After a long day of travel, I was worried when I checked into the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 33 Carlson Court, near the airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Why? It was about 11 p.m., there was a wedding reception underway in the ballroom, and the revelry had spilled over into the lobby. Lots of music and laughter!
But, after I went upstairs and closed the door of my guest room, I was relieved to hear . . . nothing. I was especially glad for the silence because I had just about three hours before I had to reboard the hotel’s complementary shuttle to return to the airport a short 1.2 miles away for my flight home. (This hotel has a transit passenger’s essential: a 24-hour hotel shuttle.)
Marble evidently is a favorite material at this Crowne Plaza. The lobby floor, the check-in desk, and the table in the middle with an effusive display of fresh flowers all are earth-tone stone, as was the countertop in my guest bathroom. An intricate mosaic in various shades of cream and brown inlay graced the elevator lobby floor.
My room also was mostly cream and brown, but I was captivated by the print of three colorful koi fish on the wall. There was a Bloomfield capsule coffee maker, with selections of both regular and decaf brews by Higgins & Burke.
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The guest room had everything I needed: free WiFi to check last-minute messages, a comfortable bed, and a well-equipped bathroom. Bathroom amenities (by Beekman) included mouthwash and body lotion.
I had no inclination to switch on the flat-screen TV or even sit in the ergonomic chair at the desk (I checked email on my laptop sprawled across the bed). I had arrived at the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel within the window for room service (it ends at 1 a.m.), but, really, food was the last thing on my mind.
It wasn’t the right time for the indoor pool or hot tub or sauna, but they didn’t appeal this time. The fitness center is open 24-hours, but shut-eye was in order, not a run on the treadmill.
I must say that the in-room coffee maker was a lifesaver when I had to rouse myself to make my early morning flight.
An impressive number of languages is spoken by hotel staff. Although I needed only English, the website says guests can also be accommodated in Chinese, French, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, or Tagalog.
I was really sorry not to have more time (when I made the hotel reservation, I thought I’d have more time to sleep before flights, but, well, I arrived in Toronto on a charter plane flight, and they don’t exactly have “schedules”).
Toronto is one of my favorite cities. I always begin my Canadian adventures at the Tim Hortons in the airport. I haven’t really “arrived” in Canuckia until I’ve indulged in a maple-glazed doughnut.
Crowne Plaza is an IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) brand.
Although the rack rate in Canadian dollars is about $150, I paid CAD$123 when I was there last August. You can make a reservation on the hotel website or via one of the usual hotel booking sites such as Hotels.com.
(Photos courtesy of the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel and by Susan McKee)
