InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Toronto Intercontinental

I am going to be staying at the Toronto Intercontinental on front St. and I was wondering if anybody had a positive experience there. I joined the Ambassador club hoping to get some additional benefits. I usually stay at Hiltons because I am a diamond member, but this one is next to the convention center and the Hilton is a few blocks away. Thanks for any input.

I am going to be staying at the Toronto Intercontinental on front St. and I was wondering if anybody had a positive experience there. I joined the Ambassador club hoping to get some additional benefits. I usually stay at Hiltons because I am a diamond member, but this one is next to the convention center and the Hilton is a few blocks away. Thanks for any input.

Eric, you might want to edit your profile and put some spaces in there - the formatting looks awful!

As for the hotel, I stayed there last October with the family, just as standard members. Got a very reasonable upgrade to a 2 floor suite (hotel was sold out), but the room looked very dated. Common areas have been revamped however.

In summary I wasn't overly impressed and probably wouldn't stay there again, but if you're at the convention centre then you need to account for the convenience.

I stayed there last year as an Ambassador. Received a Club room and welcome basket. Personnel were very outgoing in attending to my needs (though I had few!) Room was quite nice with a view of the CN Tower.

The limo service to my meetings was great as the rest of my party had to walk in the rain from their hotel.

I would stay again.

Thanks..I fixed my profile.
I am going for a Firefighters Convention and Booked the $550.00 2 story suite using my Free weekend certificate. I thought 2 nights in the suite for 275.00 a night average wasn't too bad. I am a little nervous now that you said it was outdated. I thought I would surprise my wife. I am curious what benefits the Ambassador status will give me in this type of room and hopefully I will somehow get my hands on a Royal Ambassador certificate prior to leaving because I am going to be in a regular room for the rest of the week.

I stay at the hotel all the time. All the public areas and most of the rooms have been renovated in the past few years. There are a few dated looking rooms left but I've never been given one since I became an Ambassador. As an Ambassador my upgrade was always to Jr. Suite or One Bedroom Suite. As a Royal Ambassors it's always a One Bedroom Suite or Club Floor (with lounge access) if the hotel is full and no suites are available. The staff is excellent and I feel like I'm treated well, although I do stay here a few times a month and the staff now recognize me. I've stayed at many worse properties in the IC chain, I have no reservations recommending this location.

I may stay at the property in a couple of weeks with the wife. Is their Club reasonable in terms of seating space (some ICs have overly crowded lounges), food selection, etc. ?

Thanks..I fixed my profile.
I am going for a Firefighters Convention and Booked the $550.00 2 story suite using my Free weekend certificate. I thought 2 nights in the suite for 275.00 a night average wasn't too bad. I am a little nervous now that you said it was outdated. I thought I would surprise my wife. I am curious what benefits the Ambassador status will give me in this type of room and hopefully I will somehow get my hands on a Royal Ambassador certificate prior to leaving because I am going to be in a regular room for the rest of the week.

Eric - the room was clean and functional, but it just felt like i'd gone back 20 years! Almost expected to find an Atari games console in the corner.

The two floor suite we had was great, but make sure when you take your bags there you go to the top floor (where the bedroom is). We didn't do this and instead had to schlep the cases up a spiral staircase!

The view was non-descript as the room we had was on a low floor, although this was very convenient for the pool/spa. To be honest though, almost a case of too much space in the room - I mean there's a dining table in there that would seat six or even eight. (Might be useful if you decide to host some illicit poker party...)

This property started life as L'HOTEL, the flagship of the then-CN HOTELS group which was bought out by the CP HOTELS group which in turn bought FAIRMONT and changed its operating name to FAIRMONT HOTELS. Because the CP HOTEL's flagship Canadian property was the ROYAL YORK, two blocks to the east of L'HOTEL on Front Street, the property was sold to the HI folks and became a CROWNE PLAZA. As Swiss Tony observes, the hotel was built and state of the art in the mid-70s and though upgraded over the years, has not been touched outside of public areas for a decade -- though a slow refurbishing and updating is taking place to keep it at IC standards versus CP levels.

Since I live in Toronto, I have not stayed there since the time it was L'HOTEL and I do recall the GOLD ENTREE level rooms and suites about which he speaks when they were new. I used to enjoy using the hotel when visiting (and not living in Toronto) though not during Conventions unless I was attending that convention.

