Anthony N.
Yelp
***This Renaissance has a great location in Downtown Toronto--within walking distance to many key attractions and top restaurants as well as attached to Rogers Centre; unfortunately, the service was not as polished, professional or knowledgeable as most Marriott brand hotels***
Renaissance hotels are not as prevelant as Marriott hotels, but they are a great part of the Marriott brand. They tend to feature a more modern as well as more local look and feel than Marriotts. This Renaissance really integrates well with Downtown Toronto. The hotel is actually built into the Rogers Centre (where the Blue Jays play). The restaurant lounge provides an interior view of the stadium; it is like being in a luxury box. You can even watch a Blue Jays game from some hotel rooms.
There are other great aspects of this Renaissance's location. Toronto's iconic CN Tower is next door and it is a quick walk to get to the lakeshore. Many popular lounges and restaurants like Momofuku are also within walking distance.
My room also featured a really comfortable bed as well as contemporary furniture. The room also had a pleasant room temperature and even Marvel legend Stan Lee was staying here and had breakfast in the quiet restaurant. He was discussing the origins of Spider-Man with fans (Stan Lee was staying at this hotel for a Comic Con-like event in the convention center next door).
Unfortunately, there were several areas where this Renaissance fell short. While the room was comfortable, it was a tad empty and too spacious. There could have been more furniture or more dressers because there was a lot of open space in the room. The bathroom was clean, but I felt it was not in the best shape. There were just parts here and there like the drain and the handles that needed to be updated. The shower also lacked elevated dishes and stands to hold shampoo, conditioner, soap, and such. In addition, while this did not bother me that much, the water pressure was a tad on the low side.
The other negative was that the service was not up to Marriott's high standards. While most of the staff was pleasant, service seemed disorganized, unknowledgeable and lacking in urgency. The front desk wrote down the wrong rate on my key card packet, which made me return to the front desk to confirm that I was not going to be charged too much. The front desk also informed me that the Concierge Lounge (for Marriott Rewards Gold and Platinum members) was open on Sunday night and Monday morning, but it turned out neither was true due to the Labor Day holiday.
This Renaissance did provide complimentary breakfast in the hotel's restaurant (breakfast buffet)--breakfast 7 days a week is a benefit available to Gold and Platinum members. Unfortunately, it took forever for the server to come over to take my drink order on one of the days. In addition, the quality was just not there. On the surface, the breakfast buffet looked like it offered a great variety. The buffet consisted of many cereals in glass dispensers, sliced fruit, whole fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, danishes, bagels, English muffins, breads, banana bread, a quiche-like egg dish with onions, mushrooms and peppers on top, bacon, French toast, sausages, home fries, and an omelet station. Unfortunately, the food was just not that good.
The cereal was a tad stale and the eggs were bland and horribly discolored one day. The sausages had a dry and almost beef jerky-like texture. The bacon could have been crispier, but it was not too bad. The bacon was a tad salty though. The omelet station had a lot of ability to customize. The station included bacon, ham, onions, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. The cook did a nice job and the fillings were not bad, but the omelet did not have a great color. It looked like the kitchen almost used egg whites since the omelet lacked the great color and fluffiness of a good omelet.
In addition to the lackluster breakfast, service at the valet stand was not that great. Upon arriving, no valet was waiting outside so I had to go inside to get someone. In addition, I felt it took a little bit too long to get my vehicle back despite only a small crowd at the valet area when I departed.
Another negative while staying at this hotel was that someone pulled the fire alarm at 4 a.m. While you cannot really blame the hotel for this, maybe this hotel's central location draws a lively and partying hard crowd.
Room rates are high though you can save a little bit of money if you plan ahead.
This Renaissance has some pluses and is a good hotel for a Downtown Toronto stay. Unfortunately, I think you will find it underwhelming in parts if you are very familiar with the Marriott brand. Still, if you can get a good rate here, this Renaissance is a good choice because of its great location and comfortable rooms.
Valet parking is available at $35/night.