Is parking available at the property?

Free self-parking is available on-site, but it is limited. Guests do not need to make a reservation for parking.

Does the hotel allow pets?

Pets are allowed in specific rooms only, with a fee of CAD 30 per accommodation, which may vary based on the length of stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 3:00 PM to 10:30 PM, and check-out is by 11:00 AM. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available for a fee, subject to availability, and guests should contact the property in advance to request it.

What accessibility features does the hotel offer?

The property has limited wheelchair accessibility, including accessible parking and facilities. Step-free entrances are available, but specific details about accessible rooms and bathrooms are not provided.

What is the hotel's location in relation to nearby attractions?

The hotel is located next to a golf course and within a 5-minute walk of Cowichan Aquatic Centre and the World's Largest Hockey Stick. It is approximately 0.3 miles from Cowichan Performing Arts Centre and 0.5 miles from Vancouver Island University-Cowichan Campus.

Thunderbird Motor Inn in Duncan Canada

Average nightly price at Thunderbird Motor Inn by month, last 12 months (USD)
Month	Average price
January	$75
February	$82
March	$84
April	$81
May	$83
June	$92
July	$93
August	$94
September	$78
October	$73
November	$72
December	$73

What guests think

Thunderbird Motor Inn is an older, budget-friendly motor inn where many guests find basic rooms and strong showers, but repeatedly note the rough surrounding area with visible homelessness and clear signs of wear.

Staff feedback skews positive, with frequent mentions of friendly, helpful front desk and housekeeping, though some report unresponsive or limited desk hours and occasional booking or privacy issues. Rooms are basic and dated; mattress comfort ranges from great to hard or squeaky, and noise from traffic or thin walls can intrude, while simple in-room amenities like a fridge and microwave are common. Cleanliness reports vary widely, from spotless stays to serious problems such as pests, stains, and lingering odors or maintenance lapses. Best suited to travellers seeking a low-cost, no-frills stopover who are comfortable with a rougher urban setting.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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Facilities

Facilities are basic: free Wi-Fi, parking, and in-room essentials (fridge, microwave, AC), plus on-site laundry with limited hours. The attached diner’s availability appears inconsistent, and some report maintenance issues such as loose stairs or nonworking detectors.

Related guest reviews

8

Nancy

Jun 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It's been years since I stayed at a Motor Inn. I was surprised and impressed by how well appointed my room was. The bed was comfortable, there was a nice shower and tub and having a small fridge and microwave was a bonus. I didn't go to the York House Diner, the attached restaurant this time but I hear they make a very good breakfast. I'm sure I will be staying again.

4

Michael

Jul 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staircase leading to second floor rooms has loose treads and is dangerous. Stains in carpet and furniture lead to a bad first impression.

10

Michael

Sep 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A bit of homelessness in the area. the parking lot well lit in my car was fine. Did not feel unsafe walking past the unhoused.

6

Ron

Sep 21, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel offers free wi-fi, and laundry costs are very reasonable to use the washer & dryer, as is the cost to buy the detergent at the front desk. The staff is extremely friendly & helpful. I really enjoyed my stay here.

6

Kathleen

Jun 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Provided essentials ie. bed, shower, toilet. Area in which the motel is located is a bit rough. Unfortunately addicts hangin out on the block so id be pretty vigilant when walkin out at night. Tons of food options close by though. No functioning diner on site even though the sign outside still says it does lol. But if you’re just lookin for a bed for the night it suffices without feeling super grungy.

6

Shayne

Jul 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a perfectly okay place for an overnighter. The place is average looking, but the rooms are big, comfortable and clean. The surrounding area is little dodgy - there were homeless people all around the nearby streets. Highly recommend the diner next to the hotel - its awesome.

10

Oliver

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean and Easy to park.

6

Kaij

Jun 15, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Was there for a ball tournament and was unable to use the laundry facilities due to it being closed at 9. Area was super sketchy and I couldn’t find an ice machine. The beds were super uncomfortable and squeaked every time you moved.

