Downtown Toronto
The “entertainment district” in downtown Toronto is filled with shops, restaurants, and world renowned attractions. To name a few, the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, and two professional sports stadiums literally down the street from each other – the Rogers Centre (formerly the SkyDome – ask any Toronto native about the SkyDome and you’ll pull on their heartstrings) and the Scotiabank Arena (formerly the Air Canada Centre). The Roundhouse is home to Steam Whistle Brewery where fans typically flock before and after sporting events. The location is central and very easy to get around Downtown Toronto by Uber or the old shoe-lace-express! We typically find a new place to eat at within a 10-15 minute walk from the entertainment district.
Naturally, with Toronto being such a tourist draw, Hotels dominate the city skyline. Mona and I have stayed at several different beautiful hotels, but, we find our home away from home at the Delta Hotel by Marriot.
We stayed at the Delta while in Toronto to see the Jennifer Lopez concert (bucket list – check!) and wanted to share our thoughts on the room and Hotel itself. Delta did provide an upgrade for us to the “Corner Skyline Soaker Suite”, so we wanted to say thank you to Delta! It was an amazing room. For the full room tour, check out the video below.
Delta assigned us to the 32nd floor which allowed us to use the “special elevators” for the higher rooms – Ooooo! Okay, before we get into the room itself, I always see those rooms at the end of the hallway which have their own little rooms before you get to your door and have always wondered what is inside, and what they look like. That was our room. It was a southwest facing floor to ceiling window suite with just as big a bathroom as the bedroom. We were in awe when we walked in. Have a look..
The Room
As we entered, the floor to ceiling windows brought in the afternoon sun which lit up to room making it seem so bright and open – to die for. The first room had a king-size bed, complete with outlets for plugging in at your bedside, a business desk outfitted with a video in that ported into the TV, mini-fridge, closet – which contained an iron and ironing board, in-room safe, and a luggage rack – and a Keurig coffee maker. All the amenities you would expect. The highlight of the room was certainly the 32 storey view onto the entertainment district. At first glance, you feel you are on top of the world, but are then quickly put back into place by the massive CN Tower.
Although we wanted to go out and explore, we couldn’t seem to peel ourselves away from watching the world below pass on by. All of the trucks and cars on the Expressway, and the people walking about – everyone going somewhere. In all the busyness, it was really nice to see some families and friends sitting on the park benches enjoying their time together, because, hey, isn’t that what life is about? Finding some quality time with the people we care about. Okay, okay, back to the room !
The bedroom flows nicely through a soft-close sliding door into the bathroom where floor to ceiling windows greet you with a south facing view over Lake Ontario. There is something calming about water, especially being able to soak in a tub overlooking an even larger “tub” of water. The luxury bathroom steals the show in this suite. It is so beautifully, yet simply decorated. The light coming through the windows makes everything seem so open and airy. There is a stand-up glass shower complete with shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel, a large soaker tub, single sink vanity with a mirror illuminated by two strips lights on either side. Tucked around the left side is the toilet which due to it’s location, isn’t a problem for privacy that there isn’t a separate door.
Lobby and Other Amenities
As you walk in to the lobby from the valet area, you are greeted by the excellently attentive staff who are always eager to assist. While I was waiting in line to check-in, a staff member was checking with guests in line to see if he could help while they were waiting. Also, as it was a hot summer day, we were offered a bottle of water while we waited. Guests in front of us who were checking out, simply gave their room number and were able to leave without waiting for the front desk attendant. A nice addition to minimize congestion and wait times.
The lobby is very tall, spanning 2-3 storeys high. The artwork provides a pleasant appeal, while the furniture is very comfortable and relaxing while hanging out or waiting for your party.
A highlight for me, and I’m not even joking, is one of the reasons we come back is the chilled water containers in the lobby, Each day they have a new concoction of fruit-infused water. We tried apple-orange, cucumber, lemon, and strawberry. It’s such a nice touch that we look forward to upon arrival after a long drive.
What to eat
There are two options for eats at the Delta, 1) SOCO Kitchen + Bar and 2) The Roof at SOCO.
SOCO Kitchen + Bar
Click here to see the menu at SOCO Kitchen + Bar – menu is located in “Food and Drink” section
We’ve only ever eaten breakfast at SOCO Kitchen + Bar. They have a breakfast buffet at $33 per person which has an excellent selection of breakfast fixings. We typically go for single plates, which never disappoint! The food is much nicer than your typical breakfast diner, and you can tell is attended to meticulously by the chef.
This morning, Mona got a scrambled eggs/bacon/tater plate, and I went for the peameal benny. As always, the food was delicious, leaving us with full bellies! The taters are garnished with herbs and are so yummy!
The Roof at SOCO
Don’t be eluded by the name “Roof” like we were. We got in the elevator and clicked the top floor, only to realize we don’t have access to the club access floors. We wondered how we could get to the “Roof at SOCO” until we saw this picture in the elevator:
Oops.. located on the 4th floor..
Time to head back to the 4th!
Click here is the menu for The Roof at SOCO
The Roof at SOCO is more a lounge with lighter fare. It is a beautiful, spacious space with bar seating, high-tops, traditional tables seating, and couches for a more comfortable experience. Their focus is mostly on drinks, with a great selection of wines, beers, and cocktails. They also offer handhelds and snacks. A perfect place to kick back after a work day or before setting out into the city for the night!
Health and Wellness
Having a fitness background, I’m always curious about a hotel or resort’s health and wellness facilities. On the 4th floor, there is a large meeting room (was under construction), a large swimming pool, and jacuzzi. In the pool area, there is a door out to a terrace, which I imagine you can take a lounger out to for sunbathing – though there wasn’t any out there at the time we were there. The westerly sun would be shining down on the terrace in the afternoon.
The fitness centre is very large, and outfitted with a few strength machines, a dumbbell set (going up to 50lbs.), an open space for stretching, functional activities, or swiss ball work, and cardio machines (treads, ellipticals, and stationary bikes). There were two things I was very impressed with that adds that special touch was 1) a fruit basket which had apples, oranges, and bananas, and 2) a disposable headphone station which has a recycling bin for when your finished your workout! Good idea in case you forgot your headphones at home or in your room.
