I've only been to Toronto once before on business and didn't see much, and unfortunately this is another quick trip- 2 days. I'm seeing a show at Lee's Palace on Bloor. So I'm looking for centrally located mid priced hotel for two women traveling alone.
I've been reading through the posts on hotels in Toronto and usually I get to the point where I make a decision and then have to start all over when I read one weird review. So, I'm asking for your help to choose between a few that are available through priceline. We're driving in so we plan to park the car and leave it because we like walking-distances not a problem, but want to feel safe walking around at night, and we need TTC access to get to the show.
here are the choices all within the same price range and available.

-Courtyard by Marriott. seems close to the TTC but the neighborhood got mixed reviews.
-Novotel Toronto Centre. I don't know anything about this chain.
-Holiday Inn on King

any thoughts from the natives?
thanks

Hi emjoy,
Lee's Palace is in a great, funky, university neighbourhood called the Annex. Very high-priced old houses and lots of interesting shops and restaurants. Re hotels, if I've got the locations right, none of them is in a 'bad' neighbourhood. Correct me if I've got any of these locations wrong.

The Marriott Courtyard is at Yonge and Bloor. West along Bloor is the high-priced fashion shopping area/Yorkville/Cumberland -- Toronto's 5th Avenue, art galleries, posh shops, etc. South of Bloor on Yonge you'll run into the occasional strip bar but mostly it's shops and restaurants, just of a less than glamorous nature than on Bloor. Also, that's where the Panasonic Theatre is which is currently showing the Blue Man Group. You can walk to Lee's Palace from this hotel if you leave yourself enough time, and it's a nice walk, too.

The Holiday Inn on King is in what's called the 'entertainment district'. Theatres, lots of restaurants, nightclubs (for the younger-than-me crowd), comedy club, SkyDome, CN Tower.

I'm not sure which Novotel you're talking about. Is it in the south end of the city near Front Street? If so, you're right near Yonge (main arterial), theatres, restaurants, the St. Lawrence Market, design stores, shops.

All three locations are near public transportation and you can feel safe walking just about anywhere (I've lived and worked downtown all my life and think all our downtown neighbourhoods are safe. I'm a little iffy about the suburbs, though.)

I can get a little freaked out by one weird review too but getting personal opinions on this site is a good idea. I really think you can't go wrong with any of these hotels. It's a good idea to park the car and either walk or take public transit. There will be lots of people in the areas you're considering.

The Marriott Courtyard is not at Yonge and Bloor; that's the Yorkville Marriott.

The Courtyard is blocks down Yonge Street, just north of College/Carleton.

The Holiday Inn on King is in my neighborhood, and a great place to stay, Close enough to the subway, but even closer to the Spadina streetcar, which will bringyou home from Lee's palace. You might as well walk there, through Chinatown, before the show.

The Novatel is out of the way; off to the side, in antoher entertainment district but, of the three (Mariott Yorkville, not Courtyard) is the farthest, for no real advantage.

But the bargain, not on your list, is the Quality Hotel, 280 Bloor Street West. Lee's Palace is at 529 Bloor West, not a bad walk. Lee's mentions the Quality Hotel as a hotel for its perforrmers.

The Quality Hotel is across the street fromthe Shoe Museum, too.

BAK

Oh, thanks, BAK. I always forget about that Marriott because it was something else for a long time.

I've never been inside the Quality but it's a good neighbourhood, right in the heart of the Annex/UofT area. I work right there so I'm by it all the time. There are other hotels in the area but I thought the OP was only interested in these three because they were available to her on Priceline.

If you can, try the Yorkville Marriott then.

The Holiday Inn Select on Bloor would be a good bet - it used to be the Quality Inn. Lee's Palace is about two - three blocks west of here. Yorkville is about a five - ten minute walk.

that makes sense now- I looked into the quality inn on bloor but they had no rooms and the reservation system seemed to redirect me to something more worldwide not local. Must be because it's a Holiday Inn now.
thanks so much for the help. Looking at a map you'd never guess Lee's is walking distance. to down town. thanks for the tip.

We found the Novotel to be good quality and not really far off the main "action" areas.

If you stay at the Bloor Street Holiday Inn you are a two minute walk from a major subway interchange (St. George Station). There is a pub and good cafe on the main floor of the hotel and right next door is Bar Mercurio (open all day), a successful, neighbourhood, family-run (Mercurio family). Across the street is the Bata Shoe Museum. You would be an 8 minute walk from Lees Palace, passing many restaurants along the way.

thanks for the tips. I've booked Holiday Inn midtown (formerly Quality Inn) and will walk everywhere!
Never been on a streetcar- so will be sure to take advantage. and as for a shoe museum- dream come true!
thanks

You'll have a good time in that neighbourhood. The stretch of Bloor Street from your hotel to Lee's Palace and Bathurst Street (an easy and interesting walk) is full of shops and good little restaurants. Others will have their favourites but I like Rolu (Japanese) at Spadina, ZiZi Trattoria (Italian) near Bathurst and Southern Accent (Cajun) on Markham Street. If you get a chance, explore Honest Ed's, an enormous bargain store which is a Toronto tradition and Markham Street, just a block or so of antique stores, restaurants, galleries, etc.

thanks for all your replies. Just back from your lovely city. It was so clean, and we had 2 days of warm sun, and crisp air.
We stayed at Holiday Inn midtown, on Bloor. Perfectly suitable. clean, great location. good price. it was down the street from the Hotel Intercontinental where I spent 2 evenings in the bar having very lovely local pinot noir and the best dirty martini ever.

The neighborhood around the area is great. We loved walking, windowshopping and eating. Thanks for the tip for ZiZi's. We had a nice bottle of wine and a great meal there before the show at Lee's Palace. By the way, it was really refreshing to go to a concert and not come out smelling like an ashtray, so thank you Toronto for the non-smoking rules!

We walked to Yonge, down Yonge to the lake, and across to Crush an amazing wine bar on King Street. Then took the Spadina streetcar back to Bloor.

I know it was only two days but I feel I got a great look at Toronto and would love to visit again.

thanks to all those who helped with the quick planning.