The Strathcona Hotel

Average Hotel downtown Toronto

I've stayed at the Strathcona Hotel once before but i don't remember much about that stay other than it didn't leave a negative or overly positive impression. I guess it was just fine. This time, the rates we got of Travelocity were attractive enough to jump at it. The room we booked was a "superior queen", one up from the basic room and it was fine. The room was clean, not overly large but large enough for two. There's a sort of bench type seat along one side of the bed and a bedside table on the other. There's a desk in the corner and a closet with space for your suitcase and the bathroom is small but not cramped. We found the mattress a bit hard but oddly we weren't that stiff in the morning. Beds are a matter of taste, so your mileage may vary. The television in the room was still the older tube tv and we found it blurry so it definitely could use upgrading. We were not facing the street so the only view was a concrete wall. I suppose that makes it a tad quieter but sounds like sirens and large vehicles were still clear as it didn't seem like the room had very good soundproofing.

The hotel is advertised as Luxury but unless some of the suites and larger rooms are nicer, i don't think i'd put it in that class. If it's a luxury hotel, all the rooms should reflect it, even the more basic ones. The hotel could use a bit of upgrading for things like the in-room television, for instance, and providing free wi-fi in the hotel would be nice, too, not just for the upscale expensive business rooms. No matter, though, we were happy enough there.

We ate a buffet breakfast in the restaurant one morning and it was pretty good (breakfast wasn't included with the room price) and we ate in the pub as well. The food was pretty good and the price, while a bit expensive, wasn't outrageous for hotel food. The pub has a few large screen tvs with ads and sports for view but was comfortable but closes around 10. Not very late for downtown, i should think. The Strathcona does room service but only until 10 p.m. as it comes from the kitchen in the pub. We did order room service on our first night as we checked in after 9 and were tired from traveling. Room service was prompt and the food was still hot. Because our room only had a desk and another small end table, one of us ate sitting on the bed by the desk and the other on the banquette at the small table.

The Strathcona also has more deluxe rooms and suites i think. The service was fine and when the lobby computers weren't working right, the desk clerk printed our boarding passes off on his computer. You can do that for free but any other internet access is at a cost including wifi so we didn't bother with that. The hotel location is excellent, just a block up from Union Station which is a transportation hub for the Go trains and the subway/underground with busses and streetcars rambling by Front Street as well. The airport express bus stops right across the street by the side of the Royal York Hotel. There are lots of restaurants within short distances and you're not far from the theatres, Yonge Street and the CN Tower.

Unique Quality: Handy for the airport bus which stops off across the street at the side of the Royal York, also handy for the Train and subway system at Union Station.

If you get a good deal, and aren't too fussy about amenities, this is a decent hotel and the location is hard to beat. I believe parking is expensive and is in a large nearby underground parking garage which isn't the easiest to find, so some friends told us.

The two computers that are available for guests to use are in a glass booth right in the lobby. Not really condusive to privacy. They charge for internet use but do not charge for printing off boarding passes.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average

The Strathcona Hotel

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