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Tags: Hotel Openings / Thompson Hotels / Toronto Hotels / Hotel News / Stephen Brandman / → All Tags
Thompson Hotel Toronto To Open (Like a Lion?) in March
While Thompson Hotels is busying itself with "Thompsonizing" The Hotel Sax in Chicago, they shan't forget about our neighbors to the North.
When we last checked in with Thompson Toronto, it was June and they were hinting at a 2010 opening. Judging from Thompson's past hotel opening delays we figured Summer 2010 would be a kind estimate. But Thompson co-owner Stephen Brandman has told us they are looking at March 2010 and they seem very confident in that date.
Now, the old adage says "March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb" yet we say that with the Thompson's penchant for soft-openings, TT will come in like a lamb and go out like a lion in June or so, when the rooftop bar and pool are ready to open.
Meanwhile, the Thompson Hotels website still says "Opening 2009."
Tags: Hotel Delays / Gansevoort Hotels / Gansevoort Hotel Group / Toronto Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
The Gansevoort Toronto Will Have To Wait
We thought having to wait until 2011 for the Gansevoort Toronto was already too long of a waiting period but thanks to credit woes, it looks like we'll have to keep waiting some more. Maybe forever. Scene Advisor reports that the project has been "halted" before ground was even broken. They also said that construction was to begin in 2010 with an opening date of some time in 2012. But we think you will to wait even longer.
We checked in with the hotel's construction company, TAS DesignBuild, and Steve Fernandez said this about hotel's construction timeline:
Final opening date is not confirmed, as will commence with the start of the selling of the project.
Hmmm....According to a rep for the Gansevoort Hotel Group, the Gansevoort Toronto is still something they are interested in opening once construction plans are more finalized.
In the meantime, we'll focus our energy on Gansevoort Park Ave South and possible locations in London and Istanbul.
Tags: Film Festival Hotels / Toronto Hotels / Hotel Packages / Fairmont Hotels / → All Tags
The Fairmont Royal York's 'TIFF and the City' Package for Film Festival Folks
From September 10 to 19th, all eyes will be on the big screen (and big-time celebs) at the 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where more than 300 films will be presented. Thanks to our little bro, Jaunted, we already know that this year's roster includes "Whip It," Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, "Up in the Air," starring George Clooney, and a smaller film called "Precious" which is backed by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, both of whom are expected to show.
Now, what would a film festival be without a hotel package to go along with it? A wasted opportunity which is why the The Fairmont Royal York has introduced its “TIFF and the City” package.
Tags: Summer Cocktails / Hotel Cocktails / Fairmont Hotels / Toronto Hotels / → All Tags
The Fairmont Royal York's Festive Buzz
We've kicked off our Summer Cocktails series where we profile fun new summer drinks that hotels are making. Got one we should know about? Send us the recipe with a photo of the drink. Otherwise, enjoy and @reply us when you're wasted!
We know all about the 40,000 bees living atop the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, but we had no idea that they could give us a really good buzz.
The three beehives on the hotel's rooftop terrace produce up to 700 pounds of honey every year. And that honey goes directly into the hotel's cocktails. Ok well, not all of it and not directly but the hotel's Festive Buzz champagne drink does include about 1/4 oz of Royal York Honey, giving the bubbly a little sweet kick. Mmmmm....
The recipe for the Festive Buzz is after the jump.
Tags: Hotel Hype / Hotel Rumors / Toronto Hotels / Thompson Hotels / → All Tags
What is Happening With Thompson Toronto?
Um, remember Thompson Toronto? Perhaps not, as it hasn't opened up yet and there hasn't been a whole lot of buzz about the place in recent months — but we assure you, it's still on its way.
At least: we were assured the place is still on its way. We don't have an exact opening date for you, but a fairly official Thompson-er told us the place was set for the end of 2009 (and the hotel's website still exists and lists 2009, which is promising) — but all the press releases we'd seen for the Do Not Disturb restaurant group [sidenote: yes, the Thompson dudes started their own restaurant group — in case you missed it] seem to be hinting at a 2010 opening.
Here is what we know: there will be a pool and an ice rink, and the rooms will look a little bit like this.
...Annnd that's all we've got. What can you tell us? Any word? Do share.
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Perez Hilton / Toronto Hotels / → All Tags
Perez Hilton Tweets to Summon Police to Toronto's SoHo Metropolitan
Ugh. Can you imagine being a guest at the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel last night and having to deal with a bunch of police officers skulking around the place in the wee hours of the morning because Perez Hilton sent out a dramatic plea for help over Twitter?
Okay, let's back up. Allegedly, here's what went down in Toronto last night: celeblogger Perez Hilton was in Toronto to present at the MuchMusic Awards on Sunday night, and he had attended an afterparty at a TO nightclub. At some point over the course of the evening, something happened to result in Perez bleeding and so he blamed Black Eyed Peas' will.I.am and his security guards, accusing them of beating him up.