8

Mike

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

No working smoke detectors in room

8

Edem

Aug 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Easy parking

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is inconsistent: many describe very clean rooms, but several report serious issues including pests, stains, and missed or superficial cleaning.

Related guest reviews

2

Derek

Sep 18, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Opened door and saw 2 maggots wiggling around. Fan in bathroom does not work. No cover on the bathroom ceiling light. Sink was out of position. Room looked neglected in upkeep. Night table lamp light would only sometimes work. They do not have cleaning staff while you stay there. Unsafe area of town with lots of street people around. Impression that there must be new owners that want your money, but won't return the service. Why is Expedia listing this motel on its site??

2

Kim

Oct 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Left a tag on our room to be cleaned at 8am got back at 5pm not cleaned. Bed bugs as well never again .

4

Navreet

Aug 20, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

We stayed at the property for two nights. We paid almost $400 (including taxes) for two night stay. The room had alive bed bugs. There were spider webs in the corners of the roof. The washroom door was getting stuck every time, as the hinges of the door were loose. Some of the light fixtures were not working. The bath tub was cracked. Towels provided were either ripped or still had some dirty spots. I went to the office to ask for new towels, I was given two towels, which were again ripped at the corners. I was told that they were running behind on the laundry. So overall, not worth the stay.

2

Sikander

Jul 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had dirty bed sheets, musty gross smell, tubs were dirty with brown ring around them, Baseboards dirty boogers on the walls and baseboards, insects crawling around, dirt and debris under sofa bed, tv not working, so much noise from the streets

8

Eugen

Jan 7, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

It's a simple motel with no airs or graces. But as clean as a whistle, with lovely mattresses and bedding. Excellent bathroom water pressure and hot hot showers too. PLUS, it's the best value you'll find in the whole of B.C. !!

10

Deborah

May 3, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was clean and bright, the hotel is well maintained. I have stayed at more expensive hotels that were not as nice. The bed and pillows were very comfortable and the sheets are quality high thread count that are very nice to sleep in. The fresh clean smell when I first entered the room was very welcoming, staff there must have aired out the room before I arrived.

10

Alona

Aug 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very clean!!!

2

Oliver

Jan 12, 2025

·

Well the pictures were nice and the girl at the front desk when we checked in was lovely. We saw the room and it was fairly sketchy with many layers of mattress covers. We immediately checked everything for bed bug evidence with flashlights given the odd coverings. We found no evidence. We woke up the next morning and found blood stains on the beds and pillows and found bed bugs scurrying away from us. We immediately got our things and got out of the room but it was bit late by then. When the manager was told he refunded the room but since our belongings couldn’t come in the car with us safely and we couldn’t just take the bugs to a new hotel the next night we had to throw many of our belongings away which couldn’t be heat treated safely in the small hotel dryers. As it’s hard to bring trash bags on a plane instead of luggage, this is quite a challenging situation. The manager essentially told us nothing could be done about it but he did say he would heat treat the room (which is only a band-aid solution). The whole hotel will likely have them given the state of the walls and the lack of full treatment for the building. Given the other reviews we found after we left clearly he hasn’t had luck with ridding the hotel of them yet for the last few years. Don’t come here unless you want to bring friends home. If you’re looking for a cheap stay include replacement of all your bags, shoes, outerwear, and any clothing you can’t put in a dryer for a few hours.

2

Lisa

Sep 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We found bedbugs around 10pm and the motel office closes at 9pm so there was no one to assist us. This is awful customer service and a safety concern for the property and all the occupants. We had to leave in the middle of the night and drive to a brand name hotel and pay again, where we knew we would has assistance should anything happen. I expect a full refund.

4

Jamie

Oct 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Mouse infested. Droppings all over bathroom sink and countertops.

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Rooms

Rooms are dated and no-frills; mattress comfort ranges from great to hard or squeaky, and noise from traffic or thin walls can intrude, while some rooms are spacious and showers have strong pressure.

