revrnd Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Two questions: 1) Is the Commado Shores B & B still open? 2) South & west of town, we noticed the Panda Buffet & Motel billboards (w/ a Hwy 11 West address), but didn't recall seeing a business signed as such. On the way home I saw that the restaurant to the east of the Chimo Motel is the Panda Buffet. Is the Chimo changed hands? It didn't look good as there were only a couple of vehicles near the motel whille the Westway parking lots were full of sled trailers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I looked for this on the way through. The Panda Restaurant is Restaurant and Motel now. Was this where the Chimo was? It is a good thing that apeXMAN was driving so that I could pay attention as it is not easy to see unless you are looking for it. No idea on what it is like, though. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 Dave, the Chimo sign was still up in front of the motel. The Panda sign is vertical out front of the restaurant next door to the east, not really noticeable. Googling Panda... & no real internet presence, nor mention of a motel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 The Panda sign on either the roof or over the door does say Motel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 The Panda sign on either the roof or over the door does say Motel. I think I saw that. The rooms may be on the east or south side as no doors on the west side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whits-end Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 We've eaten Chinese food at the Panda for several years, including this February. Always been good. This time the waitress gave us a business card and said "Please tell your friends." I noticed after we got home the card said 'Restaurant and Motel', but didn't notice where the rooms were while we were there. Also, we didn't know it was called the Panda. Maybe a new name? It almost seemed like the waitress was a new owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 The billboards looked fairly new. I don't recall seeing them during the summer of '14 when I was thru there. Mind you I was hauling my travel trailer, so I was paying more attention to the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 One more question, there appears south of the highway beside the Frederick House River, a building that looks like a motel. Any idea what it's name may have been? There was no signage, so I'm assuming it may be a longer term rental business now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Another question, looking @ the link that Nunz' posted in the other Cochrane thread, what is the sled access like for the Best Western & the Station Inn? Do you just run the streets to get to them & from where? There wasn't much snow anywhere in town. I can't imagine sparking along to the trails (several trailers @ the BW) from that location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 In speaking to Bill Froud a couple of years ago, I believe he said that there is usually enough snow parallel to the tracks during the season to get to the trail. Late season could be an issue though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Years ago, when we stayed in town (Best Western or Station Inn) we just ran the snow beside the tracks. Didn't like the second floor (tight stairwell) and relatively small rooms at Station Inn so only stayed there once. Best Western was fine... Westway was simply more wide open, plenty of sleds and camaraderie. Sledjunk and I went up to Cochrane on consecutive Spring weekends one year. Lots of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyr Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 We've eaten Chinese food at the Panda for several years, including this February. Always been good. This time the waitress gave us a business card and said "Please tell your friends." I noticed after we got home the card said 'Restaurant and Motel', but didn't notice where the rooms were while we were there. Also, we didn't know it was called the Panda. Maybe a new name? It almost seemed like the waitress was a new owner. Apparently the Panda has a few motel rooms for rent. I talked to a guy on the weekend who was staying there and said the rooms were actually quite nice but was pissed off when he had to pay to use the hot tub out back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whits-end Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Heard this week that some guys actually moved from Westway over to Panda 'cuz they were $20 cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 On 3/25/2016 at 10:20 PM, scottyr said: Apparently the Panda has a few motel rooms for rent. So it's a separate business from the Chimo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 Yes, it is. I spoke to the owner (same as the Panda Restaurant). These rooms used to be part of Chimo but are now separate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 There are/ were 6-8 rooms in the rear of the same building as the restaurant. Some of them used to be called suites years ago but I'm not sure they were all that special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 1 hour ago, sledjunk said: Yes, it is. I spoke to the owner (same as the Panda Restaurant). These rooms used to be part of Chimo but are now separate. Thanks SJ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobills Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Just spoke with the Swan castle in cochrane and they have built a locked compound on site for sleds. Just thought people would want to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Swan Castle had a locked compound when we stayed there 5 years ago. It was small - wonder if when you / they say "have built" they mean built a larger one. It only held 4 or 5 sleds back then. Snow built up inside, and you couldn't fit many sleds. Enjoyed staying there, but preferred Westway because sleds parked out front. Stairs and interior at Swan Castle (not as bad as Station Inn across the street, but still a distance from your sleds). There's just a 'degree of difference' between all Cochrane accommodations. North Adventure Inn was cold (we had the last room in the hall, cinder block walls), dirty carpets and greasy food; Swan was a typical Best Western setup; Station Inn was loud with tiny rooms and Westway seems to have pride of ownership/ Tim Horton's next door and you can walk to the rib joint. Met some great sledders at Westway and NAI and those friendships have endured. Heck, Lep from this forum once leaned into my helmet / face while I was leaned over pumping gas at Canadian Tire and yelled a big 'hello'. Big guy - spooked me lol. He was with a different group, but because we hadn't seen each other in a while I filled the tank right to the top talking to him (burped it , etc.) for what I thought would be a short trip to La Reine, Quebec. That extra fuel helped in a towing situation later that afternoon/evening. Good karma. Thanks for the heads up re Swan Castle and the sled compound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 A big X2 on the westway Canuck. Brian has treated us very good over the years and I will be pretty hard pressed to leave for another local place. Had a lengthy discussion with the new owners of the NAI at the sled show, and they seemed pretty up beat about the place, but I just cannot get over our last stay there when we had the OC group ride.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinental couch Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 IQ,I am assuming that it was a less than stellar visit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 3 hours ago, catinental couch said: IQ,I am assuming that it was a less than stellar visit? To put it mildly!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 We are going to stay there and give them the benefit of a second chance with the new owners, we chatted with him at the show and they seemed really nice, the heated garage for the sleds is a added bonus for sure, if its not up to par then I will certainly let you guys know. It would be nice to see it somehow returned to its glory days when John built it many years ago.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 2 hours ago, Nunz said: We are going to stay there and give them the benefit of a second chance with the new owners, we chatted with him at the show and they seemed really nice, the heated garage for the sleds is a added bonus for sure, if its not up to par then I will certainly let you guys know. It would be nice to see it somehow returned to its glory days when John built it many years ago.. I wish you guys the best of luck, and have no ill feelings for the new owners. They have big hurdles to overcome, and I only wish them the best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris1 Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 So there are new owners of the NAI again?That place changes owners every year,it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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