Toronto Hotel For A First Timer
March 25, 2016 10:11 PM Subscribe
We're visiting Toronto for the first time! We need a place to stay for two weeks! We don't know what to look for in a hotel aside from a nice place, but I'd like something fun and the SO would like a quiet place with lots of amenities (think wifi and breakfasts) that isn't too, in his words, "werid". All suggestions open and none of us drive, so public transit links/ access to typical tourist tat are key.
Response by poster: Pretty central to public transit since I said none of us drive! So wherever that is!
posted by The Whelk at 10:21 PM on March 25, 2016
posted by The Whelk at 10:21 PM on March 25, 2016
there is a little b&b that I walk past all the time, and I've always thought what a great location it's at - very downtown, close to a lot of fun stuff, and on a little side street that is all nice restaurants. It might be just what you're looking for.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:27 PM on March 25, 2016
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:27 PM on March 25, 2016
seriously---the delta chelsea--it's cheap and it's nice nd it is so downtown. http://www.chelseatoronto.com/en/.
posted by PinkMoose at 11:52 PM on March 25, 2016
posted by PinkMoose at 11:52 PM on March 25, 2016
Hotels that are fun and hotels that are quiet and offer free breakfast are not so much the same hotels. If you just want something quite central, from which you can arrive at the fun easily, I agree with PinkMoose that the Chelsea is a good choice. It's central, it's generic, it won't offend anyone. It doesn't offer free breakfast, unless you're staying in the club rooms, though. For something trying a little harder to be hip, you might try the Pantages. It's super central and quite nice. Less central, less quiet, way more hip would be the Drake or the Gladstone. They're a streetcar ride away from most of the major attractions, but are artier and younger leaning.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:44 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by jacquilynne at 12:44 AM on March 26, 2016
Yes, I'm not sure that the Drake or Gladstone qualify as "quiet". They both are bars/restaurants first, (small) hotels second. As a Torontoian, I don't have firsthand experience staying in hotels here.
There's the Thompson which is very chic with bottle-service crowd rooftop bar. It is near King St west which Has a lot of restos and bars.
There's Ocho on Spadina which is a great location - near Chinatown, and Kensington Market as well as Queen St shops.
The Royal York is the grand dame of Toronto hotels and is beautiful. Right across from the train station true.
But yes, the Chelsea is popular, cheap and central. It is where people stay when they visit for my work.
Anything from Bloor street south to Front street and between Bathurst to the west and Jarvis to the east is pretty good in terms of transit. I will note that Jarvis itself has a number of hotels but that the neighbourhood is not that great.
The Sheraton is very nice inside and is across from City Hall, the Eatons Centre and close to everything else. I also know they have a nice pool area from friends who have stayed there.
posted by girlpublisher at 3:58 AM on March 26, 2016
There's the Thompson which is very chic with bottle-service crowd rooftop bar. It is near King St west which Has a lot of restos and bars.
There's Ocho on Spadina which is a great location - near Chinatown, and Kensington Market as well as Queen St shops.
The Royal York is the grand dame of Toronto hotels and is beautiful. Right across from the train station true.
But yes, the Chelsea is popular, cheap and central. It is where people stay when they visit for my work.
Anything from Bloor street south to Front street and between Bathurst to the west and Jarvis to the east is pretty good in terms of transit. I will note that Jarvis itself has a number of hotels but that the neighbourhood is not that great.
The Sheraton is very nice inside and is across from City Hall, the Eatons Centre and close to everything else. I also know they have a nice pool area from friends who have stayed there.
posted by girlpublisher at 3:58 AM on March 26, 2016
I had a great experience at the Marriott Eaton Centre. The subway has 3 stops in the mall, and the Canadian Tire store is right down the street. Dundas has tons of great little restaurants. The renovated rooms are large and comfortable. There's a Denny's for breakfast, although the Canadian breakfast in the hotel's restaurant was pretty fantastic. (the Hash Browns!)
