally owned budget hotel/motel with views of William Lake right from your hotel room.
The hotel is not listed with most online travel agency and check-in closes at 10 PM so it is in your best interest to book a diferrent hotel in Williams Lake if you’re uncertain about your schedule. With this said, if you’re looking for a clean motel in Williams Lake with an unbelievable price then Valleyview Motel might be a reasonable choice to consider. The rates during off-peak season is as low as $60 a night.
At ValleyView Hotel in Williams Lake, you won’t find any fancy amenities or complementary breakfast – there isn’t many dining options in the direct vicinity either… however you’ll appreciate a clean and comfortable (albeit small) room for incredible value. The Williams Lake Hotel is very well located within reasonable distance to downtown Williams Lake and across from Williams Lake with many natural experiences to appreciate. Service is friendly and you’ll likely be dealing with the owner/operator. The motel is aged however, being one of the older motels in Williams Lake. We’ve mentioned it for it’s pricing, clean rooms, and location; it is the cheapest hotel in Williams Lake that you can still stay at reasonably safely. There is no coffee maker at the motel. This is your choice if you’re looking for the cheapest hotel in Williams Lake – than the alternative being Hamilton Hotel which makes this look like a three star hotel in comparison. It is located right on the highway so noise might be a concern.
(It’s no secret that we appreciate locally owned and operated businesses at VancityAsks.com. While a franchise is generally preferable when choosing a hotel because of its reliability, consistency, and standards (and your hotel or accommodations when visiting a city is not something you generally want to be adventurous and risk taking with) – we take any opportunity to highlight locally owned hotels/motels that provide a high standard of quality and consistency for guests. We hope to highlight one local property with each of our hotel guides in British Columbia. With this said, franchises, even local franchises such as Sandman Hotels or Accent Inns are still better choices when choosing accommodations for your travel – the quality and consistency of a franchise is something you’d appreciate.)
Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g154925-d10061212-Reviews-ValleyView_Motel-Williams_Lake_Cariboo_British_Columbia.html
Address: 1523 Hwy 97 South, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2W3
Complete Williams Lake Hotel Guide:
Juniper Trails Bed and Breakfast:
A homely bed and breakfast in Williams Lake that makes for phenomenal accommodations in Williams Lake, BC at a price of around $130/night. Modern furnishing with the comforts of home with limited availability – 3 rooms available at Juniper Trails Bed and Breakfast. Booking has to be made direct here: https://www.junipertrails.ca/Bed-Breakfast.html
It’s excellent bed and breakfast/accommodations in Williams Lake, the only reason it’s located within the Complete Williams Lake Hotel guide is because there are only three rooms available and booking cannot be done conveniently online. The rooms are immaculately cleaned and the lounge area provides fresh coffee/tea for guests to enjoy alongside delicious fresh baked goods and treats throughout the day. If you’re looking for a unique experience in Williams Lake, British Columbia – booking at this Bed and Breakfast will surely do the trick!
The location however is not idea for those looking to travel conveniently but ideal for those looking to find a getaway resort like experience in Williams Lake, BC.
Location – Bellow Average
Service – Above average
Rooms – Above average
Amenities – N/A
Price/Value – Good
Recommended Williams Lake B&B? Yes – Nice locally owned B&B. If you don’t mind the remote location in Williams Lake, the Juniper Trails B&B is a nice respite and something unique to experience only available in Williams Lake. You also get to appreciate coffee & baked goods throughout the day and a hearty breakfast to start your day in a rustic home with modern amenities and comforts. An excellent choice if you don’t mind shared common space, a little inconvenience with its location, or the added price comparative to options like Sandman Hotel & Suites Williams Lake.
Lakeside Motel:
Locally owned and operated highway motel with good location to Williams Lake but a distance from downtown Williams Lake without much amenities or food & beverage nearby. Cheap Williams Lake Hotel with very little to offer but friendly host/service.
Location – Bellow Average
Service – Above Average
Rooms – Average (old & run down but clean)
Amenities – Bellow Average (none but BBQ pit available)
Price/Value – Average
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? Yes – Nice locally owned hotel which may not have much to offer with but is clean with friendly & local service.
Drummondlodge Williams Lake Hotel:
Drummondlodge Williams Lake Hotel is a locally owned hotel walking distance to Williams Lake and downtown Williams Lake. The hotel only has 18 regular rooms and 6 large suites; bookings must be made direct on their website through a contact form. It’s a good hotel in Williams Lake, BC.
Location – Above average
Service – Above average
Rooms – Average
Amenities – Average
Price – Ok
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? Yes. Drummondlodge is a good Williams Lake Hotel but an added inconvenience by having to book direct than confirming your booking through Trip.com or Booking.com. It’s a hotel that would be hard to find as it is not listed on Trip Advisor unless you search specifically for it. The 24 room hotel is a locally owned Williams Lake hotel with nice rooms and friendly owner.