You will be convenient to many night attractions, bars and restaurants, up both John Street and Gretsky Way to King Street. Your wife will find it a bit of a walk to the shopping areas on Yonge Street between Queen and Dundas streets, but it's a fast cab ride, or short walk to the Union Station subway and up the Yonge line to this district, or take the University line to Museum and you'll be at Yorkville and the higher end Bloor/Bay shopping district.

The Hotel is connected to Toronto's indoor PATH system, though you must walk through the upper level of the Convention centre -- on a ramp over the exhibition hall -- and then through the Skyway to Union Station. From there follow the signs to the GO/subway stations and continue north along the underground PATH system. This will snake under office towers and shopping arcades to the Eaton Centre (aforementioned Queen/Dundas district).

You'll also find restaurants and pubs further east along Front street past the Yonge to Jarvis, and below the St. Lawrence arts centre on Esplanade. For shopping supplies, there is a 24-hour DOMINION in this area, as well as a Liquor Store, and the St. Lawrence Market for more "natural" foods (closed Sundayand Monday, and after 6p). There is also a smaller Liquor Store in the lower level of Union Station en route to the PATH system.

For the best selection of microbrews on tap, try C'est What on Front at Church, good food too; or less comfortable, Smokeless Joes on John Street above Adelaide -- opposite Hooters.

Enjoy the city. I guess we can feel safe with all you firefighters in town...and the single women can certainly look forward to some new hunk material!

Thanks for all the info from everybody. I really appreciate it. My wife and I will be the only ones from the group on sat, but I think I will host a card party on Sun for my fellow Firefighters.
Thanks

When I stayed there as a Royal Ambassador using the 2 for 1 certificate on a breakfast included rate, I was upgraded to a Jr. Suite without club access (but had free mini bar from RA). The breakfast rate was only good for 1 day and not for the free day but it was rather nice with lots of smoked salmon :D The welcome gift was fruits with a small box of chocolate. I had a view of the CN tower but it was a cloudy day so not that nice.

I've stayed there as an RA twice so far. I gotta say I really like the hotel and I get a pretty decent rate with my corporate rate. If you happen to be RA this is one where EVERYTHING in the mini-bar/snack bar is free ie all the candy/chips etc in addition to soft drinks and alcohol. As an RA both times I've been upgraded to a suite but not to the club floor. Last suite I had was basically 2 rooms made into a suite by opening the adjoining door :). The first suite was a corner room with a great view of the CN tower right outside of my room. The hotel seems to have been renovated fairly recently and is really nice. Overall I would definitely recommend it as a good place to stay in Toronto.

Looks like I have to become an RA somehow! I am staying there in June and August. Thanks for all the info.

We expect to entertain some people during our stay in TO, so Club access would be very useful. Was anyone able to get it as an RA? If so, any tips re which staff members to contact re this matter?

I've only been given an RA upgrade with Club access when no suites were available. And then additional guests in the Club Lounge (your first is free) are $20.

For entertaining guests I far prefer the one bedroom suite (which is the standard RA upgrade at this hotel). It gives you a separate living room which comfortabily sits 6-8 and of course the free min-bar.

I am heading to Toronto to see my beloved Red Sox play the Jays and need to be close to the Rogers center. Am I right in that this is right next door, walking distance? :confused:

If so it'd be great as there are rooms available for point redemption and I'll still have my RA status then, before it expires....mini-bar watch out! ;)

This hotel okay on reward nights for RAs?

Yes, there is an enclosed walkway to "ROGERS Centre" or the SKYDOME as we stallwarts still call it. It runs through and behind the Convention Centre. (There is a hotel attached directly to the stadium at the Spadina end of the block from the IC.)

BTW, since Boston just played here earlier this past week, I assume you'll be coming for the September games. Let me know if you'd like to meet up with some local FTers...a few of us are planning to go to the Friday night game if we can get enough tickets in the same section.

BTW, since Boston just played here earlier this past week, I assume you'll be coming for the September games. Let me know if you'd like to meet up with some local FTers...a few of us are planning to go to the Friday night game if we can get enough tickets in the same section.

