IC Toronto or IC Toronto Centre
Apr 10, 2005, 12:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 267
IC Toronto or IC Toronto Centre
Hello folks. What's the general consensus on these two hotels? Does anyone have any an opinion on which is the better of the two or, more importantly, which treats Ambassadors better? I have an upcoming stay in TO and can’t make up my mind! Without having the search facility available, I have no option to post on what's no doubt been posted before. Would be grateful for any help the gang can give. Many thanks in advance.
Apr 11, 2005, 8:08 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ireland, UnderH20, AUA, Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Charter KM, DM180, RW, DM, SC, SkyBonus; HH Diamond, IHG Plt Amb, Global Ent, TWIC
Posts: 2,191
Toronto Centre is the closest to the Royal York.
I will be there in three weeks. I am going to stay a night in each. I don't mind the move and I pick up an extra IC property towards RA status plus the point differential with two properties instead of one.
I will be there in three weeks. I am going to stay a night in each. I don't mind the move and I pick up an extra IC property towards RA status plus the point differential with two properties instead of one.
Apr 11, 2005, 8:18 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: HH Gold, PC-Plat/Royal Ambassador
Posts: 11
I stay at the Bloor St. IC each week for a couple nights and have stayed maybe a dozen times at Toronto Centre. There are positive aspects to each ...
Toronto Centre is newer, larger, better rooms (generally), in the heart of downtown (an easy walk to the Royal York)
Toronto Bloor St. (Yorkville) has a better staff (more attentive) and is in a very cool area of downtown. It has great shopping, nightlife, etc.
I choose the Bloor St. location for those reasons.
Toronto Centre is newer, larger, better rooms (generally), in the heart of downtown (an easy walk to the Royal York)
Toronto Bloor St. (Yorkville) has a better staff (more attentive) and is in a very cool area of downtown. It has great shopping, nightlife, etc.
I choose the Bloor St. location for those reasons.
Apr 11, 2005, 6:00 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ireland, UnderH20, AUA, Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Charter KM, DM180, RW, DM, SC, SkyBonus; HH Diamond, IHG Plt Amb, Global Ent, TWIC
Posts: 2,191
Another note: Toronto Centre has a Club Intercontinental. The IC on Bloor does not. If you are driving, the Club IC includes free valet parking (saves $30/day) and has a free 5km limo service.
Apr 11, 2005, 6:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Winnipeg
Programs: AC*E, PC*Plat, IC*RoyalAmb
Posts: 120
I'm staying in the IC Toronto Centre right now and usually stay here a couple of times per month. As an Ambassador I almost always get upgraded to a Junior Suite. The rooms are nice and most have been redone recently. The hotel is fairly large but it usually only bothers me if there's a large convention and everyone is taking the elevators at the same time. I've found the service to be excellent.
Apr 11, 2005, 6:56 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
Programs: AA EXP (4.5MM), hotel programs as needed
Posts: 5,800
Have not stayed at the Bloor IC so cannot make comments.
USED to stay at the Toronto Centre a lot. Note the word USED to!
First, to answer your question .. it is a simple walk to the Royal York (**why not stay there??). There are two option. Out on the street (passing a couple very interesting looking pubs and restaurants). I'm guessing it is 3-4 blocks away depending on if you know the side door entrance. OR the other option (bad weather) is only 1/2 block outside. You walk INSIDE Toronto's GREAT indoor system. Take the elevator to the LOWER Level (below registration). Go out those doors, turn LEFT. You have about 1/2 a block in the car-park approach. Keep going .. and look for a staircase about half a block ahead on the right. Go UP one floor and you are on the walk-way (it has a name??) system. Walk TO Union Station .. Take the FIRST chance you can to go down the stairs. Almost immediately to your LEFT is a sign for the Royal York hotel... it goes down, under the road and back up into the lower level of the hotel. A slight left and you are at the elevators/stairs in the middle of the hotel. PS keep walking right and down an escallator and there is a great underground mall complex (and Starbucks).
Near the West door of the hotel is a Tim Horton's who make decent brewed Tea!
