Windsor Arms Hotel

This hotel is in the heart of Toronto's Bloor/Yorkville area, perfectly located and on a quiet street. It's just steps from lots of lively shopping and walking distance to the theaters on Yonge as well as the University of Toronto. The room was very pretty, elegant and well furnished, as well as largely quiet. The towels were Garnier Thibaut and very fluffy. The staff were extremely attentive as well.

This is a VERY expensive hotel. It was renovated (actually rebuilt inside the shell of the old hotel--the developers claimed they couldn't renovate the historic building so knocked down all but the facades) in 1999, and it's definitely showing its age. The surfaces in the bathroom were nicked and cracked. One of the lightbulbs in the bathroom ceiling was out. The make up mirror's attachment was coming loose so it sagged from the wall. The light bulbs flanking the mirror were so dim I couldn't see to put on make up. There was mildew in the shower. The hand-held shower attachment that served as the showerhead would only sit, no matter how many times I tried to adjust it, so that I had to stand with my side pressed against the wall to get under it. There was dirt/dust on the moldings inside the bathroom door. The iron leaked water even on the highest setting (the butler quickly brought another that worked better, though not perfectly). The toilet flush is power assisted and so loud we couldn't flush it in the night because it would wake everyone up. At night there was a periodic clicking/tapping noise from the building settling, which is weird because it's actually a newish building. It was loud enough that I had to put a pillow over my head. I'm not sure I would stay there again. Though the room was luxurious and elegant it seems like the hotel needs to take it off line and take a good look at the details; I can't comment on whether this is typical of the hotel as a whole or just wear-and-tear in this one junior suite.