Can I stay in a lighthouse or somewhere equally cool in Nova Scotia?

August 6, 2007 6:25 PM

I would like to stay someplace nice and interesting in Halifax, NS for three days in September. Help me find it?

I'll be in Nova Scotia Sept 17-23. I have read the Halifax and Nova Scotia threads and am sure I will have lots of wonderful things to see and do. I'm going to be giving a few talks in NS, so the second half of my weeklong trip is taken care of lodging-wise (two nights in Antigonish and then back to Halifax for a night). I am looking for someplace nifty to stay with a few requirements and a few don't-cares. If anyone could recommend places they've liked, keeping in mind that it's sort of touristy season, I'd appreciate it. Here's what I'm looking for

- B&B or Hotel/Hostel with free wifi (not just "available" wifi, there's two of us), two beds (me and sister), walking distance from downtown Halifax. Interesting a plus. Weird a double plus. Old and funky preferable to new and soulless. $100-200/night is my range but I'd pay (a little) more for someplace really worth it. I'd pass up the wifi if I could stay in a lighthouse or on a barge or something. Similarly I might look outside of Halifax for a place that just screamed awesome but not likely.
- Don't care about parking, brand name places, free breakfast, poshness, view, or much else really. This will just be home base as we wander around and do stuff.

I've checked TripAdvisor, the B&B pages, Hotels.com and the like so I have a general list of decent-seeming places. I'm looking either for good "we went here and it rocked!" recommendations or "I've always wanted to try this weird place because it has this funky characteristic." Thank you.

posted by jessamyn to Travel & Transportation around Halifax, NS (13 answers total)

Best answer: I used to live in Halifax, and usually crash with friends when I go back so I've never stayed at any of the places I'm about to recommend, but here goes anyhow...

Waverley Inn

The Halliburton

I have friends who stayed at the Waverley and loved it. I don't know anyone who has stayed at te Halliburton, though I have eaten at the restaurant there and it was amazing.

I know the Waverley has free wifi for sure. The Halliburton mentions complimentary internet on their website but it's rather vague about the specifics. Both are walking distance from downtown.
posted by sanitycheck at 6:45 PM on August 6, 2007

Best answer: A very bookish friend of mine lives in Halifax, and he is often happy to open his home to visitors. He's also an incredibly good cook.. would you like me to inquire?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:20 PM on August 6, 2007

Response by poster: DNAB - if he can put up two people who would prefer not to share a bed, then yes, certainly! sanitycheck, thank you very much, the Waverly was just what I was looking for but for some crazy reason is booked that Monday night entirely.
posted by jessamyn at 8:02 PM on August 6, 2007

Dalhousie rents its dorms out in the summer. I don't know if that period will be over by the time you get there. It's most likely going to be somewhere that's a fairly modern design, but Dalhousie is in the heart of a really pretty section of Halifax. They also sell network access, and even with network access, you're probably looking at something close to $100 a night.
posted by oaf at 8:16 PM on August 6, 2007

I vote for the Halliburton. We (friends, Mr. Smalltown Girl and I) stayed there a few years ago and loved the amenities, hospitality AND great restaurant. Also, since we were bicycling all over NS and didn't want to wear our shiny hiney shorts everywhere, the hotel was ideally located. They even let us park our bikes in a storeroom when we weren't riding. How nice!
posted by Smalltown Girl at 8:41 PM on August 6, 2007

lived in Halifax a number of years ago. Halliburton was good then (don' know since).
posted by kch at 9:04 PM on August 6, 2007

Another former resident who hasn't stayed in any Halifax hotels except one unremarkable one across from the Citadel (Cambridge Suites, perfectly fine except utterly boring). However I can with a certain amount of confidence say that there's no lighthouses, barges, etc. to stay in in the area. If you moved outside the Halifax area there are plenty of nice-looking B&Bs scattered around, but nothing special enough to take you out of being in the city (and may not have wi-fi).

If you don't mind a bit of a walk, there have always seemed to be some interesting places a bit north of the city as well, such as this one as a random example, up on Gottingen et al. Also I know I always saw lots of nice-looking ones that I haven't the faintest idea of the names for down south of downtown, near the Lord Nelson hotel, Barrington St and to the west. Those neighbourhoods might be more interesting than the straight downtown/Citadel area.
posted by livii at 12:14 AM on August 7, 2007

I've never been and don't know the area, but there's supposed to be some cool architecture in Halifax. Ghost Lab comes to mind. (Google Images)
posted by Chris4d at 9:31 AM on August 7, 2007

Best answer: Fresh Start B&B might fit the bill, or maybe the Seawatch Inn, but their site doesn't say about the Internet.

It's too bad you won't be able to stay in Train Station Inn -- it's about two hours from Halifax but looks amazing!
posted by loiseau at 7:18 PM on August 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. We checked out a few of the B&Bs and tried the Halliburton but it was totally booked that Monday. So we're going to go with the Lord Nelson for the 18th and 19th and make the drive to the Train Station Inn on the first night because life's too short to not sleep in a caboose!
posted by jessamyn at 2:34 PM on August 8, 2007

Best answer: You might be able to check out this: Atlantic Film Festival (Sept 13-22) ... director Albert Maysles and composer Mychael Danna will be in town those days.

Other local oddities:
* cheap $4 (return) harbour cruise (unless there is a strike)
* Canada's Next Great Neighbourhoods: Agricola Street
* Lost & Found Store
* John W. Doull antiquarian, rare & used books bought and sold & sister store The Jade W: Dry Goods & Investigations
* Taz Records
* Gallery Deluxe Gallery (recently scanned Globe & Mail Article)
* Economy Shoe Shop (bar, popular hang out of the Halifamous)
* Wooden Monkey (organic restaurant)
* Biscuit General Store (clothing, etc)
* authentic lobster supper (out of town, though)
* Bubble's Mansion (for fans of the Trailer Park Boys only)

Other sources:
* The Coast
* Halifax Herald
* Daily News
* Halifax Locals
posted by boost ventilator at 6:12 PM on September 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I have posted a Halifax meetup inquiry in MeTa for anyone who still sees updates to this thread.
posted by jessamyn at 6:51 PM on September 13, 2007

Response by poster: loiseau, thank you very much. I loved the Train Station Inn.
posted by jessamyn at 8:44 AM on September 18, 2007