Yep, we'll be heading up for the September games of course. ;) I'll drop you a PM when I get plans finalized. ^

Okay, so I've got a reward reservation question:

I am going to use poins for my 2 night stay. I have 4 adults in my party. But when I put 4 adults in the search awards nights are not available. When I drop it back down to 2 I can see free nights.

Should I make the reservation now selecting the 2 DOUBLE BEDS DELUXE option now? To do this I'd have to search with just 2 adults indicated. :( That's okay but should I go ahead and indicate in the comments section that I'll be having 4 of us staying in the room together? As an RA do you think that they'll give me a suite upgrade with 2 beds (or 1 +sofa bed) with no problem? I'd just hate to be shocked when I get there because I reserved under 2 adults but indicated and show up with 4.

So what should I put in the comments section?

I am responding to my own previous post.

Since that post I have spoken to the hotel directly and they took care of my RA upgd. They bookedme into a 1 King bed, 2 Rm suite. The agent described an entrance Parlor and living room with a pullout so all is good.

The odd part I'm reporting here is that I now have 2 Reservations on my PC account for this stay! :confused: Again I called the hotel and the agent told me that it was a 2 room suite and that they made a separate reservation for each room: "One for the Parlor and one for the Bedroom".

Anyone else ever seen this before?

I am responding to my own previous post.

Since that post I have spoken to the hotel directly and they took care of my RA upgd. They bookedme into a 1 King bed, 2 Rm suite. The agent described an entrance Parlor and living room with a pullout so all is good.

The odd part I'm reporting here is that I now have 2 Reservations on my PC account for this stay! :confused: Again I called the hotel and the agent told me that it was a 2 room suite and that they made a separate reservation for each room: "One for the Parlor and one for the Bedroom".

Anyone else ever seen this before?

absolutely not. But both rooms have their own entrances and the rooms are only connected by a sliding door... 2 doors -> 2 reservations :rolleyes:
This makes no sense.

yep

Odd way of handling the booking...though I guess in their system this is the only way they can block off the two adjoining rooms to ensure one is not booked by someone else. I had an upgrade to a Club level two room suite at the CP in Ottawa earlier this summer and though it did not appear on my res listing as two separate bookings, the rooms did have independent numbers as each room could have been a separately sold room. The "living room" area did have a fold out sofabed, dining table, TV and chairs so could be used as a semi-normal room. The adjoining "bedroom" had its own entry and was like a normal hotel room.

I suppose this is how this property blocks off this type of "suite" as opposed to some of its other suites that are multi-room and self-contained with a single entrance. I recall decades ago when this was a CN hotel, that I did get a two-level suite on their then-Gold elite floor.

I suppose this is how this property blocks off this type of "suite" as opposed to some of its other suites that are multi-room and self-contained with a single entrance. I recall decades ago when this was a CN hotel, that I did get a two-level suite on their then-Gold elite floor.

That's what I'm figuring, that it is just their odd way of taking care of the upgrade and suite so I'm okay with it and not worried. :-: I'd be delighted if I got a 2 level suite or that I'm getting 2 rooms that warrant 2 entances as there are 4 of us (all adults).

@:-) Hmm, I wonder if there will be 2 mini bars that we can "sample" :D

@:-) Hmm, I wonder if there will be 2 mini bars that we can "sample" :D

apologies :D I had exactly that suite type a month ago and had only one minibar in the bedroom. The second room with the pullout sofa was without a minibar (but an identical bath :confused: ).

yep

apologies :D I had exactly that suite type a month ago and had only one minibar in the bedroom. The second room with the pullout sofa was without a minibar (but an identical bath :confused: ).

yep

Thanks for the info. At least there is always hope then! :D I will of course report back post trip to inform how we made out. :)

Just remembered. I had a delayed charge appear on my Amex card for room service breakfast served and billed to the "living room" number, but when I checked out I paid for the breakfast on the folio for the "bedroom" room after mentioning that charge to them, and having it added then. So I guess the system doesn't easily integrate such dual-room suites.

Thanks for the info. At least there is always hope then! :D I will of course report back post trip to inform how we made out. :)


And of course, should there be two minibars, I am sure a couple of us Toronto-based FTers will be more than happy to drop by and help you out... ;)