Anyhow .. back to my USED to comment.
1. The IC Toronto Centre gets LOADS of conventions. Checkin line can be HUGE and there never is a dedicated Priority Club counter (I have had to stand at the end of the counter before and ASK if there is one.. and they then take me).
2. Upgrades. Yea sometimes you will get a Junior Suite (all the way at one end of the floor or the other typically). Some are very nice .. some have not been redone yet. Yes I liked them.
2a. Upgrades. As Plat Royal Ambassador many times they would give me a 'suite' as a courtesy. Again some with new decorations/furniture, some not. These rooms are NOT THAT GREAT. The bedroom is RIGHT behind the main elevators. You can hear them all night long. This is every floor! The suite was king bed connecting to a nice living room. Well the other end of the suite is the end of the hallway and there are 'hallway' doors there to make the living room and this other room a suite. Asked about that a couple of times .. and that bedroom is two queen beds. They did move me there a couple of times and it was much better.
2b. The hotel staff DOES NOT know their rooms. Once on a 'wonderful upgrade for you' to the two bedded room and living room (think it was 23rd floor) the living room had NO furniture in it .. ok a Murphy bed and TV. It was more of a salesman's sample room. I went back and refused the room (hey upgrade me to something where I can USE the living room).
3. Checkin and housekeeping. I traveled in EVERY Sunday for probably 6-8 weeks. If I caught the 'good' connection I was in the hotel about 2pm (the good connection flight also meant nobody at immigration - the next flight meant BA and Alitalia and others there at the same time). My room was NEVER EVER ready. Sometimes to GET a room I had to wait until 3pm or later (ok normal checkin time). Sometimes 'oh your suite is not ready, let me try and move you' would result in that 23rd floor living room from hell (I know 3 times they tried to stick me with it). Then the minute I got in the room and started unpacking the poor room service boy was trying to deliver the amenity ..
It became to the point I HATED to check into the hotel .. what would they give me next .. would I be next to the elevators AGAIN.
The room service food was NOT great (memorable even). I ate hot dogs and chips (w/gravy) from the trucks by the convention center or brought food back from the food courtes by work (by the Royal York).
With the conventions in the hotel, the elevators were impossibly slow much of the day.
I moved out after a bunch of disappointing stays.. moved to the Royal York where I was treated FABULOUSLY. But then .. your questions is which of the two IC hotels to use. The IC Centre WAS a Crowne Plaza (cabbies still call it that)... it aint a real IC in my opinion.
USED to stay at the Toronto Centre a lot. Note the word USED to!
First, to answer your question .. it is a simple walk to the Royal York (**why not stay there??). There are two option. Out on the street (passing a couple very interesting looking pubs and restaurants). I'm guessing it is 3-4 blocks away depending on if you know the side door entrance. OR the other option (bad weather) is only 1/2 block outside. You walk INSIDE Toronto's GREAT indoor system. Take the elevator to the LOWER Level (below registration). Go out those doors, turn LEFT. You have about 1/2 a block in the car-park approach. Keep going .. and look for a staircase about half a block ahead on the right. Go UP one floor and you are on the walk-way (it has a name??) system. Walk TO Union Station .. Take the FIRST chance you can to go down the stairs. Almost immediately to your LEFT is a sign for the Royal York hotel... it goes down, under the road and back up into the lower level of the hotel. A slight left and you are at the elevators/stairs in the middle of the hotel. PS keep walking right and down an escallator and there is a great underground mall complex (and Starbucks).
Near the West door of the hotel is a Tim Horton's who make decent brewed Tea!
Anyhow .. back to my USED to comment.
1. The IC Toronto Centre gets LOADS of conventions. Checkin line can be HUGE and there never is a dedicated Priority Club counter (I have had to stand at the end of the counter before and ASK if there is one.. and they then take me).
2. Upgrades. Yea sometimes you will get a Junior Suite (all the way at one end of the floor or the other typically). Some are very nice .. some have not been redone yet. Yes I liked them.
