The Best Family-Friendly Fredericton Hotels with Pools

Location, location, location—Fredericton’s Crowne Plaza-Lord Beaverbrook is the hands down winner when it comes the ideal site for lodgings in Fredericton. The dapper hotel sits on the banks of the Saint John River in the heart of the downtown surrounded by the city’s major attractions, streetscapes and historic sites and buildings.

The hotel is next door to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, which has a surprisingly large and engaging collection for such a small city. Across the street, the 700-seat Fredericton Playhouse presents everything from jazz to children’s entertainment.

A couple of blocks down Fredericton’s very walkable streets is the city’s historic district. Officer’s Square hosts live outdoor events like a daily summer theatre series, films under the stars, festivals and a changing of the guard ceremony. The soldiers dressed in period red uniforms marching with muskets to the skirl of the bagpipes will definitely impress the kids. That is, if you can get them out of the hotel.

The Crowne Plaza is a great place for families to chill. Built in 1946, it radiates class from the moment you walk through the front doors. A double staircase with ornate black iron balustrades leads from the lobby to the mezzanine and twin crystal chandeliers illuminate the way.

Following recent renovations, the rooms are updated with bright, modern bathrooms and comfortable places to hang out, like the back patio overlooking the river and the sizable pool. It has a shallow end for the little ones and marked lanes for laps. A second smaller version has built-in benches, perfect for parents and the littlest kids to safely splash about.

When I stay at the Crowne Plaza, I eat in because The James Joyce Pub is well tapped in to the booming craft beer scene in the city – literally. Some 36 taps show off the best of Fredericton and New Brunswick breweries.

On the other side of Fredericton’s downtown, there’s another equally inviting riverside hotel. If you tell the kids it has not one, but two pools, they’ll no doubt endorse this choice. The side-by-side swimming pool and wading pool at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Fredericton have sweeping views of the river through floor-to-ceiling church-style windows. At the back of the hotel, the patio is a great place for summer dining, overlooking the river and the outdoor pool.

At the Delta’s Urban Grill, there’s an emphasis on local and fresh. On a recent stay, I bumped into the chef at the bustling Boyce Farmers Market, shopping for the restaurant. All the local farmers and other producers knew him by name.

A nice way to end the day at the Delta is to walk out onto the dock that extends into the river and watch the sunset. With wide swaths of lawn broken up only by trees and skirted by the Riverfront Trail, there’s enough green space between the hotel and the grand Government House—the stately home of New Brunswick’s Lieutenant Governor—to keep kids busy exploring for hours.

Across the street from Government House, Wilmot Park adds to the green space near the hotel. The size of several city blocks, the park has a splash pad, tennis and basketball courts and an outdoor exercise zone, along with loads of grassy room to roam among shady trees.

A number of independent and favourite chain hotels are concentrated in the uptown Fredericton neighbourhood just off the Trans Canada highway. This is where you’ll find Fredericton’s main shopping malls, box stores, and cinemas.

One of the best locations in the uptown belongs to the Fredericton Inn. At the junction of the Fredericton Bypass and Highway 101, much of that shopping is within walking distance. Uptown Fredericton is a short five-minute drive to the downtown, so the Fredericton Inn and the others in this neighbourhood are still very close to all the action.

The Brass Rail Restaurant, where the simple, well-made, affordable food comes in generous portions, is a favourite among locals – especially for the buffet.

Fredericton Inn’s indoor pool and teardrop hot tub with seats at various levels are just right for families with younger children. Following recent renovations, the pool area is bright and well furnished, making for a pleasant area to relax and watch the kids enjoy themselves.

It’s the big orange slide at the Hampton Inn and Suites Fredericton that gets the kids begging to stay another night.

The pool is great for soaking, the poolside lounge chairs for lounging, and both for watching the kids take the long and winding trip down the monster slide. Because it gently comes to an end rather than dropping kids into the pool, it’s worry free in terms of safety and the comfort of others in the pool.

The many windows and the recessed overhead soft lighting make for a bright and relaxed atmosphere. For those with mobility challenges, there’s a convenient hoist for access to the pool – just one of the many ways the Hampton takes accessibility seriously.

Tropical-themed murals in the pool room at the Best Western Plus Fredericton Hotel and Suites will please the kids, with views of swaying palm trees, waves rolling into beaches and dolphins frolicking in the sea. The artist who painted the murals made them to appeal to children by painting them in a cartoonish style that makes them more playful than lifelike.

The room, which also includes a hot tub, is bright and nicely laid out with comfortable patio furniture.

The menu in the dining room was also created with families in mind. Kids can get their fill of treats like chicken tenders, mozza sticks and mac and cheese balls. For more varied menus, Fredericton’s largest mall and several restaurants are within walking distance, and downtown is a short five-minute drive down the hill.

When I pull up to the Silverwood Inn and Suites, ten kilometers west of Fredericton on quiet highway 102, I feel like I should be driving a wood panel station wagon. The motor hotel-style Silverwood provokes a sense of nostalgia.

The rooms, however, are fully up to date, simple with soft accent lighting, modern bathrooms, and in the suites, a fully equipped kitchen.

The outdoor pool in front of the inn, with its big shady trees that keep the drinks cool, adds to the retro feel. The Silverwood is simply a classic.

Luckily for traveling families on a budget that simply must have a swimming pool in their plans, there’s Hotel UNB Fredericton Accommodations at the University of New Brunswick. Of course, rooms are simple and clean, housing students when classes are in.

The pool, however, is much larger than any hotel can offer. In fact, it’s Olympic size with six 25-metre lanes for varsity competitions. It’s kept at a warm 27C. This is the pool for teens and parents looking for a real workout or just lots of room to swim freely. If you’re traveling with one of those competitive, young swimmers, this is the place to stay.

Because the pool is in a university recreation complex, every sport imaginable is accommodated, and day passes are just $10. UNB summer accommodations are available from May to August.

If the a pool is no longer a priority, the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Fredericton is a great choice for families looking for a calm getaway. You’ll want to drop the luggage the minute you’re in the lobby and claim the super long curved leather sofa in front of the equally long and ultra chic fireplace. Pause long enough to grab a bag of popcorn from the little movie theatre-style popper. When it’s time to head to the room, you’ll find it stylishly designed and furnished with accents like chrome lamps with rectangular white lampshades and in the bathrooms, a wrought iron-style towel rack.