Toronto / Yorkdale Hotel Question
 

We are thinking about going to Toronto for a long weekend in October. Last time we were in Brampton for a birthday party, we parked at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre and took the subway into downtown and it worked out perfectly. I saw that they have a Holiday Inn right across from this shopping centre.

Looking at their rates it's about 150 a night, can we do better in downtown or should we just go with this plan?

How late does the subway run to Yorkdale? The TTC website can be confusing at times.

Thanks!

The subway runs till about 1:30 am evenings.

Thanks. I'm thinking that this may be the best option because the hotels downtown seem to have $30 parking.

You should really look into finding a hotel downtown. Toronto is a very walkable city, with plenty of great neigbourhoods which you may miss if you stay at Yorkdale. In my mind staying at Yorkdale is akin to visiting New York City but staying at a hotel near JFK airport.

Thanks nohomers, but right now money is tight so I have to go for the best value. We will return to Toronto many times, so there will be opportunities to do what you mentioned. We only live a 4 hour drive away.

Think about staying downtown area at
a bed & breakfast. We stayed at a
place right near the subway station
at Bloor & Spadina area. Can't remember the name of it, will if I
think about it for a day or two though in case you want to know. All
I remember is the owner was named
Carol, so of course we always refer
to it as Carols Place .... More reasonable $$, parking included, close to subway and breakfast. Cant beat that.

Sherri,
I would definitely be interested in the name of the B&B

I think we might stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Lombard Street. Sounds like a good location and even with factoring in parking it will be less than the Holiday Inn at Yorkdale (I just realized that they charge $7 for parking there).

I will still consider this B&B though when I find out more!

That's a great and interesting area, amelie. In fact, one of my friends lives just a block away and I'd move into her building in a minute!

You'll be right near the St. Lawrence Market, which is a great fun place on Saturdays, both the south (main) and north markets. On Sundays I think there's still a flea/antique fair at the north building. The stretch of King Street, etc., in that neighbourhood has some good restaurants including the Hot House which has an excellent Sunday brunch, Springrolls (pan Asian), Le Papillion (Breton-style crepes), Shopsy's (deli), and Richtree (a whole variety of stuff).

You'll be within a short block of Yonge Street which is a little quiet at that end but gets more interesting up towards Dundas. You can also walk to the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre as well as Harbourfront Centre down at the lakeshore.

You'll also be near the Distillery District which has some interesting events, galleries, shops and restaurants. Definitely check out Sandra Ainsley's glass gallery.

I'm so pleased to hear that you're coming back to Toronto and at such a nice time of year.

Let us know if you have any special interests and we'll try to help you out!

goddesstogo,
Thank you for all that information!! :) Could you please compare the area of this B&B for me?

http://www.bantinghouse.com/main-cat...irections.html

Actually, scratch that, they don't have the room available that I wanted.

I think you sold me on the location of the Holiday Inn Express.
:)

I will have to think of specific interests. We will have much more time in Toronto on this trip (no birthday parties in Brampton etc.).

I know my husband will be interested in Indian restaurants near our hotel or within the TTC.

Thanks!

I think the Holiday Inn Express is the better location, amelie.

There are Indian restaurants springing up all over Toronto! My friends and I kid that Indian is the new Italian. I can't think of anything offhand right in the area but I'm sure we can give you a list of good downtown Indian restaurants.

Right now I can think of Babur on Queen and Host on Prince Arthur. Anyone else?

We were just in Toronto for the day to meet friends who stayed at the Cosmopolitan which was lovely. they got a great rate (avg @ 150 night) thru Hotels.com. Parking was extra though. They didnt have a car, so they didnt care, we did park a car and it was @ $25 from the morning til late at night

Do you have to drive? Would it be possible for you to drop your car off at your Brampton friend's home and then pick it up on your way out of Toronto? You really don't need a car here.

This seems like an awful lot of worry and angst over saving maybe thirty bucks.

The Holiday Inn on Lombard is in a good location. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance. Stores and othr attractions are close. It's only a few minutes walk to the subway. Streetcars are close by on King Street and Queen Street.

