Originally Posted by
RCyyz
The Sheraton is in a much nicer location vs the Westin. There's nothing unsafe about the Westin; it's just rather dead down there. On the plus side, the Westin can have nice views if you're on the south side of the building and it's a short walk to Harbourfront which is pleasant even in winter. There's a streetcar stop right outside the Westin that will get you quickly to Union Station which leads to many other transit options. And of course, it's a Westin so you'll get the Heavenly Sleep bed and the White Tea soaps etc.
The renovated rooms in the Sheraton are decent - nothing hugely special but they're nice enough. If you need parking, you're better off parking under City Hall. (The parking options near the Westin are rather limited and not worth the effort IMHO.) The breakfast in the Sheraton lounge is strictly a continental affair but it's adequate. The view from up there is one of the nicer ones in the city so be sure to take a moment of pause to enjoy it. And depending on where you really need to be, direct PATH access can be awesome. (But if you've never done PATH, you'll likely get a little lost.) During the week, at daytime PATH will be very busy. In the evenings it gets very quiet and on weekends it's a ghost town down there.
One potential downside to the Sheraton is that it's a large convention hotel. So it can be very busy at times depending on what's going on. The convention spaces below the Sheraton are some of the largest in Toronto. If there's a big one going on, you'll have to put up with large crowds, longer waits for elevators and more people in the various hotel restaurants. It's nothing insurmountable, but it's something to be aware of.
I've stayed at both many times and agree with this. However I have found the Sheraton to be wildly inconsistent, with stays ranging from great to complete disaster. Unfortunately, complaints to management are basically ignored. After my last stay I vowed to never return. (Marriott options make it even easier).
Also, as has been mentioned, the Sheraton can get quite busy and congested, so it can be hard to get elevators, seats in the lounge, up & down to the pool, etc...
My last stay last summer at the Westin was outstanding. We were contacted in advance by some some kind of in-house concierge, upgraded to a lovely suite, and were greeted with welcome gifts in our room for the kids. The pool area was very nice and while the rooftop restaurant was over-priced with pretentious service, room service was excellent.
All things being equal, I'd stay at the Westin. With the advent of the Air Canada Centre, you can access the PATH quite easily with a sort walk, and in the summer the waterfront location can't be beat.
Parking at City Hall across the street from the Sheraton is about half the cost of valet parking, but be forewarned there are no in & out privileges.
Cheers,