Super8 By Wyndham Williams Lake:
A little old and outdated hotel with bellow average accommodations at bellow average prices. Location is farther away from Downtown Williams Lake but located walking distance to Williams Lake. Not the first pick if you’re looking for hotels in Williams Lake, BC.
Location – Bellow average
Service – Average
Rooms – Bellow average
Amenities – Bellow average (with free breakfast)
Price – Good
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? – Yes. A typically Super 8 highway hotel with free breakfast but not an excellent location in Williams Lake, BC.
Slumber Lodge Williams Lake:
This hotel is not easily visible on most booking websites online but is truly a hidden gem of recency – since it was bought over in 2017 the new owner has taken to renovating the 21 room motel. Slumber Lodge Williams Lake may not provide the most comfortable accommodation in Williams Lake but it is undoubtedly the cheapest motel in Williams Lake that’s reasonable (something you can actually stay in reasonably, unlike Hamilton Hotel or Stampeder’s Motel) – rates are currently at $60/night CAD on Booking.com (the only online booking platform with Slumber Lodge Williams Lake)
Click here to book Slumber Lodge Williams Lake.
Location – Above average
Service – Slightly above Average
Rooms – Bellow average
Amenities – Bellow average
Price – Great
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? – Yes. Slumber Lodge Williams Lake is a cheap hotel in Williams Lake. It is not the average you’d expect but if you’re looking for a hotel in Williams Lake with a good location then Slumber Lodge Williams Lake might fit the bill with it’s recent renovations, certainly not the first choice, but a reasonable choice for the price of $60/night. The owner and front desk is friendly but expect run down rooms that could use plenty of improvements. Good location.
Blackbird Bay Bed & Breakfast:
Blackbird Bay Bed and Breakfast is another B&B with excellent reputation in Williams Lake, BC – it was however bought over in 2001 with wonderful new owners but a young family who has changed things around a little to make their family space a priority. The B&B does not provide a lounge area for guests (just your room) and breakfast spread is contention (wholewheat & multigrain bagels + cold cereal + juice). The bed & breakfast overlooks Williams Lake and walking distance to downtown Williams Lake, making it convenient and clean accommodation option. As wonderful as the family sounds who now own Blackbird Bay B&B… the changes however does make the price justification of staying at Blackbird Bay Bed & Breakfast; you’d be better off booking a good hotel in Williams Lake, BC with a hot breakfast option like Ramada Williams Lake for the same price. Bookings can be made by email here: https://www.bbcanada.com/325.html/OlcVk/
Location – Above average
Service – Average
Rooms – Above average
Amenities – Bellow average
Price – Average
Recommended Williams Lake B&B? No. As lovely as the family sounds and a great location for an B&B, the change with Blackbird Bay B&B has made the B&B an afterthought than a unique guest experience for visitors. When staying at a B&B and paying the price premium, guests should ideally experience something locally unique. The changes have made the B&B more like a transient short-term accommodation and the continental breakfast does not provide any redemptive features to the reduce accessibility for B&B guests. Visitors to Williams Lake, BC would be better served at a full service hotel with a hot breakfast for the same price like Ramada Williams Lake or Best Western Williams Lake – there is minimal amenities or guest interaction at the revised B&B. If you’re looking for a simple room at a fair price ($90/night) in a convenient location (overlooking Williams Lake and walking distance to downtown Williams Lake) without expectations of having much space accessibility then you might wish to book at Blackbird Bay B&B however the added hassle of booking manually doesn’t seem worthwhile with the current B&B. If you’re looking for a unique B&B in Williams Lake, BC then consider Juniper Trails Bed and Breakfast (without the same convenient location).
Hamilton Hotel – Williams Lake Motel:
Hamilton Hotel is a Williams Lake Motel with a good location but the epitome of a “hotel” you want to avoid. It has recently come under new management who have tried to spruce up the “hotel” but it appears to be mainly cosmetic fixes. The hotel is sloppy and lacking in every aspect you might want when looking for a Williams Lake Hotel. Prices are average at $100/night but value falls bellow.
Location – Above average
Service – Bellow Average
Rooms – Bellow average
Amenities – Bellow average
Price – Average
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? – No. Hamilton Hotel is not somewhere you want to be staying in Williams Lake.
Stampeder Motel – Williams Lake Motel:
Stampeder Motel is where you want to NOT stay when visiting Williams Lake, BC. Among questionable business practices, the motel is an older motel boasting many flaws including non-functioning smoke detectors in certain rooms as reported by previous guests. Location is average but just avoid it – definitely not worth the savings of $10-$20.
Location – Average
Service – Bellow Average
Rooms – Bellow average
Amenities – Bellow average
Price – Average
Recommended Williams Lake Hotel? – No. Stampeder Hotel is not somewhere you want to be staying in Williams Lake.