Related guest reviews

6

Gordon

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

At first when we checked in we were given a corner room upstairs. No natural light and couldn’t be more further away from the stairs on both ends so carrying all the luggage and a baby was going to be difficult. Immediately went down to ask to switch rooms. We asked for a couple of different options but were told that they were saved for some regulars which didn’t seem fair as we were there first. Some bug traps in the outlets and beds were firm. Definitely a motel feel.

10

John

Nov 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great room. Spacious

6

Kevin

Jun 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Check in easy. Bed creaky. Great shower pressure.

6

Deborah

Jun 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Other than the noise at night, relatively comfortable.

4

Melissa

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I booked 9 rooms for a business trip most rooms were ok. Beds are hard, bathrooms were clean, but everything is pretty run down and in need of a refresh

6

Perry

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Property is quiet being next to a major highway and no one really bothers you

8

Rainy

Aug 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was very clean and the staff were very friendly. Unfortunately, the bed was uncomfortable and left us with back sore. the location next to the main road made it quite noisy at night.

8

Navjot kumar

Jul 31, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

AC makes lot of noises

8

Dailene

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

An older property but very clean and kept up. Bed was comfortable and the bedding and towels good quality. Microwave and heating/cooling unit in the room worked well. Easy walk to food and coffee. Good price. Would definitely stay there again.

6

Nathan

Jul 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Shower was amazing. Great pressure and temperature. Thin walls and door make it quite noisy if it’s busy or people wake up before you.

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Service

Service is generally friendly and helpful at check-in and from housekeeping, though some guests encountered booking errors, limited desk hours, or privacy concerns.

Related guest reviews

10

Bruce

Sep 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Kerry gave excellent service. The cleaning staff were lovely.

6

Grant

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Thunderbird Motor Inn is old and shows it. Bathtub tax dripped, vanity taps were loose, cleaning was superficial, security minimal. Motel is also in an area where there are many homeless people. They caused no problem for us but it wasn’t a comfortable area to walk. Staff were very helpful and responsive, but there wasn’t much they could do. After we left, my wife discovered her cell phone was missing and we went back to the Motel to see if it had been left there. Staff were very helpful to us as we searched (unsuccessfully) for the phone. We later found it packed in a suitcase (oops) but want to thank the staff (office and cleaning) who helped us look for it.

8

Hugh

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The reception staff was nice and helpful and the room is very clean. For the price it was excellent.

10

Terry

May 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Areena was wonderful, made our stay great

8

Shirley

Jun 11, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Didn’t like just receiving one key! The young man who checked us in was very kind in pointing us to a very nice restaurant…it was delicious!

10

James

Jul 20, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Affordable, very friendly staff, and clean accommodation.

2

Parmvir

Sep 22, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Absolutely incompetent staff ! They were unable to find out booking from the itinerary number & the Hotels.com confirmation. We will refrain from using this place again.

10

Scott

Nov 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice place. Nice room. Kind, friendly and helpful staff.

4

Lindsay

Sep 21, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Desk not open 24 h was closed at 9:15 am on a weekday. Bad area lots of homeless. Room not cleaned when requested. Staff entered when do not disturb sign was on and touched our belongings, huge invasion of privacy, front desk staff rude and not helpful if they even bother showing up or answering phone. Local amenities closed/in poor condition.

2

Lisa

Sep 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We found bedbugs around 10pm and the motel office closes at 9pm so there was no one to assist us. This is awful customer service and a safety concern for the property and all the occupants. We had to leave in the middle of the night and drive to a brand name hotel and pay again, where we knew we would has assistance should anything happen. I expect a full refund.

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Location

Convenient to the highway, downtown, and eateries, but many note a rough streetscape with visible homelessness and occasional late-night noise or sirens.

Related guest reviews

6

Erika

Sep 4, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Old, not well cared for, terrible area

10

yvonne

Jul 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Property was clean and staff excellent but the area was uncomfortable with people sleeping on the sidewalk

6

kyle

Jul 29, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Locatoin is good, but area has lots of homeless people in the area.

8

James

Jul 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Near everything

4

isaiah

Aug 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very noisy was woken up by sirens multiple times. A lot of homeless on and around property.

