Sleep Inn: Home away from home

It was a recent Saturday evening that I was invited to experience the stellar hospitality of the well appointed Sleep Inn for myself as a way of research for this story, a little ‘staycation’ if you will!

It soon became apparent why they are recent winners of the prestigious Gold Award for Choice Hotels! 

From the moment I arrived, I was greeted warmly by staff and immediately felt like a member of the Sleep Inn family, which explains why they have so many repeat guests.   

A personalized note left in my room with all of the staff names was an example of the little things Sleep Inn is known to do to make guests smile. I know it sure made me smile! 

In speaking to general manager Kelly Walker, she explained that from when she took over as GM, one of the first things she aimed to instill is a culture of being passionate about customer service and that she has done in spades. 

Kelly has always been incredibly dedicated to providing exceptional customer service from her many years in the hospitality industry and right from the get go, she has been involved in all aspects of the hotel operation and leads by example.

She explained that when training staff she frequently uses the 3, 4, 5 analogy telling staff that yes, the Sleep Inn might be classified as a 3 star hotel based on the amenities it has,  but based on how staff interact with guests, guests will have a 4 star experience which then leads to a 5 star memory!   This is great advice for any business!

When Kelly became GM, there was still a lack of awareness of the Sleep Inn with not as many people being aware of the brand since it is more popular in the United States.  It is why she and the team have worked hard to change that and are so involved in the community so that fewer people will say “hmm, the Sleep Inn …is that the one by the library?”  

Through their volunteerism and active presence on social media, Kelly and team have really worked hard to raise the profile of this gem in downtown Sault Ste. Marie.   Their reputation for being clean, affordable and conveniently located  is quickly making them a go-to for repeat guests. 

The Sleep Inn is one of four Choice Hotel properties in Sault Ste. Marie that Choice Privileges members can choose from and when it comes to what they offer in comparison to the other big three in Sault Ste. Marie, it would be expected that “on paper” they might not be the first choice, yet Kelly is proud to say that because of the cleanliness, the homey feeling, the friendly service, the affordable rates, the little extras they often do, they do get the Choice Privileges and Choice Privileges Elite bookings quite often! 

One thing they excel at is hearing their customers and ensuring feedback received doesn’t fall on deaf ears.  She explained that if customers suggest something to improve their offerings they will do whatever they can to make it happen and if by chance, it is not in the budget or immediately possible, they then add it to future plans.  They go out of their way to wow their guests and create exceptional and memorable experiences for them. 

A recent guest described their stay in these words, “During our trip across Canada, the Sleep Inn Hotel was 100 per cent the best hotel we stopped at.  Rooms were clean, new and nice. Service at the front desk was so friendly and professional which is what really made the stay nice. The hotel is located in a very safe area.  We didn’t have any stress about our vehicle or safety in our room. This is how every hotel should function! Stay here if you can and you won’t regret it!”

Now that my friends says a lot and having experienced the hospitality myself, it is 100 per cent accurate!  All guests receive complimentary breakfast and all guestrooms have either a king-size bed or two double-size beds, fridge, microwave, pod coffee/tea maker, iron/board, oversized shower, free Wi-Fi and free local AND long distance calls.  There is also a sauna and exercise room available for guests.

Community means a lot to the team at Sleep Inn and they often volunteer at community causes because it feels good to do so but also because it is fun for staff and excellent for team building. Some of the community events they have supported are the Ontario Special Olympics, the Downtown Association’s Street Parties,  the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, Crank the Shield, the SSM Poker Run and the Ultra Trail Stokely Creek event to name a few.  Staff also regularly volunteer at the Soo Greyhound games assisting with 50/50 sales.   If there is an event happening, they will do their best to support it! The hotel also donates to the Soup Kitchen regularly when they have over ripe bananas or items close to their expiry date that they know can be used by the Soup Kitchen. 

The hotel offers excellent long term stay rates which locals can take advantage of if, for example their house sale closes earlier than they thought.  There are 59 rooms available and some are designated pet friendly which is a great selling point for those traveling with their four-legged furry companions.  Rest assured that the rooms receive a deep cleaning process after every stay! 

Kelly also wanted to remind people that they excel at group accommodations especially hockey, football, soccer, and film crews and will even make arrangements for free passes for pool time for groups staying with them (at the John Rhodes Community Center) if there is free time available at the pool.  Kelly will even set up what she affectionately calls the penalty box for their hockey groups which serves as their social room. (pre-Covid).

It is the special things they do that makes them memorable and a home away from home.  Staff have even been known to cook home cooked meals for their regular guests such as meatloaf, lasagna and pasta dinners.  She jokes that they have regular guests from Pickle Lake so recently as a fun little surprise she had “pickle soup” from Big Lake Cabin waiting for them in their room. 

Supporting local businesses as much as possible when they are aiming to wow guests is something that is very important to the Sleep Inn team as well.

Follow the Sleep Inn on Facebook and Instagram to see what they are up to.

Sleep Inn…your home away from home!