This is a typical, North American hotel, but it was warm, welcoming and honestly, as I get older, 'charming' and 'funky' gives way to 'quiet' and 'comfortable'.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:00 AM on March 26, 2016
This is a typical, North American hotel, but it was warm, welcoming and honestly, as I get older, 'charming' and 'funky' gives way to 'quiet' and 'comfortable'.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:00 AM on March 26, 2016
My last two stays in Toronto I stayed at One King West. The location can't be beat. It's a very nice hotel and has great character. Not a cheap stay (got a discount the first time and stayed with a wedding party the second) but a very nice hotel.
posted by GilvearSt at 5:48 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by GilvearSt at 5:48 AM on March 26, 2016
Depending on when you're here you can have my apartment. Otherwise I'd recommend, for your tastes, the Windsor Arms.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:01 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:01 AM on March 26, 2016
Cambridge Suites is a little older, walkable to Eaton Center, financial district and easy transit. When I have stayed in TO for a couple of months for work they put me up there. Nice staff, good breakfast but what I really liked was that all the rooms are suites. It's nice to have a distinct living and bedroom when you're there for more than a couple days.
posted by MandaSayGrr at 6:51 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by MandaSayGrr at 6:51 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Chelsea is generally the easiest recommendation for Toronto hotels because it ticks the most boxes. It's right in the middle of downtown, it's nice in the "it's a big box but a nicely appointed big box" sort of hotel way, it's not terribly expensive (although if you want to spend a little more the upgrades are nice), and it has a waterslide, which may not be something one is interested in but come on, so many hotels don't have a waterslide.
The Cambridge Suites are very nice, well appointed, roomy, clean and well-staffed. The downside is that their starting price point is about double that of the Chelsea's. Not outrageously expensive, but you are paying a little more for a nicer hotel.
The Pantages is a little run-down for what you're paying, and like a lot of the smaller hotels in Toronto it's more of an aparthotel with full kitchen type deal rather than a standard hotel with room service/restaurant. If this is what you want, I would suggest the Cosmopolitan instead; same level of disinterested service (or, if you prefer, "allows you your privacy"), but better prices and nicer accommodations.
Finally, the Grand Hotel on Jarvis is comparable to the Cambridge on price, is consistently praised for its service, has nice amenities (rooftop hot tubs) and is generally what you expect from any hotel calling itself Grand.
posted by mightygodking at 4:11 PM on March 26, 2016
The Cambridge Suites are very nice, well appointed, roomy, clean and well-staffed. The downside is that their starting price point is about double that of the Chelsea's. Not outrageously expensive, but you are paying a little more for a nicer hotel.
The Pantages is a little run-down for what you're paying, and like a lot of the smaller hotels in Toronto it's more of an aparthotel with full kitchen type deal rather than a standard hotel with room service/restaurant. If this is what you want, I would suggest the Cosmopolitan instead; same level of disinterested service (or, if you prefer, "allows you your privacy"), but better prices and nicer accommodations.
Finally, the Grand Hotel on Jarvis is comparable to the Cambridge on price, is consistently praised for its service, has nice amenities (rooftop hot tubs) and is generally what you expect from any hotel calling itself Grand.
posted by mightygodking at 4:11 PM on March 26, 2016
People in our neighbourhood love Jare's Place, if you could do with a B&B. It's right on the Queen streetcar line and you'd be living like a Torontonian. Otherise, yes - the Grand Hotel on Jarvis is a lovely stay. And, just for a wild card - our clients love when we put them up at the Gladstone Hotel, in case you two want to split the difference and do one week of fun and one week of quiet.
posted by peagood at 6:11 PM on March 26, 2016
posted by peagood at 6:11 PM on March 26, 2016
I think that Gladstone is terribly terribly loud, and I think that the Drake is nightmare in terms of actually sleeping. Panages is shabby, and not shabby chic. The 70s era interior garden of the Sheraton is genuinely lovely. I also think the Royal York is overpriced, but the thing is huge and must have sales.
posted by PinkMoose at 9:09 PM on March 26, 2016
posted by PinkMoose at 9:09 PM on March 26, 2016
Also, has the neighbourhood around the Grand been cleaned up, because I always worry a bit about saftey at night there?
posted by PinkMoose at 9:10 PM on March 26, 2016
posted by PinkMoose at 9:10 PM on March 26, 2016
I live like a block away from the grand. It's vaguely sketch but not dangerously so; TIFF uses it for b-listers during the festival.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:16 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:16 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Sonic_Molson at 10:17 PM on March 25, 2016