Overview
The Residence Inn is an all-suite hotel in Toronto's financial district, close to the CN Tower and Rogers Centre, making it popular with business travellers requiring extended-stay amenities and tourists looking to be in the thick of downtown attractions.
The hotel's 22 floors have 256 studios and 1- or 2-bedroom suites. Each studio and suite in this 100% smoke-free hotel is equipped with a full kitchen (with a fridge, a stove, a microwave, a dishwasher and utensils) as well as a sofabed, a dining table, a desk, an in-room safe, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer, a CD stereo, two telephones and a 32” LCD TV. Free Wi-Fi and wired internet are available in each room. Pets are allowed for a non-refundable $100 sanitation fee.
The hotel has 4 meeting rooms and a business centre with two computers for guest use. There is also a fitness centre with a swimming pool and a whirlpool. A complimentary hot breakfast buffet is offered every morning, as well as a manager’s reception 2 nights a week (usually Tuesday and Wednesday) providing complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages. An on-site Indian restaurant, 259 Host, serves lunch and dinner and a separate bar is open until midnight. There is valet-only parking at a cost of $35 per day with in/out privileges.
King Street West (a 5-minute walk north) has many dining options. Other points of interest within a 10-minute walk are Second City, the CN Tower, Air Canada Centre, Rogers Centre, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, Princess of Wales Theatre, Royal Alexandra Theatre, and Toronto’s main nightlife district. The Royal Ontario Museum, Sony Centre, Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre and the Eaton Centre are all within a 10- to 15-minute drive of the hotel.
The Residence Inn is 27 km (approximately 25-45 minutes depending on traffic) from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and 2 km from Toronto City Centre Airport (YTO). (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent on June 6, 2012: the entire hotel is non-smoking, valet parking costs $35/day, the hotel has 256 rooms, complimentary internet and Wi-Fi services, complimentary breakfast, manager’s reception twice a week, bar open until midnight, fitness centre 24/7.
The GoodThe majority of the reviews used for this analysis were positive and focused on the hotel's location, the size of its rooms, the staff, the breakfast and the in-room amenities.
A lot of reviewers raved about the great location of the hotel, stating that it was close to everything they wanted to do and see in downtown Toronto.
Most reviews about the rooms said they were large and very comfortable. One reviewer said, “the suites at the Residence Inn were of a high specification, spacious and very clean and comfortable.”
Staff received high praise by many for being helpful, friendly, courteous and more than willing to offer advice on local attractions and restaurants.
There were frequent positive reviews on the complimentary breakfast. It was said to have good food with many options.
The in-room kitchens and amenities were praised in some reviews. One reviewer said, “the kitchen is fully stocked with everything you need from pots to cutlery to detergent.” Some also mentioned the convenient and free grocery shopping service available.
Quite a few of the reviews used in this analysis stated that the guests felt the hotel gave them good value for their money. One guest said “Marriotts sometimes cost a little more but are worth the money.”
The Bad
While the majority of the reviews noted for this analysis were positive, there were some negative comments about the cost of parking, inadequate space at breakfast, poor views from the rooms and uncomfortable sofabeds.
The hotel only offers valet parking at a cost of $35/day, which many reviewers thought was too expensive, despite the in/out privileges. Some of these guests suggested finding a private parking lot nearby for a lower price.
While the complimentary breakfast was typically reviewed positively, some reviewers said the dining space was too small and crowded. These guests said they waited in long lines, and sometimes the hot food ran out before they could get any.
A few of the reviewers mentioned they had a poor view from their rooms – a view of a wall or an electricity station. However, other guests praised the great city views from their rooms.
There were a few reviews that stated the sofabed was not very comfortable. One reviewer said “our two teenage boys still had to share a very ‘springy’ pull out sofa, for which there were no bed linens.”
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked this hotel #10 out of 117 Toronto hotels, and rated it 4.5 out of 5, based on 598 reviews.
Expedia.com guest reviews rated this hotel 4.7 out of 5 with a recommendation rate of 99%, based on 136 reviews.
Hotels.com guest reviews rated this hotel 4.6 out of 5, based on 107 reviews.
Verified with a front desk agent on June 6, 2012: the entire hotel is non-smoking, valet parking costs $35/day, the hotel has 256 rooms, complimentary internet and Wi-Fi services, complimentary breakfast, manager’s reception twice a week, bar open until midnight, fitness centre 24/7.
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Analyzed by Candice F.
Having travelled to 25 countries on 5 continents, Candice understands what a traveller is looking for when booking a hotel. She currently lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, but originally hails from Toronto, Ontario.
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