2a. Upgrades. As Plat Royal Ambassador many times they would give me a 'suite' as a courtesy. Again some with new decorations/furniture, some not. These rooms are NOT THAT GREAT. The bedroom is RIGHT behind the main elevators. You can hear them all night long. This is every floor! The suite was king bed connecting to a nice living room. Well the other end of the suite is the end of the hallway and there are 'hallway' doors there to make the living room and this other room a suite. Asked about that a couple of times .. and that bedroom is two queen beds. They did move me there a couple of times and it was much better.
2b. The hotel staff DOES NOT know their rooms. Once on a 'wonderful upgrade for you' to the two bedded room and living room (think it was 23rd floor) the living room had NO furniture in it .. ok a Murphy bed and TV. It was more of a salesman's sample room. I went back and refused the room (hey upgrade me to something where I can USE the living room).
3. Checkin and housekeeping. I traveled in EVERY Sunday for probably 6-8 weeks. If I caught the 'good' connection I was in the hotel about 2pm (the good connection flight also meant nobody at immigration - the next flight meant BA and Alitalia and others there at the same time). My room was NEVER EVER ready. Sometimes to GET a room I had to wait until 3pm or later (ok normal checkin time). Sometimes 'oh your suite is not ready, let me try and move you' would result in that 23rd floor living room from hell (I know 3 times they tried to stick me with it). Then the minute I got in the room and started unpacking the poor room service boy was trying to deliver the amenity ..
It became to the point I HATED to check into the hotel .. what would they give me next .. would I be next to the elevators AGAIN.
The room service food was NOT great (memorable even). I ate hot dogs and chips (w/gravy) from the trucks by the convention center or brought food back from the food courtes by work (by the Royal York).
With the conventions in the hotel, the elevators were impossibly slow much of the day.
I moved out after a bunch of disappointing stays.. moved to the Royal York where I was treated FABULOUSLY. But then .. your questions is which of the two IC hotels to use. The IC Centre WAS a Crowne Plaza (cabbies still call it that)... it aint a real IC in my opinion.
Apr 11, 2005, 11:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: AC E, Fairmont PC Plat, HH Gold, Plat Amb
Posts: 118
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us.
For what I need in this trip, the Royal York would be the best choice.
But since I am trying very hard to get RA this year, I think i'll opt for the IC on Bloor street
For what I need in this trip, the Royal York would be the best choice.
But since I am trying very hard to get RA this year, I think i'll opt for the IC on Bloor street
Apr 12, 2005, 10:25 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
As someone who now lives in Toronto but used to visit, the IC on Bloor was my choice -- it was the only IC at the time -- because it had a boutique hotel feel about it. I had stayed at the "new" one of Front St when it first opened as the CN Hotels l'Hotel. It had a certain chacet to it, and there was their GOLD Level which offered extra touches and the usual Club services. Even during conventions, being up on the GOLD Floor(s) was like being in another space. The hotel was also new.
It then became a Crowne Plaza which it has been until last summer when it made the switch to IC. I just cannot see it as an IC, however, unless there was a major upgrading. Unless you like nightlife, or have business in the city centre, I guess this one is fine. However, I'd still rather be closer in and do the Royal York, Hilton or even Sheraton.
BTW there is another route to the Underground, though convoluted. Go into the Convention Centre, then up to the second level, following the signs for the "enclosed city walk". This will take you across a bridge that spans the main convention hall floor, and it is really kewl when there is a show on to look down on the booths and people. This takes you to the junction of the CN Tower, so you turn left and head to Union Station on an overhead walkway. In Union Station it goes underground, across the subway station foyer and into the Royal Bank Tower. From there you can get pretty much anywhere in the city centre core without going outside.
It then became a Crowne Plaza which it has been until last summer when it made the switch to IC. I just cannot see it as an IC, however, unless there was a major upgrading. Unless you like nightlife, or have business in the city centre, I guess this one is fine. However, I'd still rather be closer in and do the Royal York, Hilton or even Sheraton.
