Review: Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre

A recent work trip to Toronto provided a chance to stay at the Marriott Downtown Toronto Eaton Centre. The location of this property is the real winner here. The building itself is a bit dated and uninspiring, however, the amenities and service shine through and provide the ‘quintessential’ Marriott experience.

I was able to book a conference rate of $200 CAD, the average high season rate for the property can be upwards of $300 CAD and the Cat-7 demands 35,000 points per night. The downtown location and the proximity to the business district, major tourist attractions and city airport Billy Bishop (YTZ), does justify this high category listing in Toronto.

Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre – Check in

The main entrance of the hotel is located on Bay Street, with an easy access to the main lobby and check-in area. The main floor includes the check-in area, lobby seating and the bar/restaurant Trios Bistro. Check-in was easy since I had used the mobile check-in option and was also upgraded to a Large King corner room on the 16th floor. The mobile key was setup in advance so I was able to walk straight to my room without having to make a stop at the front desk – a handy feature since I was arriving late at night.

Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre – Building and Main Entrance

Check-in area in the lobby

Main lobby

More lobby area seating, around a fire pit

Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre – Room 1632

Room 1632 is a corner King room, larger than the standard King rooms on the property. Corner room meant a lot of walking space which was a pleasant surprise.

Corner King Room – 1632

The room setup was pretty unique with the bathroom immediately to the right of the entrance, followed by the long hallway leading into the room.

A long hallway between the room and the door

Room 1632 – King Bed, Sofa, Work desk and a generous closet

Room 1632 – King Bed

A full work desk and an excellent WiFi connection was perfect

A generous closet space

Room 1632 – Bathroom

A walk-in standing shower

Last but not least – City view from room 1632

Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre – Club Lounge and Breakfast

As a gold member, I was looking forward to experiencing the Elite club lounge and the breakfast on Offer. The lounge is located on the main floor, right beside the restaurant Trios Bistro. To my surprise, even with a full club lounge this Marriott property shares the full breakfast buffet with the main restaurant. Elite members can use their key to access the lounge. The lounge serves a full array of drinks, pastries and snacks, however for hot breakfast, Elite members can take a tray and head to the main restaurant area for the full buffet.

On the downside, the lounge is not very big and was extremely crowded for the three days I was there. Crowded enough that every morning a few people only had standing room in the lounge.

Elite Club Lounge – Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre

Elite Club Lounge – Seating

Trios Bistro – Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre

Trios Bistro seating area

Breakfast Buffet at Trios Bistro

Breakfast Buffet with an array of hot and cold options

Omelette Station

Sample Breakfast – Elite worthy

Take Away

Even tough the hotel exterior and aesthetics can come across as dated, the service and the staff are par excellence. The amenities on offer check off all the basic needs of a business hotel – roof top pool, gym, business centre, conference rooms and a very elegant lobby restaurant. This was my first stay at the property and the property grew on me gradually (the exterior did put me off to begin with). Given the excellent location the property connects all the major spots Toronto downtown has to offer its visitors.