Toronto - Grand Hotel
 

I read that Grand Hotel was not in a great neighborhood, but that was over a year ago. Can anyone tell me if it has improved since then? Also, would you not stay at this hotel just because of the neighborhood. They have roof top whirlpools! Thanks.

I think it depends on what you expect and who you are. A "bad" neighborhood in Toronto would be a perfectly fine neighborhood in any American city. If you feel unsafe around homeless people or less then glittering storefronts, then it probably isn't for you. It also isn't in the most convenient location, although I've walked to it a 3am and never felt uncomfortable.

Thanks MikeT. How inconvenient can it be really? The hotel just looks like the type of place that I want to stay in.

What is it you like? Could those things be found in a hotel that is closer to things.

That said, I don't really think it is that inconvenient. Probably a 10 minute walk to Yonge street.

This hotel has been the subject of a few fairly recent threads.

It is not the best location in Toronto and there is really nothing close to this hotel that any 'average' tourist would want to visit.

I was in this neighbourhood until nearly 230 this morning doing volunteer work and did not observe anything near the hotel that was particularly alarming.

This hotel must have an excellent website /PR dept to generate so much interest when there are so many better / more conveniently located hotels in the city.

The area east of the hotel is quite seedy. I counted 22 street walkers in that area last night.

cheers

Jerry

Hi MrsMolly,

I am not familiar with the Grand Hotel, but I lived in T.O. for years and I'd like to add a different perspective from MikeT's. He said "a 'bad' neighbourhood in Toronto would be a perfectly fine neighbourhood in any American city". This is absurd and patently false. There are plenty of places I would be worried to be in at night in T.O., and they would not be considered "perfectly fine" to any of my American friends, either. It's a CITY - you need to use your better judgement.

You will hear a lot of Canadians trying to pass off their country as a crime-free paradise, and Torontonians are particularly notorious for this. It's a terrific country and Toronto is a good city, don't get me wrong, but it's not Shangri-La. Watch yourself, be sensible, stay in a good neighbourhood, and have a GREAT time in Hogtown!! :)

For Jetlag, who used to live in Toronto.

The Grand is a rebuilt-renovation of the former Toronto Headqwuarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, on Jarvis Street.

And for MrsMolly, there's nothing for tourists behind the hotel (east of it) but there is stuff north (Allen Garden conservatory for flowers) and west Yonge Street, shopping, and much more.

It's not much of a walk, in Toronto terms, from Yonge Street, and I would not be concerned about staying there.

BAK

Hi BAK: Thanks for the scoop re: Grand Hotel.
Not what I would consider a terrific location as a tourist, but not problematic either. I'd say that if MrsMolly has chosen that hotel for the actual property and its amenities, as opposed to location, she should go for it! It's not a huge walk westward from there to civilization...