10

Gower

Jun 9, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Close to everything for shopping and central location

8

Dawn

Jul 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Convenient. Close to the highway. Not the nicest area of the city

10

Bo

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

very convenient location

8

Angela

Jul 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great service and quite rooms. Rougher area of Duncan but typical for cities these days, my husband had to park in an outer parking spot to the road and we’re pretty sure his back truck tire was urinated on, so that wasn’t super awesome lol

8

Melissa

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

It's located in a strategic area, also next to the homeless. The room floors are not mopped, I had to clean it twice myself. Staff are super friendly and nice

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Dining

Dining is mixed: some praise the on-site diner and mention plenty of nearby options, while others found it closed or the immediate area lacking appealing choices.

Related guest reviews

8

Herman

Jul 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property itself is good, but the street condition around it may not always be that pleasant. Still, It is close to the sports centre and swimming pool and several restaurants so the location is not bad. However, there was basically no public transportation at all. I cannot see any buses, and I cannot use uber, so I ended up calling Duncan country cabs, which was great.

8

Nancy

Jun 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It's been years since I stayed at a Motor Inn. I was surprised and impressed by how well appointed my room was. The bed was comfortable, there was a nice shower and tub and having a small fridge and microwave was a bonus. I didn't go to the York House Diner, the attached restaurant this time but I hear they make a very good breakfast. I'm sure I will be staying again.

10

Joyce

Jun 25, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property itself was older, but well maintained and clean. The staff members are polite, friendly and happy to assist you. There is a lovely Diner on the property with delicious meals and very friendly staff. Some of the property in the surrounding area is run dot with homeless people laying on sidewalks.

6

Kathleen

Aug 13, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The location is good for us. Also dining options within walking distance are handy. Fairly quiet. Towels and bedding were nice. The in-room coffee was good. This is an older motel, that hasn’t been maintained very well. It needs some attention. It’s expensive for what you get, but the Island is ridiculously expensive in the summer. Still….shouldn't be so pricey IMHO.

6

Kathleen

Jun 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Provided essentials ie. bed, shower, toilet. Area in which the motel is located is a bit rough. Unfortunately addicts hangin out on the block so id be pretty vigilant when walkin out at night. Tons of food options close by though. No functioning diner on site even though the sign outside still says it does lol. But if you’re just lookin for a bed for the night it suffices without feeling super grungy.

6

Shayne

Jul 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a perfectly okay place for an overnighter. The place is average looking, but the rooms are big, comfortable and clean. The surrounding area is little dodgy - there were homeless people all around the nearby streets. Highly recommend the diner next to the hotel - its awesome.

8

Shirley

Jun 11, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Didn’t like just receiving one key! The young man who checked us in was very kind in pointing us to a very nice restaurant…it was delicious!

8

Ronald

Apr 22, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean and accommodating. Not great dining in the area but it's an old style motel. I see a boutique motel in its future.

8

Nancy

Aug 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The people were great and helpful. The area is run down and a little noisy, but lots of eating establishments in the area.

8

Rebecca

Jun 18, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was small and clean. This is not a pretentious inn. It's a little down at the heels. Pleasant, courteous and helpful front desk staff. Laundry room YAY! We were on our bicycles and drenched from the rain, but one washer ran very hot on the cold setting. Comfortable beds and clean bedding. Fridge and microwave, basic coffee set up. Great pressure in shower. Bicyclist-friendly. Lots of great restaurants easily walked and bicycled to.

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29 $88	30 $89

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13 $99	14 $88	15 $99	16 $89	17 $88	18 $89	19 $89
20 $89	21 $99	22 $89	23 $89	24 $89	25 $88	26 $88
27 $89	28 $88	29 $89	30 $88	31 $89

Thunderbird Motor Inn

Prices for Thunderbird Motor Inn

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

2 Queen Beds

Room, 1 King Bed

1 Queen Bed

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Kitchenette

Room, 1 Queen Bed with Sofa Bed, Kitchenette

Guest reviews of Thunderbird Motor Inn

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

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Good to know

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FAQs about Thunderbird Motor Inn

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