Any hotels or B&Bs near the University of Winnipeg?

Question

I have just three working days to complete some research at the library there, though I'm hoping to squeeze in a trip to the Winnipeg Art Gallery and St. Boniface Cathedral. I've already read answers at this forum re downtown Winnipeg, also heard from a reliable source that the place has turned into the armpit of hell: but I'm experienced traveler and a city girl, so I don't scare easily. Still, I'll be traveling alone on this trip and want a place that's relatively safe and quiet.

The University's website is surprisingly unhelpful: no hostels, dorm rooms to let, housing for visiting scholars?

Please don't suggest airport or suburban hotels: I'm driving, not flying in. I also don't want to waste time commuting into town and getting lost trying to find parking.

I'm also wondering if it's glove and boot weather there yet. I'm from Minnesota and can suck up anything winter throws at me, but I hate not being prepared.

Chunga: Got it, must make a note to myself not to bring sniffing rags.

I'm not too concerned about the cost (shame on me) because it's being covered by a grant. I'm not looking for luxury, however: just a clean, quiet room, no bugs, no drunks.

Rastabeenz: I forgot, Canada uses the metric system. I'll have to remember to bring my converter, though my car doesn't have KM markers on the speedometer. I wonder if I get pulled over for speeding, the cops will accept the excuse, "I didn't know how much 30 KM meant!"

Answer 1

There's a couple of drop-in centers in the vicinity. The only downside to staying there, is the doorman makes you turn in your sniffing rags. These are rags that are dipped in solvent
used by many of the street people to get high with. Before entering, you must hand them over!
All kidding aside, but downtown Winnipeg has turned into a sh**hole.

University of Winnipeg:
http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/

Manitoba Museum:
http://www.manitobamuseum.ca/

Saint Boniface Cathedral:
http://www.venite.ca/

Winnipeg Art Gallery:
http://www.wag.mb.ca/

'The Fort Gary Hotel' is nice. Very historic, though it maybe a bit pricey from what I recall. It's about 6 blocks from U of W:
http://www.fortgarryhotel.com/

Then there's the 'Viscount Gort Hotel', which I'm sure will be less expensive than the Fort Gary, and It's maybe a 10 minute drive up Portage ave from U of W:
http://www.viscount-gort.com/

There's also the Canad-Inn on St. Matthews Ave. It's close to the main drag, Portage Avenue, and would also be around a 10 minute drive to U of W. They're are a chain of really great Winnipeg Hotels, and very reasonably priced. Great rooms, and a pool with a slide!
I stayed in one three years ago. Breakfast was $1.69 - two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. You must buy a coffee in order to obtain this deal. Otherwise it's $3.00!
I would recommend if you want to save a few bucks:
http://www.canadinns.com/polopark/index.php?

As far as weather goes, if you live in Minneapolis, that's only 500 miles from Winnipeg. The weather is very similar to that of the twin cities. This time of year it will be around 65F. It could be warmer, or it could be cooler. Bring a nice fall jacket, a couple sweaters, some snow shoes (just kidding), and a hockey stick to kill the mosquitoes! Actually, by this time of the year they shouldn't be bad.

Here's the local news papers, so you can keep tabs on the weather. Winnipeg Free Press:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/local/index.htm
Winnipeg Sun:
http://www.winnipegsun.com/

Here's the forecast:
http://weather.canoe.ca/Weather/CityWinnipegMB.html
So they're somewhere around 60F at 5pm.

This is an excellent online map service, similar to map quest:
http://www.mytelus.com/maps/

Hope that helps!

Edit:
Just found these Bed and Breakfasts. East Gate, and West Gate are streets located in very posh, exclusive, high end neighborhoods. Might be a nice place to stay? There are several B&B's here. The other addresses seem a little to far from where you want to be. 'Cowan's Castle Winnipeg' looks pretty good. Very close to the Provincial Parliament buildings, U of W, the art gallery and the Museum of Man and Nature (Manitoba Museum):
http://www.winnipeglodging.worldweb.com/BedBreakfasts/

Edit - Here's a map showing the directions from U of W to the Fort Gary Hotel (see 'end' in red letters)
http://www.mytelus.com/maps/direction.do;jsessionid=984F7A4472573B91640674312618B66D?street1=515+PORTAGE+AVENUE&city1=WINNIPEG&province1=MB&lat1=49.89023&long1=-97.15302&street2=222+BROADWAY&city2=WINNIPEG&province2=MB&lat2=49.88816&long2=-97.13755&routeOpt=fastest&scale=12000&cLat=49.889195&cLng=-97.145285
It's a whole 2.8 minute drive.

Hey 'Fred C', or should I call you 'Mr. Exclamation'! Who said the Fort Gary was on Portage Ave?? I said the Viscount Gort was on Portage Ave. Learn to read!

Answer 2

The previous answer has some decent places to go.

I go to U of W, unfortunately it is plagued with the lack of space problem. It's a small urban campus with several interconnected (and not connected buildings) spanning several blocks. I live "in residence", which is actually rented out floors for university students in a retirement home 3 blocks away. So dorm rooms and hostels are not an option outside of the summer months, the only places they have are what's leased to student now (three houses and the floors in this building). That said, I would suggest calling the housing office, 204-786-9900 . The office has great staff, I know a few weeks ago there were a couple empty apartments on one of the upper floors in this building, maybe they can arrange something for you.

Safe and quiet around U of W isn't easy to find. I'm an experienced traveller as well, a guy as well and I don't feel comfortable walking the streets late at night. Downtown winnipeg is absolutely dead at night, there isn't much of a social nightlife in downtown itself. Most of the good clubs and bars are just outside the area. What that equates to is empty dark streets. There's a serious homeless (usually drunk/high on sniffing glue or household cleaners) and gang issue around the U of W area, I know you say you don't scare easily, but you really don't want to be alone as a girl (nor a guy) on these streets at night.

If you're coming now, the weather is pretty good. We are having variable days, even felt like summer last week. Right now it's about 12c outside (9pm), the temp range has been 5c - 25c in the past 3 weeks. If you're from Minnesota, you should be use to what these winters can offer. Last year I believe it snowed here in mid October, so there's no telling what could happen in a few weeks.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

The closest nice place is the Holiday Inn Downtown Winnipeg, basically 1 block from the U of W, and 2 blocks from the art gallery.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/ywgcs;jsessionid=TWKMAHNJJKCFGCTGWAJCIIQKM0YBUIY4?_requestid=72478

Speed limits are not hard, just remember a few quick and close conversions, and you won't get a ticket.
30 km/hr is just under 20 mph
50 km/hr is almost exactly 30 mph
90 km/hr is almost exactly 55 mph
100 km/hr is just over 60 mph


Fort Garry Hotel, by the way, is about 15 walking or driving blocks from U of W, it is not on Portage, it is on Broadway!

Edit
If the Fort Garry was straight north of it's actual position, it would be about 10 blocks from the U of W. Because it is south of Portage, on Broadway, the actual distance is actually about 15 blocks. This is why I have recommended the holiday Inn, you don't have to drive to the U from there, you just saunter a nice block or 2, leave your car in the parkade behind the hotel.
The Viscount Gort is a nice enough hotel, but it is a definite commute,.