Holiday Inn Express Downtown
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 20
- Reviews
Friendly Staff and Great Morning Breakfast
- May 25, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The desk staff were friendly, courteous and quick upon check-in. They were also helpful in providing recommendations and directions to nearby attractions and restaurants. The room was clean, well laid out and had what I needed (e.g., internet, coffee pot, nice size color TV, room airconditioner, etc.). The bed was very comfortable and no odors were present which was a definite plus. The complimentary breakfast was a real treat. Large selection of fruits, juices/milk, pastries, cereals and breads, eggs, sausage patties, etc.
All in all, I had a pleasant and comfortable stay. Would definitely consider coming back when I visit downtown Toronto again. Many thanks to management and staff. Dave
Nice location a little off the beaten path..
- March 24, 2009
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
Hotel staff was very accomodating (except for one instance mentioned below).
Room was ready and clean. High speed wireless internet in the rooms was nice and connectiion with laptop took just a minute or so. A good variety of channels on TV showing the diversity of the population of Toronto (French, English, Spanish, and at least one with Indian programming (Not native american, from India))
View was not that great; contruction of new buildings, but there was minimal to no noise we could hear. We were on the 11th floor.
We enjoyed the full hot breakfast although the bisquits were a bit hard. Only had one the first day of our 6 night stay. Lots of room to eat, 4 distinct areas so there was always a place to sit.
Location was approximately 1 1/2 city blocks from the Trolley to the south and 2 1/2 blocks from the Trolley to the north. Closest Subway (train) was approx 4 city blocks (King Station). Closest Subway (eating) is approx 4 blocks as well (of Yonge Street). We did a lot of walking due to the location but it was ok with us. Someone older might not like the off the beaten path thing. There was a car rental place close though (Discount Car and Truck) that we used one day and it was very close and convenient.
Only issue was when we were leaving, I asked the gentleman at the front desk how much it was to reserve a car to the airport (cheaper than getting one on the fly) and he said $55 CAD. That was more expensive than the airport. We were able to reserve one ourselves for $45 CAD. It appeared he got a kick back for working with some car company.
Overall, enjoyable stay.
Good hotel, great location
- October 24, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The hotel's location is great - it's in middle of downtown, walking distance to most attractions. The breakfast is pretty decent too. They also have free internet access which was very handy. The biggest problem with the hotel were the elevators. It wasn't unusual to wait 10 minutes before an elevator showed up on your floor during mornings and evenings. Also, don't stay on the construction side of the hotel - it gets noisy in the early mornings.
Convenient, but YIKES across the street
- September 16, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The hotel itself is a well-run example of the Holiday Inn Express chain. The hotel was clean, the desk staff were friendly and helpful, and the free breakfast was great every day. Even the free wifi seemed to function flawlessly, which is a major accomplishment for most hotels. Now for the downside... the hotel is located directly across the street from a Salvation Army night shelter, and right next to that, a large office building complex is currently under construction. Expect some shouting, police sirens, etc. at night, and don't expect to sleep late in the morning either until that building is finished. I would avoid walking along Jarvis at night unless you want to be panhandled by the homeless. I will say that this wasn't a "bad" area, and it is very conveniently located. There's a gas station/convenience store across the street for water/snacks, the TTC streetcars run on all the streets around the hotel, and the subway station is 2 blocks away. You're also not more than a block or two from St. Lawrence Market or the Eaton Center Mall.
Staff was exceptional
- June 10, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The staff at this hotel was exceptionally helpful and friendly; gave very good advice regarding a nearby Indian restaurant, and how to get around. Breakfast was good with nice variety; overall and excellent value for the price. Only drawback is that there is a street nearby with shady-looking characters hanging around in a very nice park and on the sidewalk.