Toronto hotel
 

I'm looking for a hotel in the outlying Toronto area, maybe along 401. I'd like something far enough out that I don't have to drive in downtown traffic and pay parking fees, but be within walking distance of public transit. 30 to 45 minute bus/subway ride to downtown is fine - price range preferably under $100CN. I stayed at a Travelodge at Keele and 401 in 2003, but it seems to have changed hands or gone out of business since then. My needs are modest, but no hellholes, please. Timeframe is mid- May. Thanks in advance.

Are you looking for any accomodation under $100 or a need for a location near 401???... if its a cheaper room... you can get much closer to downtown than the 401... whassuup?

I'm planning a vacation to Toronto and want to avoid parking fees that double the price of the room and also avoid driving in downtown traffic. In order to do that, I'm willing to stay farther out from downtown and use public transportation, as long as it's within walking distance of the hotel. Staying closer to downtown is fine as long as there's free parking and the hotel is clean. As I said in the original post, I stayed in the Keele/401 area in 2003 and found it satisfactory, but can't find any mention on the internet of the hotel I used at that time and there don't seem to be others in the immediate area. I'm willing to go above $100 if necessary to avoid hotels that are (shall we say) not in good condition or in a not-so-good neighborhood. I've looked at properties in the Finch/400/Jane area, but,if you can believe various hotel review sites, this is a rather rough area(drugs were mentioned) and some of the hotels are (to put it mildly) substandard. As my wife and I would probably be returning there by bus after dark, I'd rather avoid any rough neighborhoods. Thanks for your response and I look forward to getting your advice - let me know if you need more info.

The Jane-Finch area is reputed to be one of the worst areas in Toronto. I wouldn't recommend it for a hotel stay.

Try the Holiday Inn at Dufferin and 401, near Yorkdale Shopping Centre. You can get the subway at Yorkdale and it takes you right downtown. I don't know what the parking costs are though.

The Travelodge you mention is no longer a hotel; it's been redone into condos.

Do you have to drive here?

why not try for a cheap nice place downtown on hotwire.com

if you can get a room for $60ish a night you can certainly afford to park downtown and do it all for less than $100 a night. if its avoiding the traffic you are concerned with, park at a GO station along the 401 and take the train downtown and walk to a hotel so you can enjoy the city...

if you are paying more than $20 per day for parking downtown you are getting ripped off - find a green P and on weekends it usually $10 - $15 per day. just avoid the hotel / office town parking lots...

jane finch is terrible - don't go there - gangs, drugs, murders, etc... not exactly a relaxing holiday spot.

PS - just checked hotwire.com

mid-may (weekend) they have a 4star in Downtown West (best area on hotwire) for US$57 per night. It will probably be either the Sheraton or the Hilton (both nice hotels in good areas)

try priceline.com as well and bid on cheap hotels downtown. no reason to have to stay so far out to save $$$

Thanks to everyone for their replies. The reason for this trip is to provide transportation for my daughter and several of her college friends from our home in Michigan. They plan to stay for 5 nights from May 17 - 22 (I know - Victoria Day, although that doesn't seem to have made much difference from what I can see). We are taking our vehicle and one other, so I was hoping to find a fairly cheap motel with free parking in the outlying area near public transit. We could leave both vehicles, my daughter and friends could take the subway/bus to their hostel downtown - my wife and I could stay at the motel and use public transit. This does not seem to be a viable option - motels seem to either have a parking fee, are too far out for the TTC, are in bad neighborhoods, or are either substandard or more than I'm willing to pay. Therefore, I've decided to have the kids park at their hostel, while the wife and I stay elsewhere. The Holiday Inn Yorkdale (parking $7CN per day, btw) has excellent reviews and I've been in this area before, so made a reservation there. I plan to continue research and may decide to change to a hotel downtown depending on what's available - will check Hotwire and Priceline closer to the arrival date. Again, I appreciate your time and effort in replying - let me know if you have any other ideas.

Have you looked at the North York Novotel on Yonge St? It's just north of 401 and close to a subway station. I think the rates would be comparable to or better than the Holiday Inn at Yorkdale.

Yes, I looked at the North York Novotel. The parking rate is $17/day vs. $7 at the Holiday Inn. The room rate was slightly lower, but the Novotel reviews weren't as good as the Holiday Inn. Bottom line - the Novotel was about $20 total cheaper for a 5 night stay, but I decided the Holiday Inn was worth $20 more. Thank you.

What about this
http://www.uwconbloor.com/bedbreakfast.html
Right downtown. Parking $10

priceline and hotwire get more expensive the closer to the date you book - if you want the cheap fares, book further in advance.

Time marches on and the situation changes......... My wife remembered she has a relative in Burlington, ON. We looked up the relative's address and she's less than 2 miles from the Burlington GO station. So, we made arrangements with her to leave our car and take the GO train into downtown Toronto. As we are no longer burdened with a car, I booked a hotel in Toronto West through Hotwire, receiving the Sheraton Centre for $53US/night. Reviews on this hotel seem to depend on whether you get a newly renovated room or a threadbare, noisy, too hot/too cold older room, so I emailed the hotel and asked for a renovated room. We'll see if Hotwire means old and dingy or newly renovated....... I guess I can't complain too much for the price and the location is superb. Will do a trip report here after our return - thanks again to all for the help.

I'm now back from a wonderful trip to Toronto. We drove to Burlington as indicated above - the Ontario roads are smooth as silk compared to Michigan - a definite plus. We left the car with the relative in Burlington and took the Go train into Toronto, walking from Union station to the Sheraton Centre hotel. The hotel was quite nice - newly renovated with very comfortable beds and good temperature control. It's the best room I've ever had for less than $60. Minor quibbles - the nearby clock tower chimes on the hour all night - the drain was rather slow, so showers featured water up to your ankles. On the other hand, our 14th floor room had a beautiful panoramic view of the City Hall area across the street - and the hotel was very quiet, probably due to few conventions during the Victoria Day holiday week. Toronto itself was wonderful, as usual. All in all, we had a very good time, due in part to suggestions here. Thanks to all.........

I've been checking fares on Hotwire and am getting updates with lower prices. Hopefully, the rates will still be there when/if I get to do the trip.

Glad your trip went well!

Hey, starrs -- are you coming to Toronto? Come in September to the GTG!