Doesn't Canada know we are having a
financial crisis in the US? ?
Looking at rates in Toronto for a
stay in Novemeber, and a stay in December. The rates are sky high!!!

Looking at the Intercontinental on
Front Street, and the rates are about double of what we have paid in the past. What hotel would be
comparable at a more economic rate
in the city centre area?

Sherri

I don't think that the hotel rates in Toronto are "Canada's" fault. If hotel rates are high for the dates you're considering, it's possible that hotel executives have concluded that there's sufficient demand to justify the rates. It's possible that the dates you're considering happen to coincide with events near Front Street (e.g. a large convention or a sports event).

You might want to make a cancellable back-up reservation somewhere, and then try Priceline closer to the dates of your trip (when you're 100% sure you'll be going - since Priceline is non-refundable).

In the meantime, some options for your back-up reservation might include the Courtyard Marriott (on Yonge near College St, very close to the subway), the Residence Inn in the Entertainment District, or the Holiday Inn on King Street. It's possible that it' just the IC on Front Street that has high rates (e.g. because of a convention at the hotel). In that case, you might find that other hotels of a similar standard in the area (Royal York, Hilton, Sheraton, King Edward, etc) are reasonably priced.

Also try the Holiday Inn on Bloor Street (at St. George) and the Strathcona on York Street, although it is very near the convention centre too.

Try the Comfort Inn on Jarvis Street too.

I wonder if the hotels in NYC know I don't earn very much -- the rates there are always so high!

Those are some great ideas I will try. Thank you.! I guess I am
hoping to snag some good rates based
on it being Nov/Dec rather than
the middle of summer. Something will
work out, it always does
Sherri

We were there this weekend and it was very busy everywhere. Streets and stores were very busy. Hotel prices were higher this weekend than in mid August. We were able to get the Harbor Castle Westin in Aug for $135. This weekend it was over $300. We didnt stay there but didnt get a great deal.
Check on Hotel.ca. They offer specials on some hotels. Also TravelZoo.ca often has hotel specials. I know the Pantages is being offered and it is quite nice.

stayed at pantages in june w/ a great rate of $140 for a bachelor suite booked. very nice room and excellent location across from massey hall
cheers
AndrewDavid

Here is the Pantages special

http://ca.deals.travelzoo.com/hotels...um=email_top20


Goes until Dec 30

http://ca.deals.travelzoo.com/hotels...um=email_top20


Here is another deal just posted today. I have not stayed here but it doesnt sound too bad. Great price

I second irecommend's suggestion for hitting the travelzoo site. It does offer some of the better deals going.

tC

I've stayed at the IC on front in the past and am about to again....read the TA reviews if you want some "food for thought" but more importantly....

I just got the hotel for one night on the 8th of October on Hotwire for a little more than $100 US...the website wanted over 200 CAD

You might try that approach or Priceline (where I got the Harbor Castle a few months ago).

As someone else mentioned... use Priceline. But the key
here is to use the "Name Your Own Price" feature.

Use the forums at betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com to get a handle on just how to go about things.

In early August we got a room at the Sheraton Center in Toronto for $65 a night using name your own price. That's tough to beat.

Tell you what... you quit voting in idiot Republican presidents down there who have done a great job of running your economy into the ground and the hotel owners in Toronto will lower their prices for you! Deal?

;^)

Rob

Thnks for all the good ideas.!


To Rob: our choices for President
are not real strong right now, anyway you slice it....

Oh pluueeze do not try the Strathcona and NOT Comfort Inn on Jarvis - skip anything on Jarvis unless you like to see bums all over the place morning and evening. Holiday inn on Bloor is fine. I put a guest at the Metropolitan right behind City Hall. They had good rates and she said the room was just fine. The rates are sky high so they can give discounts to people who don't need them - like big business, government, tour groups etc. Many of them are not paying their own bills (lawyers, accountants, execs) so they care little what they pay and they get big (50%) discounts. I agree that T.O. hotels are wayyyy overpriced. So is NY. In 1967, I used to stay at the Abbey Victoria on 7th at 51st - where all the Dept store buyers were during buying season - they paid $10 a night. Then they raised it to $14 and $17 and at that point I said to the desk Mgr., "Who is going to pay $17 for a room here???" I read a long article that there is really no justification for the increases other than supply-demand for which reason, they tore down all the moderately priced hotels.

My goddaughter and her boyfriend stayed at the Strathcona last year and they thought it was fine. It's an excellent location. It may be pricey because it's right near the Convention Centre.

The Comfort Inn at Jarvis is also an excellent location. You may see the occasional disadvantaged person. It's an area where there are some social service agencies (I used to work at one nearby) but you'll certainly be perfectly safe and you'll be about a ten-minute walk (or five minute streetcar ride) to the heart of downtown.

This isn't 1967. Rates are what they are now. I was just looking at hotel rates in NY for November at I was shocked at how high they were but comparing them to 1967 makes no sense, does it?

Check a few things on Trip Advisor but keep in mind that December is a big travel month so rates will be higher and you're not looking at 4 or 5 star hotels so the reviews will likely not be effusive.

Just got back from a FAB trip to TO. LOVED IT. Stayed at the Intercontinental on Front st. It was a fine experience and we payed 148 a night...got it on Hotwire. My opinion is it is not a 4 1/2 star hotel like Hotwire claimed...more like a "solid" 3 1/2. Beds were great and sheets and pillows were fab. Get a confirmed rate and then try hotwire or priceline.

I double checked their website today, and prices have dropped on
some of the nights we are looking at by 50.00 / night. STILL more than we have paid in the past, but
at least I have the reservation in
place. Someone else had mentioned
that Hotwire shows 4.5 star for downtown Toronto, and the ONLY hotel
the show at that rating turns out to
be Intercontinental. SO at least I have reservations in place, and will
check Hotwire prior to departure. It it shows up 4.5 * and decent rates,will go ahead and book through Hotwire. We like the location of IC, comfortable with proximity to the PATH, St Lawrence Market, and a million other places we like about Toronto.
We have stayed at the Metropolitan
and it was perfectly fine for us.
Understand, the 'best' Chinese restaurant is located at Metropolitan, although we have never
tried it. THe only thing I REALLY
dont like about Metropolitan is the
parking garage. It is really funky
getting into it, drive on the left
and very very tight to get in and out of parking .

Having stayed at both IC hotels and about to stay at the Front Street location again in a couple of weeks I would also agree with the inconsistency of the 4.5 star rating on Hotwire.

But, as many have pointed out, Priceline NOTORIOUSLY over-rates many of its properties in various locations also but I was still a little surprised when the IC came up on Hotwire.

Great location IMO, though, and since I can walk to the train station from there it is perfect for me.

I was just down in the St. Lawrence Market today and I realized there's a Holiday Inn Express on Jarvis just north of King. Great great area. I don't know what the rates are like but it's certainly worth checking out.

Here's another suggestion to use Priceline and name your own price. I used Priceline this summer for Toronto and was very pleased with both the price and the downtown hotel.