Description: We like central city locations. Though the rates can be a bit more expensive, we believe there's an economy in that strategy through the money and time saved travelling in and out. We also have a fondness for waterfront locations. These preferences meant that we were playing Internet Ping-Pong for a few weeks, monitoring the rates at the Harbour Castle and the Radisson Harbourview. Harbour Castle rates dipped 2 weeks before our trip, and we took a rate of C$149 per night (excluding fees and taxes, which add about $15 per night). The best rate was to be found online from hotel group's own
website on a nonrefundable basis.
Initially we were a bit nervous. The reviews were not as uniformly good as those of the Radisson, but I suspect that we may have detected the main reason for this during our stay. It's a relatively up-market establishment and attracts some "high-maintenance guests". Click here to see what I mean.
Room: It was spacious and clean, and had lots of TV channels and a fairly spectacular partial lake view from one window and similarly spectacular city view from the other. The bravely named Heavenly Bed stood magnificently up to its billing. There were tea/coffeemaking facilities and a moderately expensive minibar that we steered well clear of.
Bathroom: It was solid, clean, and functional, but less spacious. Frankly, we could not see what was so heavenly about the "Heavenly" bath. That said, it did what it was supposed to well enough.
Services: We only really used the check-in and express check-out, but these were rapid, friendly, and efficient. The restaurant menus seemed very expensive, with breakfasts for about $20 that could be purchased for less than half that if you were prepared to walk for 5 minutes in any direction.
Location: As it's name suggests, it's right on the harbour front, just behind the departure point for the ferries to Central Island and handily placed for some very pleasant strolls along the harbour front. A walk to Union Station will take you less than 10 minutes, CN Tower, about 15.
"Free Extras": These were pared back to the bare wood, with little that you'd not get in a room half the price. The Heavenly Robes in the wardrobe were very comfy indeed. The ticket on their hanger noted that they could be purchased for US$90 each. US$90!!! - for a cotton bathrobe. I suspect that this was a deterrent to theft rather than a realistic invitation to buy. If you register on the Starwood website as a "preferred guest" when you book, you'll get a free newspaper and bottle of water each day.
5th Floor Leisure Club: There was a smallish but nice pool; tame Jacuzzi in the pool area; small, unspectacular single-sex sauna; and small, inefficient steam room in the changing rooms. There was access from the indoor pool area out onto a balcony with a harbour view, or onto a terrace containing an outdoor tennis/basket-ball area.
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