And how did he choose to announce and deal with this incident? He Twittered about it:
· I'm in shock. I need the police ASAP. Please come to the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel now. Please.
· I was assaulted by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and his security guards. I am bleeding. Please, I need to file a police report. No joke.
· Still waiting for the police. The bleeding has stopped. I need to document this. Please, can the police come to the SoHo Met Hotel.
A little bit later, he tweeted, "the Toronto police are here now. Thank you. Please stop calling them." Were people really calling them on his behalf? Really? Guh.
Well, we're not sure what the deal is here, but we do know that the SoHo Metropolitan will forever be remembered as the hotel from which an injured Perez tweeted for help. Iconic.
Tags: Killer View / Toronto Hotels / InterContinental Hotels / → All Tags
A Toronto Budget Hotel View That's Worth the $30 Upgrade
We are suckers for a room with a killer view. We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.
The photographer who snapped the shot of the Toronto Days Inn with the budget view actually switched hotels in between two conferences — and then upgraded (well, the view at least) to a Holiday Inn with this view.
He reportedly paid $30 more here at the Holiday Inn Midtown than he paid at the Days Inn, and we'd most certainly be happy with a window like this.
But it's possible that all you're really paying for is the location and view; TripAdvisor reviews seem to mostly say positive things about the hotel's area and convenience to U of T (though, to be fair, those are only the most recent reviews — earlier posts say the hotel is "consistently fine").
Rates here look to be startin' at $135.99 CAD ($120 USD).
[Photo: Rick's Pics]
Tags: Anti-View / Flickr / Snapshot / Days Inn Hotels / Toronto Hotels / → All Tags
A Budget Hotel in Toronto With an Appropriately-Budget View
You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.
Usually when you check yourself into a budget hotel, you're not expecting much out of the view — you pay a low price for a room, the most you can really hope for is a nice, comfortable stay. You're not so picky about the view. No frills needed.
But occasionally you luck out — take that Best Western with the sweet-ass view in Oregon, for example — and your less-than-a-Benjamin room rate lands you a more-than-a-Benjamin view.
Okay, but not the case here: this is a poopy view from a (somewhat dated-looking) Days Inn in Toronto. Room rates here look to be around 105 (CAD) right now, which comes out to $93-ish in the states. This comes from Rick's Pics, who was in Toronto for a conference — and then he switched hotels, apparently, for another conference and got majorly hooked up with one of those budget hotels with the expensive-looking views.
[Photo: Rick's Pics]
Tags: Hotel WiFi / Toronto Hotels / Snapshot / Flickr / → All Tags
Le Germain Toronto's Free WiFi is 'Blazing Fast'
Well, we don't know when we can expect Thompson Toronto (our guess is that it won't be opening its doors anytime soon), but whenever it does arrive, we're not so sure we're going to be jumping at the chance to stay there over the comparably-chic Le Germain — if only for the WiFi situation.
Tags: Sneak Peek / Thompson Hotels / Hotel Hype / Toronto Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
What the Rooms at Thompson Toronto Will Look Like
It seems as if it's always one step forward, one step back for Thompson Hotels, except this time around it's one step back, one step forward. We were crushed to hear that the free WiFi we so depended on from Thompson Hotels is gone. Out the window with the boom years of the hospitality industry, we presume. Sadly, you will now be asked to pony up at least $10 to surf the web in your fancy designer room.
But we perked up again today when we found photos online of the rooms inside the upcoming Thompson Toronto.
Tags: Killer View / Toronto Hotels / Renaissance Hotels / Baseball Hotels / Hotels-Near-MLB-Stadiums / → All Tags
Renaissance Toronto's View Will Keep You There Extra Innings
We are suckers for a room with a killer view. We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.
A couple seasons ago, we gave you a pretty comprehensive look at all the hotels near MLB stadiums — but this one, excuse the atrocious pun, is sort of the Grand Slam of MLB stadium views.
Behold the view of the baseball field at Toronto's Rogers Centre (formerly known as the SkyDome), home of the Blue Jays, from the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel. No, seriously. This is for reals a view from a room.
Tags: Hotel Amenities / Park Hyatt Hotels / Toronto Hotels / → All Tags
Park Hyatt Toronto Giving You 10 Perks for $10 for 10 Days
While it's freezing and snowing in Toronto these days, it's the actually the right time to hit up the Park Hyatt. The hotel is celebrating its 10th anniversary by offering guests a list of 10 extra amenities at $10 each.
Those amenities include the practical--valet parking and room upgrades--and the leisurely like a manicure or a ticket to the Royal Ontario museum across the street. The hotel even cryptically says you might be able to get an extra night for $10. We're not so sure about this one but maybe, depending on availability.
Of course, cheapie perks like this don't last long. The hotel is only offering these $10 amenities for 10 days from February 17-27.
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