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| - I have stayed in many, many Renaissance hotels as a platinum member of Marriott Rewards and this is one that fails to meet the standard of the brand. First and foremost, I was surprised at how dated the hotel was. The hotel was built in 1989, and while they claim to have performed a complete renovation in 2001, it is unapparent by the guest rooms.
My room was on the ninth floor and had a decent view. The room was neither small nor large; what struck me, however, was how sparsely it was furnished and decorated. The walls were a bright yellowish color that, with the carpet, created a very "old lady" feel in the room. I mention this because one of the great things about Renaissance hotels is their contemporary, modern edge and this hotel was anything but. The rooms were drab and boring.
The location was great, I suppose, if you are there for an event at the attached Rogers Centre Stadium. It is also a short distance from the CN Tower. I liked that there were convenience stores and restaurants all within walking distance. Unfortunately, the area in which the hotel is located lacks much character and shuts down at night, so if you want to go out drinking, etc., you will have to cab it to another part of town.
My interaction with the staff was pretty minimal. The hotel does not offer turndown service (so I was surprised by the four-star rating so many websites have assigned this hotel). If you drive, plan to park valet, which is pricey but really your only option. Marriott needs to dramatically renovate this hotel or change its brand designation. And this is most definitely no four-star hotel - it is at best three-star, and possibly two and a half.
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