Staycation at The Grand Hotel & Suites, Toronto

Who needs to travel far from home to have a great vacation? While jetting off somewhere is a great idea, it is not always feasible, especially for families.  That’s why a staycation is a wonderful alternative. Recently my family and I got to experience a staycation right here in our own backyard.  We took a couple of days away from our regular routine and spent the night in Toronto at The Grand Hotel & Suites!!

One thing you need to know is that my kiddos love to stay in a hotel. Especially Emily. 🙂 I must admit I see the appeal.  You don’t have to worry about the mess you make, you probably will be eating your meals in a restaurant and quite often there is a pool involved.  Ya, I can definitely see the appeal. So it was no surprise to me that they were over the moon with excitement when we were invited to spend our staycation at The Grand Hotel & Suites in Toronto! I was doing a happy dance myself. 🙂

From the moment we pulled up out front of The Grand and saw the regal entrance I knew we were in for a treat. I had to laugh when Emily said, “Oh Mama, we are going to be so spoiled here!” And you know what? We were! I felt like I was walking the red carpet as we ascended the huge staircase only to have the liveried doorman hold open the front door. I think I even giggled a bit. 🙂  Just in behind the lovely foyer was the reception area. As we were checking in late in the afternoon it was not busy and we were taken care of right away. The reception area is large with comfy seating and gorgeous fresh flowers. Just off in the corner there is a small store where you can pick up items you may have forgotten or a postcard to send home.  This little shop, along with room service, is open 24 hours! I love the convenience of not needing to remember closing times. When you have children you can have an immediate need for medicine or milk at any time of the day or night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the far end of the lobby in The Grand Hotel & Suites you will find Citrus Restaurant, Citrus Lounge and The Terrace. The dining and bar area featured traditional tables mixed with comfy chairs and low tables, as well as pub style seating. It was modern, yet eclectic at the same time.  I found the restaurant to possess a certain charm. Although we did not get to have dinner in Citrus I did have a look at the menu and my contact at The Grand, Tanya, provided me with the children’s menu.  You can view the lunch and dinner offerings here. Next time I visit The Grand I plan to have dinner there, however, in the meantime I was eagerly looking forward to the complimentary breakfast buffet that is provided to all guests of The Grand Hotel & Suites in Toronto.

After checking in we needed to get our stuff to our room, so it was off to park the car.  We could have used the Valet Service, but instead decided to park ourselves. The Grand has a huge underground garage that is protected with a state of the art security system.  The only way in is with your key. 🙂 From the garage we headed to our room. I have to mention that my hubby had the coolest experience at this point. When we got off the elevator there was a sign advertising the launch party for a movie being released that day in Toronto. It happened to be a favorite of Doug’s and it was being held on our floor! It was kind of cool to see these homegrown celebrities and the best part was, once our door was shut you could not hear a thing! (The peep hole was great for spying, I mean having a peek though 🙂 )

The biggest surprise of the day was waiting for us inside the room. I was totally taken aback when I walked into this beautiful loft style suite! The first thing you notice is the size of it. I could have held a wedding reception here, complete with ballroom dancing! I had to round up the kids quickly so I could take some photos before they claimed the suite for themselves, also known as making a mess.

As you enter the suite there is a fully functioning kitchen to the right, complete with glistening granite counters and a breakfast bar.  Although we had only a few supplies with us, Emily set right to filling up the fridge! Everything you could need was in the cupboards, from glassware and dishes to utensils and cookware. Would you believe we even had a dishwasher?! Yup, that my friends is the honest truth.  A dishwasher in our hotel room.  I was ready to stay the week at that point. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other side of the suite entrance was a powder-room, completely decked out with towels and the heavenly bath products found in each of the three bathrooms we had.  Yes, I said three. The products were from 29 Preserves and smelled wonderful! Emily takes the hand lotion to school every day. 🙂  There was a bathroom in the main floor bedroom suite and another, complete with separate shower and tub, on the second floor. This is perfect for getting ready each day. No more waiting for “your turn” to get showered.

