Sutton Place Hotel, Toronto vs. Westin Harbourfront Castle
 

This year I had stayed at both locations and thought perhaps I would share a few insights.

We stayed at the Harbourfront Castle in June 2010 for our anniversary. Perfect location for summertime. The waterfront is a great spot to relax, enjoy a meal or a drink. Our room overlooked the lake (33rd floor). Well appointed, clean. Very friendly staff. We didn't eat at the hotel, but the menu looked great. The double-decker hop-on/hop-off stop was a block away. Great way to get to the top of town without paying taxi fees - stops at The Distillery, China Town/Kensington Market, etc. $78 for two of us was well worth it. It even included a cruise of the Islands. The ticket is good for your stay in TO. The Castle was also walking distance to Porter Airlines (well 1/2 hour liesurely walk - but we love to walk). We went to a concert at Rogers Centre, and it was also within walking distance. If you want to be in the middle of the shopping district (Eaton Centre, Yorkville) this isn't the place for you unless you don't mind putting on a pair of sneakers.

This month I stayed at the Sutton Place for business. About a $20 cab ride from Porter Airlines (if you haven't flown Porter to their convenient downtown TO location, you are missing out) The Sutton reminds me of the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, but with larger rooms. Great staff, friendly, helpful. We ate at the restaurant a couple of times, excellent food. About a 10-15 minute walk to Eaton Centre and about 40 minutes to the waterfront. It is located more in the financial district. My rate was $175 which included high-speed internet. I walked every morning (early - 6am) and felt safe doing so. There is a nice little grocery store around the corner, lots of restaurants/coffee shops .

The Harbour Castle is expensive at $217/night and $40 valet or $28 in ou self parking, but to nickel and dime you for internet is over the top.

I've warned people against staying way out at the Westin Harbourfront because it is so far removed from the city centre. Having attended many a conference there, the streetcar trip from union station is always crowded, rushed and in the winter, very cold.
The Sutton Place is on Bay Street, toronto financial core- but also a very dense concrete jungle. I've never stayed there, but it's a bit stale in terms of ambiance in the lobby.
If you are looking for a great hotel in a vibrant, yuppie/hipster part of town, check out The Drake hotel or the Gladstone. Both have great event venues with entertainment on site, and The Drake has more than one restaurant with amazing food. Just my $0.02.

I wonder how many business people/couples celebrating an anniversary, who stay in hotels like Sutton Place and the Harbour Castle, who like to shop at the Eaton Centre and enjoy the waterfront would appreciate The Gladstone's location - even if it is in a vibrant, hipster part of town - but still rundown in spots with local characters on the streets.

Sutton Place is in the Queen's Park provincial government area - the Legislature is a block away. Walk north from the Sutton Place a few short blocks and you're in Bloor/Yorkville.

The financial centre of the city is King/Bay with the big bank towers on each corner and a concourse connecting all of them - full of "suits" and closer to the Harbour Castle.

We lucked in at the Harbour Castle and booked a room for $125/night through expedia. I agree, summertime it was the perfect spot, not sure in the dead of winter :)

Oh please, unless you have purple/green hair, wear nothing but black clothing usually with 180 lbs poured into a 150 lb sack, have cheap silver metal sticking out of your face, tounge, & ears and have a permanently dizzy look as tho you were recently smacked in the head with a dead mackerel and adore slums and homeless people and seldom expand your vocab. past "cool" and "Awesome", stay away from the dreadful Drake and Gladstone.

sounds like my mother-in-law

I am following this with rapt fascination, as I was hotel shopping on Expedia for a theoretical trip in August with my father. I saw all of these on Expedia, and wasn't sure any of them were him! He doesn't like modern business oriented hotels, and he might think the Drake/Gladstone were interesting for five minutes or so, but he's in his 80's and appreciates peace and quiet!

He'd like the Royal York (we stayed there once in 1980 or so), but it seems to be booked for our likely dates, and I don't know if he feels like paying for that either. If he's in a mood for that level of hotel, I had wondered about Le Meridien King Edward, which seems to be comparable.

persimmondeb, The King Eddie should be okay but maybe something in the Bloor West/Avenue Road area might suit you and your father, too.

merckxxx, when was the last time you spent any time on Queen Street? Lots of Torontonians without purple hair, or studs in their face, who do not dress exclusively in black (but what is WRONG with black?), spend time in the Queen West neighbourhood, including, but not limited to, the Gladstone, which has good food and entertainment, they even had a family afternoon for St. Patrick's Day and mothers took their children, nothing bad happened while I was there, and some of us even venture into GASP! Parkdale - there's art galleries, the Knit Cafe, lots of coffee shops, everyone with a different ambience, bars, restaurants ... they are cool and awesome! That's how we all talk on Queen West! Yes indeed. But NONE of the area is up to snuff? None? All those houses being fixed up are slums? All of them? Do these misguided owners know what you seem to know about the area? So there's no reason to venture west on Queen at all..University to Dufferin or even Roncesvalles? Just one big wasteland? All those condos being built in the area aren't being purchased by the homeless (you see more of them at King and Bay). One has to wonder where you live merckxxx. I'm guessing SUBURBS - live a little - get out there and explore. And don't even THINK of getting a job with Toronto tourism.

I stayed at the Sutton Place in January. I paid $110 a night using Hotwire. The hotel charged an extra $16 for internet IIRC and parking was $25.

My stay was fine but I had the feeling the hotel is feeling tired. The winter wind whistled in around the door to the balcony and the room felt as if it need a refresh.

And there was a beer bottle cap lying in the middle of the floor when I walked in.

All in all I was okay with the place as the price I paid was fine. At $175 I wouldn't have been impressed though.

i got a great deal a few summers ago @ pantages suites across from massey hall and the eaton centre: 140$/ night as i recall . the suites are actually almost bachelor apartments complete w/ washer/dryer
cheers
AndrewDavid