Wembleygal

Not sure about the parking but great location.

I also liked the fact that they had free washer/dryers when I stayed a couple of years ago.

ussie44

Have held several meetings here in the last couple of years. The buffet is fine and $9.50 each is not unreasonable if you want a big breakfast. If you don't, there are lots of places nearby where you can find breakfast for two cheaper than $19. You choose!

I have only ever stayed in whichever tower is served by elevators straight ahead from the front door. The rooms are clean, staff are pleasant and helpful. I understand this is the largest and busiest Courtyard in the chain - the hotel is always busy and there always seem to be several security people in the lobby. Location is convenient to most things you'd need.

Parking is across the street, no matter which option you choose - valet or park yourself.
I've never parked elsewhere but you can probably find somewhere cheaper if you ask the bell staff.

pinniped

Had a less-than-ideal stay at this property last week. Not "worst ever", but not great.

First night of the stay: the property had no running water from 10PM until about 4AM. None. The front desk did offer bottled water, but they were constantly running out and we had to wait for water to be brought to our room.

Room: the A/C unit in the room was barely functional. Maybe this only matters for a few weeks out of the year in Toronto, but it was so hot that we couldn't really occupy the room at all during the day. Other friends of ours in other rooms had similar situations: I don't think switching rooms would have helped. The rooms are pretty dated, although I generally don't care about this too much.

Breakfast: we had a breakfast-included rate, but on the "no water" day, they closed the main restaurant and had us order Bistro breakfasts. That was actually a tasty breakfast - superior to the buffets we had on subsequent days - but then we had to argue with the front desk to get it taken off our bill as we had already paid for breakfast in our rate. The buffets on later days had no billing issues, but the quality of this buffet was markedly below other standard Marriott/Courtyard buffets I've had in the U.S. and Canada.

Wifi: No issues with the wifi...it was strong both in the room and in common areas.

Concierge/Bellmen: These guys were pretty good, helpful with information about the city and there were always cabs immediately available at the hotel. Staffing here was somewhat above typical CY standard...close to, but not quite, FS Marriott standard.

Pool/hot tub/workout room: There is a very small and ice-cold indoor pool, plus a good-sized hot tub. The workout room had some newer machines and was in pretty good shape.

Not sure I'd go back to this hotel. Felt more like a big Holiday Inn than a Marriott property. Attempts to discuss the water situation and breakfast situation with the manager while at the property were unsuccessful: he was never around. I finally got an email from him a few days later offering me 3000 bonus points for the inconvenience. I haven't yet decided if I'm irritated enough to email back.

Our rate was good, but rates at a couple of other nearby FS Marriotts weren't bad either. Next time, I'll be at one of those hotels.

astroflyer

My parents spent one night here last summer. It's considerably lower quality than the Marriott just up the road at Bloor/Yorkville where they spent 3 nights.

The rooms are just kind of dated and sparse. The lobby looks so nice, but the rooms are bland.

FlyerAl

This hotel is nothing special. The location is great if you need to be in that area. The rooms are nothing to write home about (no fridges BTW) - very bland and fewer amenities than rooms at newer Courtyards.

The buffet breakfast is good (some rates include it for free) which is an advantage over other Courtyards that only offer the Bistro.

For me it's not my first choice when staying in DT Toronto, but I'll tolerate it if I can't find a decent rate at some other properties.

tkey75

Just stayed there. Echoing the above post. It may be the biggest CY in the world (so I was told at check-in), but it's certainly one of the oldest, too. Hasn't seen a remodel in forever. Did get breakfast buffet, which was reminiscent of CY's of old. Not very good, but still more than we receive at most CY's.

My room was extremely hot to the point I had to turn on the AC to cool it off. That and I got the rapping at the door at 8am from housekeeping. She didn't hear me yell and came in to clean. That can happen anywhere, but it's my biggest travel pet-peeve ever.

I'd already been in town at the Thompson hotel not too far away (great property, btw. Highly recommended) Moved to the CY after work ended. At check in, I told the gal I booked an extra day of vacation after a conference. She said "In Toronto?" as if I were crazy. I laughed

tcook052

I got much the same look of bemusement when I was there in April and I said I was walking down to the waterfront, something apparently no sane guest actually does.

A solid if unspectacular hotel especially for short stays as mine was a single night to meet up with other FTers on my way back from BCN.

SkiAdcock

Was it included in your room rate or is it something they offer to Gold/Plats?

Cheers.

Wembleygal

I never received free breakfast the last time I stayed there as a Plat – just a free drink coupon for the bar …

tkey75

It was included with room rate, but when I booked, I don't recall seeing a rate that didn't include breakfast.

wendyhamburger

I stayed there December 5-7 and my buddy and I were upgraded to a suite (biggest room, 1K and sofabed parlor separated by a bathroom) upon checkin. The suite had a minifridge, microwave, and coffeemaker in the parlor.

The first night was a bit difficult as we had revelers in the next room that started at midnight and didn't finish until 4 a.m. - when I finally called the FD to shut them down. Unfortunately my friend sleeping in the parlor received the brunt of the noise.

The next day they started about 2 p.m. and I called the FD for a room move. That night we both had peaceful sleep and the neighbors were quiet.

When we discussed the move with the FD, they said they were going to comp us our parking (CA$35/day). We had taken the 192 Rocket into town and walked down Yonge to the property, so i kind of laughed. they turned it into a points credit and I will await the arrival...

Lovely "community" property, maybe not so much for family excursions... overall I enjoyed it except for the noise.

jix

For a platinum member staying as 2nd guest (reservation is made under family member, gold account) is there anything I can expect if I show my digital card upon check-in?

pinniped

For a pre-August 1 stay, there are technically no elite benefits at Courtyard so it doesn't matter what you show them. (Although there are anecdotal reports of elites getting *something* at CY in some places now.)
For a post-August 1 stay, I still doubt it'll matter as I don't think there will be any different between Plat and PP. You'll get something, but I'm still not 100% sure what it is.

I'd like to snarkily say that this hotel will treat you equally bad - it's still my least favorite Marriott in the entire world ("my" Marriott world being about 1,000 nights and 100-ish different properties).

Officially, to get your benefits, they'd have to move the stay into your name and your MR#.

CJKatl

In three stays I have always been UGed to a two room suite. The bedroom part of the suite has no walls along exterior hallways which make it really quiet. I like this hotel and like the grittier block it is on. The hotel is not a typical CY. It is more like an older seventies urban Holiday Inn, which will not be for everyone. The morning I left during my recent stay, a Sunday, there was a parade on the main street. The desk clerk wrote me out directions and a map so as to avoid the closed streets. The map was awesome.

jix

Thanks, well this was just to use up an expiring certificate prior to Aug 1. I'll show my card regardless and see what happens.