Dave

I am planning a trip to Toronto this summer (early July) with my wife a children (ages 8 and 5). I am looking for a hotel preferably situated near downtown attractions, and hopefully something that offers suites. I saw the website for the Courtyard by Marriott downtown--is this my best bet, or are there better options? I'm pretty flexible price-wise--preferably something under $150 USD. Thanks!

Dee

Try Cambridge Suites. These are 2 rooms with a living room and sofa bed and bedroom, and a large dressing room. Their number is 1-800-463-1990. Sometimes the rates when booked through Toronto Tourism is somewhat less. Their number is 1-800-499-2554. However, the hotels have probably not listed their specials for summer with Toronto Tourism yet. We have stayed there when traveling with our adult son. <BR><BR>Toronto Tourism can also send the list of hotels currently offerins specials through them with phone numbers which may help with more options.<BR><BR>You can go to biddingfortravel.com and check out the going rates for priceline.com bids for the major hotels. However, you may not want to chance it with young children because they can not guarantee 2 beds in the room. We got the Couryard downtown fro $27 USD per night.

Mike

I would also suggest the Delta Chelsea, which is always crawling with kids whenever I've stayed there. They seem especially kid friendly.

kate

Yonge St (from about Queen to Bloor - the Courtyard Marriott is in the middle) is a rather rundown, slightly seedy street. Yhe block this hotel is located and the two blocks on either side are better than average, but you'll encounter strip bars, their patrons, a few porn shops, fetish stores, etc - perhaps not what you'd like your kids to see. (Of course, there are also a lot of places that pre-teens and teens would love: record stores, secondhand shops, arcades, etc.) The area is safe (there are always a lot of people around, and it's a busy commercial district) but it wouldn't be my first recommendation for a family with young kids. (My niece's comment, when we walked down this street, was &quot;It stinks - I mean it really smells.&quot Cambridge Suites is a better suggestion - and I'd also recommend that you avoid hotels East of Yonge between King and Bloor (but Bloor East is fine).<BR><BR>The Delta Chelsea is also located on this strip of Yonge Street. There is another Marriott attached to the Eaton Centre but fronts on Bay Street (which is less seedy than Yonge St). And there is a Sheraton downtown that has a great little exercise room and pool (good for families). All of these hotels are convenient for downtown sightseeing.<BR><BR>The principal drawback for the Marriott Eaton Centre, Cambridge Suites and Sheraton is that the neighbourhood is a little sterile (office towers and condos, a large shopping mall, etc.)<BR><BR>A neighbourhood with a little more character is the university district (called the Annex). This is the &quot;Northwest corner&quot; of downtown, close to museums and shopping, combined with a lively, funky (and very safe) neighbourhood: good, inexpensive child-friendly restaurants, fun shops (not chain stores) and entertainment. There is a Quality Hotel Midtown (on Bloor W near Spadina) in this neighbourhood. I don't know if they have suites, but their prices are reasonable. Nearby, there is also a Howard Johnsons on Avenue Rd (I don't know anyone who has stayed there) - it could also be a convenient budget location. <BR><BR>Depending on &quot;how downtown you want to be&quot;, another option might be the Holiday Inn on King Street West. It's close the Skydome, the CN Tower, theatres, etc. but further away from the subway than Cambridge Suites.

Maureen

Hi Dave!<BR>We stayed at the Cambridge Suites last summer with our two children and I would definitely stay there again. It is a lovely, quiet hotel (not that my kids are!!!)in a convenient location. They serve a fabulous continental breakfast and leave you water, cookies and chocolates in your room. Thick, terry robes in the bathroom for you and your wife. Pull out couch in the living room area. Sliding doors between that area and the bedroom allow you to keep them as open or closed as you wish. Parking garage underground was more reasonably priced than some other places we checked. Good luck!<BR>Maureen

Lynne

My husband, son and myself just took a weekend trip to Toronto and stayed at the Grand Hotel and Suites. Our original room booked was a standard suite which had a separate bedroom and then a living area with a sofa bed. We were upgraded to an executive suite which had a second living area with a sofa bed too. Each suite also has a microwave, refrigerator and two burner electric cooktop. I checked a number of hotel comments and this one didn't have a single negative comment. When we arrived, I could see why. Very nice and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Annette Ryan

I am coming to TO in March 2003 with two teenagers. I got a room at The Grand Hotel for $109USD and it has the usual Q or K bed with a sofabed double pull out, kitchenette, etc. They were very easy to work with. It includes breakfast buffet. Check out their website, these rooms do not look tacky and all the recommendations were great. We are also staying at the Banting House B and B, in the heart of downtown. They were absolutely wonderfully accommodating - couldn't praise them more, and they have free parking. They are right downtown. It looks very nice and also has good recommendations. They were very &quot;kid friendly&quot; and the room includes a very big breakfast. About $100USD for the 3 of us, but of course at a B and B the rates vary depending on which room you need and extra people. I checked all around and found these two places the most accommodating. Seriously, call the Banting House B and B and inquire.

Bonnie

The suggestion of the Cambridge Suites is a good one. Hard to get in as they are ususally booked up when I try. I will also mention BayBloor Executive Suites. They have apartment-like Suites, are located a couple of blocks from Bloor/Yorkville. They have an indoor pool but it's not a great one. What's good are the location,prices &amp; accomodations. Nobody will highly recommend the Courtyard to you because of the location and the fact it's not one of the nicer Courtyards in the chain-it was the Westbury Hotel before.

Dee

Dave,<BR><BR>We have stayed at the Court Yard and do not have any complaints. Got the hotel for $27 a night on priceline. We don't have young children, so didn't notice some of the things some one with children might find offensive. We would stay there again for the RIGHT PRICE. However, would be hesitant to pay full price.<BR><BR>I originally suggested the Cambridge Suites, and think it would be a better choice for a family with children. Someone else suggested the Delta Chelsea which is one of the Toronto hotels that we would not recommend, nor stay there again.

Dave

Thanks, everybody for your input. I think we're going to try for either Cambridge Suites or the Grand Hotel and Suites. Thanks again!

Bonnie

Just want to make you aware that there is a big difference in location between the Cambridge Suites and The Grand Suites. To put it simply, stay at the Cambridge Suites!

nitram

Every summer my family stays at the Inn on the Park in Toronto. It has free parking as we drive in from Ottawa. We like it because the rooms are huge and we can walk to the Science Center and it is not far to drive to the Zoo or Wonderland. The hotel is 15 minutes north of the Downtown if you go to the Museum or CN Tower. Personally, I find that having a car in Toronto is better for seeing the attractions with my family as I have been able to get street parking for next to nothing, however the hotels charge $20/25 with no in/out privledges. But if you do stay downtown I would try the Delta Chelsea for the water slide and central location.

reggiesfolks

I'd agree with Bonnie. I work in downtown Toronto and hadn't heard of Grand Hotel&amp;Suites.I recognize the location from their webpage. Though it looks absolutely beautiful I would not recommend the neighbourhood for a family. There are some nice, trendy places in the area but for the most part it's an area in the early phases of reconstruction with alot of unsavoury characters still hanging around. I would not be comfortable recommending the area to friends. Cambridge Suites is in a much more business oriented area though there are people walking around at all hours. The area along Front St. between Parliament and the Skydome is full of restaurants of all varieties, you're near the subway, if needed, and the Hockey Hall of Fame, if a fan. Have fun.