Homewood Suites by Hilton Toronto-Markham

The suite was clean and really nice, with a full kitchen stocked with appliances and the cookware and utensils we needed, from plates and glasses to forks and spoons. Breakfast was great too, with four hot choices each day plus fresh pastries. A comfortable, wonderful stay.

The views were a highlight of our little over two-week stay at Homewood Suites in Markham, Ontario. We were in a one-bedroom King suite on the sixth floor, looking out over the freeway and city. On clear sunny days, the CN Tower was faintly visible, and the snowy January scenery was especially nice. We had no noise issues, and staff were generally responsive. The spacious suite was clean and suited to a longer visit, especially with the kitchen. The bed was comfortable, and the bathroom, tub, and toilet were clean, though the flush handle was awkwardly placed. We liked the wall-mounted dispensers for hand soap, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Breakfast had lots of options, and it was handy to save something for a quick snack later. The main difficulty was the alternate-day mandatory housekeeping. Traveling with an infant and a pet meant we had to leave the room during cleaning, which could be tricky. Once, we declined service because the room was tidy and put up the do-not-disturb sign, but got a notice saying cleaning was mandatory. It felt inflexible with an infant's sleep schedule. The air indoors was very dry in winter, which affected comfort. Our infant had nasal dryness and occasional minor blood-stained mucus, so we bought humidifiers and an air purifier. The bathroom exhaust fan seemed centrally controlled, making it hard to keep moisture in the suite. Also, when we asked for items like a crib or playpen, staff seemed to watch the room closely while setting them up, which felt a little uncomfortable. With more flexibility on housekeeping and better humidity control in cold weather, the stay could be even better. It's a clean, spacious place for a longer visit, and that winter view was lovely.

I've stayed all over the Toronto and greater Toronto area while coming for work about eight times a year, and this has become my favorite. The staff are friendly and professional, greet me warmly, and remember my name. They delivered my packages to the room and helped when my luggage was lost. The free daily breakfast was hot, delicious, and more than I expected. The suites work well for longer stays, with a full kitchen, microwave, and fridge. On-site parking is free, and I felt my car was safe. I only rated service a 4 because housekeeping left my door open after cleaning one day, which didn't feel safe. Even so, the rest of the stay made up for it, and I'll be back.

We've stayed here several times, and the staff are always super friendly and the rooms super clean. Once we arrived four hours before check-in by accident, and although it was our fault our room wasn't ready, they gave us a sorry gift. Breakfast is always worth getting up for.