The whole idea of parking in Brampton and trying to get downtown is just plain silly.

BAK

Parking at that Holiday Inn is $20 a day, so the savings is closer to $60 or $80 depending on how many days the OP will be here. I certainly agree she doesn't need a car downtown but she's mentioned that money is tight and she's trying to do this trip on a budget.

I thought that by leaving her car with her Brampton friends and picking it up at the end of the weekend, she could save a few dollars. For me, $60 or $80 would be better spent at a restaurant or event, than a parking lot.

I was hoping that maybe her friends would even be nice enough to drive her downtown and pick her up. ;;)

I don't really see any 'worry and angst' here, just a discussion of options.

BAK - There's no worry or angst. We will be there Thurs. night - Sunday. So I don't know if that is 3 or 4 days of charges for parking, but it's definitely more than $20 saved if we don't park there.

I hadn't considered leaving our car with my husband's cousins. A good idea actually. We will be arriving late on Thurs. night though (10 pm most likely) so I don't know if that would be possible. I also don't know if we will see them at all during this trip, they are distant cousins (more friend's of my husband's parents than us), but we'll see.

Thanks!

The hotel situation has been solved, I thought we were talking about Indian restaurants and other restaurants? ;)

http://tinyurl.com/6glsf4

Hi Amelie,
This link should take you to a list of Indian restaurants in downtown Toronto. Indian isn't my favourite cuisine so I can't really recommend any in particular. I've been to The Host, which is in the Yorkville area, and it might be pricier. Your hotel is right near Bombay Palace. I've also been to Babur on Queen West and it was quite good. That would probably be my downtown recommendation.

We have quite a lively Indian area in the Broadview and Gerrard area, just a streetcar ride from your hotel and you'll find lots of great shops and restaurants there. I've been to the buffet at Siddartha but that's the only restaurant I've tried there.

Otherwise, there are lots of restaurant suggestions in my previous posts but if there's anything else specific you're looking for, let us know.

Got IT !!
Annex House B & B
147 Madison AVe
Toronto
416 920 3922
4 rooms
Near St George Subway Station-2 min
walk to subway. If I remember the
last time we stayed there, either
we parked in her driveway, or on
street parking in a residential
neighborhood. Either way, I remember
it was no cost, and no problems with
parking.

www.bbcanada.com is a website I have for Bed & Breakfasts for Canada if that will help you.

ALso, you could consider BOND PLACE
near Eaton Center. Last I knew, reasonable rates, not real large
rooms, adequate above ground parking
directly across the street, and of
course walkable/ subway to everything you would need.
Hope this helps/Sherri

Realizing that Amelie has worked out her hotel question, I'll post this for anyone looking for an inexpensive option in the future:

I stayed at the Travelodge Toronto Airport Southwest at 1767 Dundas Street East, Mississauga last year. It was $80 per night with free parking. The room was basic but clean and decent. The lobby was nice and looked onto Dundas (I was able to watch for Kodi one night relaxing on the lobby sofa). There's a couple restaurants in the neighborhood and a Tim Hortons.

To get downtown, go across the street to the corner bus stop and take the 1 or 1C bus to Islington TTC Station. It’s $2.75 for the bus.

Then just take the TTC green line (Bloor-Danforth).

Transfer to the Yellow line (to get to Union Station) at St. George.

I bought the day pass for $8.50 each day for simplicity and freedom to hop on and off.

On the return, get off the TTC at Islington and go up the stairs to the 1/1C bus stop. At the corner of Dundas and Wharton, pull the stop bell. The bus will stop just past the entranceway to the hotel.

The 45 minutes it took to get in and out of downtown each day on the TTC was nicely compensated by saving about $60 per day for lodging and parking (even the B&Bs were more expensive than this hotel and TTC costs). I actually enjoyed the commute as it gave me a sense of being a "regular Torontonian commuting downtown for work".

I realize this isn't ideal for everyone, BUT it is a good option for those on a tight budget who want to visit Toronto.