Our suite at The Grand Hotel & Suites was more like an apartment, which is perfect for someone staying in Toronto for business or pleasure.  The main floor had a large dining table that was perfect for a family or for entertaining clients.  Across the hardwood floors was the living area with a comfy sofa and chairs.  The kids zeroed right in on the large flat screen TV on the wall that came with a DVD player.  All of the comforts of home could be found in our suite, including a writing desk with hotel stationary. Although the weather was not conducive to eating outside we still had a peek at the balcony off of the main floor. Even though we did not stay outside long the floor to ceiling windows allowed us to enjoy the view.

Stepping into the master bedroom was like being inside an oasis.  The wardrobe held the usual stuff like a safe and ironing board as well as a sweet surprise in the form of a hotel bathrobe! There is plenty of room to hang up suits and dresses, depending on your need. The best part of the master suite, aside from the double French doors providing some much needed privacy, was the gorgeous King size bed! It was so big all four of us could have slept there, but sharing was not necessary because just up the staircase was another beautiful King bed. 🙂 The linens and plush duvet made the bed so inviting and made the master suite the perfect place to relax after a day of sight seeing or deal making.

The loft area was very much like the master bedroom in that it offered a great bed and storage space, a TV for late night viewing and it’s own bath. I can not count how many times the kids were up and down the stairs during our stay.  They loved having this private spot to themselves and I must admit, I enjoyed not having all the clutter you would see in a regular hotel room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest treat for us was the giant windows on the wall across from the loft space. The view was spectacular! The window was like an ever changing piece of artwork.  Blinds could be raised or lowered with the push of a button so having the sun wake you each day was your choice. 🙂

No hotel stay is complete without a pool. Well, at least if you have kids it’s not and The Grand Hotel & Suites had that covered.  The two-storey indoor pool was great to play in and large enough to accommodate many people.  My only recommendation would be to bring a life jacket or water wings for younger children as the shallow area is not that big, however, William still had a great time doing cannon balls off the side! The pool area also has a lovely hot tub and beautiful change rooms.  Unlike many hotels that only have a bathroom, The Grand’s change rooms had showers and changing areas so you did not have to walk around the hotel in your swimsuit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had been told about the rooftop hot tubs at The Grand so we were eager to check them out.  The four of us visited the roof, on the 19th floor, before heading out for dinner.  Wow, what a view!  The Toronto skyline does not disappoint.  It was even better later that evening when, after our swim, Emily and I took a dip in the outdoor hot tubs!  It was very cold outside, but the tub was heavenly!  There is a large screen on the wall and a movie was playing. We stayed out long enough to get some photos and then headed back inside. I can just imagine what the roof top terrace is like in the summer with the hot tubs bubbling, music playing and the sun setting.  It was lovely!

 

 

 

Earlier I eluded to the complimentary breakfast buffet that is offered at Citrus Restaurant each morning.  This is where we dined the next day.  When a hotel offers a morning meal  it is typically called a continental breakfast, ie: coffee and a muffin.  The Grand Hotel & Suites goes above and beyond by providing a full buffet serving everything from boxed cereal and fruit to eggs, sausage, bacon and french toast.  There were pastries, a variety of juices and plenty of fresh coffee and tea.  You will not leave this breakfast feeling hungry.  The food was delicious! I am always very aware of what is on the menu that William, who has food allergies, can eat.  He was more then happy to discover his favorite breakfast foods being served.  When both children can be satisfied at the same meal that makes my day! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Hotel & Suites stops at nothing to make it’s guests feel welcome and comfortable.  The list of amenities are impressive and did I mention they offer twice daily maid service and have a huge fitness club and spa?! Although we did not need to partake of it The Grand also has a shuttle service to places of interest.  How perfect for an out of town visitor? Whether you are visiting Toronto for the first time, having a staycation or returning every month for business The Grand Hotel & Suites is the place to stay. Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what Sandy at Canadian Blog House has to say about The Grand Hotel & Suites!

Make sure to follow along with The Grand Hotel & Suites Toronto on their Facebook page and see what they are up to on Twitter!

If you could visit Toronto, Ontario what is the one landmark you would like to see?

FT&PD

Suz

Disclosure: MapleMouseMama and her family were generously provided with a complimentary night’s accommodation at The Grand Hotel & Suites.  We had an amazing  time and I am only too happy to share that with everyone. 🙂