BTW there is another route to the Underground, though convoluted. Go into the Convention Centre, then up to the second level, following the signs for the "enclosed city walk". This will take you across a bridge that spans the main convention hall floor, and it is really kewl when there is a show on to look down on the booths and people. This takes you to the junction of the CN Tower, so you turn left and head to Union Station on an overhead walkway. In Union Station it goes underground, across the subway station foyer and into the Royal Bank Tower. From there you can get pretty much anywhere in the city centre core without going outside.
Apr 15, 2005, 5:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: YOW
Programs: AC down to Orange lol, Marriott Silver?
Posts: 3,217
If you like shopping, IC Bloor is better. It is a subway ride or about $10 in a cab if you have luggage. IC Bloor is decent but I prefer the Park Hyatt around the corner.
If you are staying over multiple days and Royal York would work better, would a split stay work? Either a night at IC at the beginning or end of your stay? I have been successful with Platinum and 3 IC stays of about 6 days only...
If you are staying over multiple days and Royal York would work better, would a split stay work? Either a night at IC at the beginning or end of your stay? I have been successful with Platinum and 3 IC stays of about 6 days only...
Apr 16, 2005, 8:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: AC E, Fairmont PC Plat, HH Gold, Plat Amb
Posts: 118
Since I became Ambassador in February 2005, I got 16 nights in 3 differents IC, and so far no stay in HI or CPs.
Got Platinum, but only because of all these 10K bonuses.
Do you think I have enough to ask right now for RA status, or should I wait until I get more stays ?
Got Platinum, but only because of all these 10K bonuses.
Do you think I have enough to ask right now for RA status, or should I wait until I get more stays ?
Last edited by kamfer; Apr 17, 2005 at 1:06 am
Apr 17, 2005, 5:40 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: YOW
Programs: AC down to Orange lol, Marriott Silver?
Posts: 3,217
Does not hurt to try. I did not have 50 nights but only 20 nights plus the 60K last year and this year, Ambassador for almost a year and 3 IC stays for 6 nights when I checked about RA and got it. I would try to call later in the evening when US and UK are not in normal business hours... I think I was put through to someplace in Asia..
Apr 25, 2005, 7:34 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: YOW
Programs: AC down to Orange lol, Marriott Silver?
Posts: 3,217
If I need to be in TO for a conference/meetings at Royal York, I would probably pick the IC Toronto Center on Front for the convenience to Royal York (about 3 blocks) although IC Bloor could be workable since it is about 6 subway stops or a decent walk if the weather is nice. IC Bloor is in a nice area near Yorkville but not great if you are driving, okay if you are cabbing, walking or doing the subway. In the Deluxe room I had at IC Bloor, there was a printer which is a nice touch and IC Toronto Center I got a Jr. Suite but the view of the CN tower was obscured by clouds and there were a lot of high rise condos so the water / lake view was broken up.
May 12, 2005, 8:33 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Priority Club Plat./Ambassador; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Kempinski Platinum
Posts: 388
What sort of room would I have to book at the IC Toronto Centre to get an Ambassador upgrade to the Club? Right now, I have a reservation for the cheapest room category at the IC Bloor Street. I'm not sure what to expect in terms of an upgrade there, either. I see the IC T.C. is participating in the 20% off rewards promotion. If I reserve a deluxe room through that, does anyone have any idea whether I'll get upgraded to the Club? The Amstel gave me an upgrade to a corner suite on an award stay as an Ambassador, but that's been my only award redemption so far.
May 12, 2005, 8:01 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
There are no Ambassador upgrades to Club Intercontinental as far as I know. It is one class, but CI doesn't count. If you do the top grade, you'll be moved to a Jr Suite. If a property does upgrade an Ambassador to a CI room, it is a local courtesy. At least I believe that's the case. You can, however, book the lowest rate for a Business Options room, and request the CI upgrade option. If a CI room is available at check-in, you will likely be able to get it. I've done that in Montreal and will be doing it this weekend in Buenos Aires [I hope]. And have used 2nd Wkend night free certs in the case of Montreal. Some ICs do offer a $30 a night upgrade option, or at least offer access to the CI lounge to Ambassadors and RAs. Not sure if Toronto does.