Help a DISer....hotel in Toronto...leaving this Saturday..please!!!

[njmomboys2]

Hi there. I am currently booked for 3 nights at the Grand Hotel & Suites in Toronto (located on Jarvis Street). The hotel got 4 Stars on Expedia and got good reviews on Tripadvisor.

I just heard from another diser (another thread) that the hotel may be nice but the area around it isn't great. We are a family of four (2 boys, ages 14 & 9)...any opinions......the hotel includes a great breakfast...a suite room..and we were told they are not far from a subway station, etc....thanks!!!!

 

[maggieb9975]

What are you planning on doing in TO?? Did you specifically want to stay downtown? I used to live in TO and Jarvis was always considered the "Red light district" but anywhere downtown can be a little iffy.....

what is your price range?

 

[njmomboys2]

We will be doing:

Casa Loma (on drive from Niagara Falls)
CN Tower
Hippo Tours
NHL Hall of Fame
Blue Jay Game
Canada Wonderland

Would like to keep it around $200.......

Is that area really that bad????

 

[maggieb9975]

I checked out the hotel and I think it looks great...
the area is a little off the main downtown. I wouldn't necessarily walk around at night but with what you are doing it is in a good area but it is a few blocks to Subway..it is not right there....

I would maybe get opinions from Dis'ers that live there now...I lived there 20+ yrs ago and it wasn't nice then but I am sure it is different now....did you check out the Renaissance on Blu Jay way?...stayed there..was great....and closer to CN tower and Blue Jay game of course....

 

[damo]

I live there now. It is me who posted the warning. My kids go to school a few blocks from the hotel and I specifically asked them when I heard its location. They both said to make sure you travel in groups and don't go any further east. They said if they had to recommend a hotel, it would not be that area.

I would go to hotwire and betterbidding.com and see what I could find that is closer to your price range and in a better location.

However, like I said, if you can't change it, just be careful and you will be fine.

 

[maggieb9975]

Well there is your answer...I guess it hasn't changed...I used to work right there (sears warehouse) when I was a teen and I always made sure I had left work before dark....

njmomboys2....when are you going? can you check out some other options?

 

[njmomboys2]

Thanks damo and all.....didn't mean to question your judgement it is just at this late date can't seem to get a similiar deal/price. Plus we were able to get a suite (for the same price as most regular hotel rooms) and with boys that are 14 & 9 we do better with bigger rooms/beds. So I think we will stick with this and don't plan on being out late at night for walking...will take the hotels' free shuttle or taxis if the subways don't work.

Thanks to all for your suggestions!!!! Always get the best advice/suggestions from our Dis ers friends!!!

 

[maggieb9975]

Other option...just take cabs everywhere......then no worries about walking......

 

[damo]

Other option...just take cabs everywhere......then no worries about walking......

I agree. That's what I recommended. Then there is no chance of anything undesirable happening.

There's a reason why such a beautiful hotel is so cheap. Its location is just weird. You'll find that in Toronto an area can change from great to sketchy within a block. I really did't want to scare you but you did ask for advice. It would be awful if no one gave you a heads up and you just went wandering around on your own. Better safe than sorry.

Have a great trip and enjoy the Hockey Hall of fame. Your boys will love it. Mine did when he was little.

 

[stefanospops]

It is not THAT bad there. The hotel is quite nice and there are always cabs out front. as others have said, don't go east and you are fine. But during the day it is perfectly fine to walk to the Eaton Centre and other places. It is no different than any other city. Make sure your kids are close by, exercise caution whenever possible, and try to avoid letting the kids explore on their own. Have fun!

 

[njmomboys2]

Hi there..just noticed that Monday Aug. 3rd is a Civic Holiday..will that impact me at all? We will actually be in Niagara Falls on Monday....any impact to the attractions? Thanks

 

[Ham Ham]

Much nastier neighbourhoods than Jarvis and Dundas.
East on Dundas is George's Chicken, some of the best in the city.
Most of the folks who hang around on the street are too buzzed or drunk to care about much.
The whole area improved since the plaza on the southwest corner of Jarvis and Dundas shut down.

 

[tink1969]

No, the Civic holiday will not affect the attractions. They will remain open and may be busy. This weekend in Toronto is also Caribanna (spelling?) weekend. So downtown Toronto will be packed with tourists who come in for the parade/festival weekend.
I hope you enjoy your time here.

 

[dancin Disney style]

It is not THAT bad there. The hotel is quite nice and there are always cabs out front. as others have said, don't go east and you are fine. But during the day it is perfectly fine to walk to the Eaton Centre and other places. It is no different than any other city. Make sure your kids are close by, exercise caution whenever possible, and try to avoid letting the kids explore on their own. Have fun!

I totally agree...while Jarvis is not the nicest area of the city it certainly is not the worst. Toronto in general is a great city and one of the safer places that I know of.

As far as the holiday impact....you won't see too much of it in the downtown core...it's a tourist area and most things will be open. Will it be busier....probably not because it's always busy.

 

[LSmith]

O.k. I asked my husband who is a Toronto police officer downtown and he said the Grand hotel is a gorgeous hotel but the area is still very shady, lots of drug dealers, junkies and pimps at night. On the corner across the street from the Grand there is a run down plaza where lots of dealers hang.

Totally safe during the day but you wouldn't want to walk around at night. It turns into a completely different atmosphere. Also, remember it is the red light district.

Also, as for George's Chicken. Sorry Ham Ham but YUCK! That place is full of low lifes at night. Anyway, just my opinion but if you do stay on Jarvis, head to the Keg Mansion for dinner. Very good service there.

The Sheraton Centre is in a great location downtown. Also the Holiday Inn on King is fine. These are the hotels I could recommend off hand.

PS And also, people on here are right. Don't go East of Jarvis in that area.
Anyway, just our opinion. Toronto is awesome and have a great time!

 

[Ham Ham]

Also, as for George's Chicken. Sorry Ham Ham but YUCK! That place is full of low lifes at night. Anyway, just my opinion but if you do stay on Jarvis, head to the Keg Mansion for dinner. Very good service there.

How nice of you to call me a low life since I've been to George's at night on occasion when working. I've even see the police there as customers.
True the whole neighbourhood is more seedy at night.
I would much rather head to George's than hooker Harveys.
Thanks again.

 

[LSmith]

How nice of you to call me a low life since I've been to George's at night on occasion when working.
Thanks again.

Wait a minute! You may or may not be a low life but I did not call you one!
My husband also occasionlly eats there too and while sometimes his behaviour is questionable I do not think he is a low life. Just in the presence of many while at George's.

 

[Ham Ham]

Wow I may not be a low life.
The nice words keep coming.

 

[LSmith]

Wow I may not be a low life.
The nice words keep coming.

Well, you know, I'm sweet like that.

BTW I did check out the hotel and it looks amazing. If I knew the downtown area like I do I would have no trouble staying there. As a tourist, I would be very uncomfortable at night there.

 

[Ham Ham]

When folks are in from out of town where I work we send them The Grand.

The building where the hotel is was once Toronto HQ for the RCMP.

What a low life Ham Ham may look like.