I'll start by saying don't waste your time, and go to the hotel MacDonald brunch instead. The hidden fees, horrendous service, and ugly setting of the Royal Glenora, make paying more for the MacDonald Brunch, more than worth the trade.
My husband and I were excited to try the Royal Glenora for their brunch. As we're currently looking into the various clubs in the Edmonton area. However we were immediately put off upon seeing the painfully dated interior.
We went to the hostess, and were asked the name on our reservation by the woman there. At which point my husband realized that when he'd called, no one had asked for his name. Another couple, and a hostess approached while we gave the woman our last name, to see if the reservation was under that, and in the middle of our interaction, she simply turned to the other couple, dismissed us, and proceeded to walk the other couple into the dining hall to seat them. Leaving us standing there with our mouths hanging open. The other lady at the desk saw our faces, and asked us for the name on our reservation. At which point we explained the same thing we had said to the previous woman, before she had suddenly walked away. She found our reservation for us, and lead us to be seated.
We entered the Braemar hall, which like the rest of the building that we'd seen, was extremely dated. Possessing an out of place looking set of modern chandeliers, in a room that appeared to have remained otherwise unchanged since the 1960's.
Our server came and offered us coffee, tea, and orange juice. Then told us that there was a bar where we could get other drinks lije mimosas, in another room. She did not however tell us the location of this other room. She poured my husband and I our tea, and coffee, and walked away. She also did not bother to tell us whether brunch was buffet style (there was no buffet in the hall), or if it was an order menu. Nor did she give us any cream.
My husband then went out to the hostess(who had seated us originally), who told us the buffet was in the room across the hall.
We got our food, and returned to our table. Finding no sign of the brunch beverage bar, and found that we still had no cream our beverages. Nor did we have salt or pepper. My husband saw another server not far from us(the same one who'd walked away while we were figuring out our reservation), and attempted to politely get her attention. She made direct eye contact with him three times as he raised his hand(the universal gesture to get a server's attention), before turning around and ignoring him. Despite the fact that she was empty handed, and walked to the hostess desk, to stand there doing nothing.
My husband got up, and walked over to her in order to request the cream, salt, and pepper. She then said that she would go get them He also asked about the beverage bar, and someone (not sure if it was the same woman) said they would get them for us. Apparently our server was supposed to have offered to take our drink orders.
By the time we got our cream, our drinks were so cold that the sugar wouldn't dissolve. We ate our mediocre at best food. It was the first time I've ever had to salt a crab leg to eat it.
At one point, a server broke a cup in the main entry of the hall. Then we saw four separate servers walk right past it without clearing it. Even though there were guests walking in and out with children.
We finished our meal quickly, then went to pay our bill. As our server never returned. When my husband was given our bill, he found that there was an 18$ service fee, that was not mentioned in the pricing on their website. Which seems ridiculous, as we received no service. To be frank, we are normally very generous tippers. Given the abominable service we'd had, we for the first time EVER had decided not to tip.
I would not return, and would dissuade others from coming here. Why anyone would pay between $5000-$8000 a year for base membership to this club, is beyond me.