Windsor Arms Hotel

This property has some real strengths, but unfortunately, my overall experience was disappointing. I’ll try to give a balanced review. A disappointing first impression I booked a nonrefundable room and noticed an error immediately after the confirmation page appeared. I called the hotel within about 10 seconds—not days or weeks later—and the general manager refused to make any adjustment. I understand what “nonrefundable” means, but I also think most people would consider allowing a small amount of grace when a mistake is reported within seconds to be good customer service. Unfortunately, other reviews mention similar concerns about the hotel’s lack of flexibility. The “included breakfast” My room rate included a complimentary breakfast, but the offering was extremely sparse: one basket of croissants, one basket of muffins, store-bought orange juice, and drip coffee. There was no fruit, yogurt, eggs, or anything else one might reasonably expect at a hotel charging around $700 per night. I told the waiter I was trying to eat healthily and asked whether anything else was available. I was told that anything beyond what was included would incur a charge. I then said I would simply have coffee and asked for an espresso, only to be told that espresso was also an additional charge and that only drip coffee was included. At this price point, I found this unnecessarily penny-pinching. Several staff members later told me they were embarrassed by the breakfast offering but felt there was little they could do about it. (Other items are available for breakfast for a charge- this was simply less than what I expected given my confirmation receipt and experience at similarly priced hotels). There was also an issue with a welcome amenity that was included in my booking. At check-in, I showed the front desk my confirmation, but they said they had never heard of the amenity and had nothing for me. I asked them to look into it, but never received an answer. The amenity itself was unimportant; what struck me was the inconsistency. The hotel was extremely rigid about enforcing the terms of my reservation when I made a mistake seconds after booking, but seemed much less concerned about honoring an amenity explicitly included in my rate. The biggest problem: noise This was by far my biggest concern. Previous reviews had mentioned noise from weddings and events, but I unfortunately didn't take those warnings seriously enough. When we returned from dinner on our first night, we discovered that a wedding reception was taking place at the hotel. The noise was extraordinary. The hotel staff themselves were wearing earplugs. Despite being on the top floor, we could feel the floor vibrating from the music, and we got essentially no sleep that night. I understand that hotels host events, but the reception space has very poor soundproofing, and my impression is that the hotel prioritizes revenue from these events over the comfort of guests staying in the rooms above. The reception room appears to be in use many weekends, so this is something prospective guests should take seriously. The rooms need updating The rooms are spacious, but they are clearly showing their age. As shown in my photos, the carpets are stained and worn, the window treatments are tired, and the bathroom and shower areas need attention. Our stay cost approximately $5,000, and the room simply did not feel commensurate with that price. There were some nice touches. For example, the hotel delivers freshly baked cookies to rooms in the evening. Unfortunately, even this service was inconsistent: we received cookies on our first and second nights, then nothing for the remainder of the stay until our final night. Given the room rates, I was also surprised that there is no evening turndown service—just once-daily housekeeping. The positives There are definitely some things I liked: • The rooms are unusually spacious, with plenty of closet and drawer space. • The hotel is small, so you see the same staff members throughout your stay, and most were very friendly. • The bed and linens were very comfortable. • The location is excellent. Overall I generally prefer independently owned boutique hotels to large, impersonal chains, and I really wanted to like this property. Unfortunately, this was one of those occasions when I found myself thinking that a larger chain might have handled things better. Throughout the stay, I often felt as though I was being nickel-and-dimed rather than treated as a valued guest. The extremely limited “included” breakfast, charging extra for an espresso, inconsistent amenities, dated rooms, and—most importantly—allowing a wedding reception to continue at a volume that required staff to wear earplugs all contributed to that impression. The experience was perhaps summed up at checkout. The front desk clerk asked how my stay had been. I said I was a little disappointed. He simply nodded and didn't ask why. That response captured much of what I found frustrating about the hotel: I didn't feel that anyone was particularly interested in understanding or addressing the problems. At this price level, I expected substantially more. The location and spacious rooms are excellent, but in my view, there are better options in the city that offer better value for the money.

First class accommodation, staff, and food. And the bartender made the finest Negroni I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Located in the upscale Yorkville area of Toronto, steps from the ROM, with easy access to the subway. We also took the opportunity to experience the High Tea, which was exquisite, and took full advantage of the pool, sauna, workout room and salt room. All in all, an exquisite building with wonderful rooms and first-class staff. Many, many thanks!

Wonderful couple of days. The staff here make you feel like you’re coming home. Hotel is very old world feeling with some exquisite decor. Looking forward to returning

Owner SCAMS people, he owes myself and another company’s invoices for staffing services and refuses to pay. He is an awful human being. I’ve been in this industry for 22 years and I’ve never experienced anything like him.

The location was amazing. We were overwhelmed by the beautiful atmosphere and the room was so attentive and beautiful. The staff was second to none. Clearly hired on their out going personalities and charm. 10 plus stars