The Waterside Inn

For a first visit, it was mostly good value, and the suite was clean with a comfortable bed. The location is handy for the city and airport, about a 25 minute drive to Pearson. The decor isn't shabby, but it looks straight out of the 1980s, like your grandmother's house. I specifically requested a suite with a washer and got one, complete with an “Out of Order” sign. When I first tried to check in a few hours early, I got a sharp lecture about check-in times and not requesting early check-in. A simple “Sorry, no” would have been enough.

The rooms looked nice and fancy, but the place feels old-fashioned and needs an upgrade. I was especially disappointed there were no handy spots to charge my phone and no smart TV, just regular cable. Breakfast also wasn't included.

I wouldn't recommend staying here. You can see the lake, but you'd be better off walking over for the day or heading to Toronto. The temperature in the room is set by the building, not the thermostat, so you're stuck with whatever the front desk finds comfortable unless you open the door and put up with street noise. The shower only stays properly hot for a couple of minutes, then turns lukewarm. They tried to put us in a poor room that didn't match our reservation, and the online photos don't show the actual rooms or layouts. There's no real fitness room, and no gym company nearby either. It's been a bad stay since we arrived.

I won't be booking again, sadly. This used to be a great hotel, but it's deteriorating quickly. I used Waterside Inn on work trips to the area, as did my business predecessors, and this September's stay was disappointing. The rooms are dated, the restaurant doesn't seem to open, and there's nowhere to meet for business unless your group has 10 or more people. Reception staff can be dismissive, too. I needed an iron and board for my work shirts, but it took six trips to reception before one finally showed up. I'd already paid through booking.com when I made the reservation, yet they insisted I pay again at check-in. Thankfully, I got the money refunded later.