The Yorkville Royal Sonesta Hotel Toronto

We chose the Sonesta for a staycation with two adults and our cats because of its pet-friendly policy, and it worked out well. The staff were wonderful, and it seems suited to both families and work trips. It’s an older building that’s been redone. We really enjoyed room service, especially the roasted chicken on salads, which we ordered twice. I just wish there had been a fridge to use.

The rooms were clean and well appointed, and Green P parking is underground with an easy entrance into the hotel. You’re right in the heart of Yorkville, across from the ROM, with lots of restaurants and shops nearby. The minibar and room service are pretty expensive, though that’s expected at a four-star hotel in downtown Toronto.

The pool was a highlight: it wasn’t crowded, and the CN Tower view made swimming enjoyable. The locker wasn’t suitable for leaving belongings, though. Food was quite good, but in-room dining comes with tax, service, and a separate in-room dining charge. We picked this hotel for its location near my husband’s workplace and booked a large room for our month-long stay and luggage. The location is convenient for the subway, mall, grocery stores, and restaurants. The room size worked well, but service fell short of what I expected from a four-star hotel here. Front desk service depended on who was working, and was often unhelpful. We were told bronze members could get late checkout, but when we asked, they refused and said we’d have to pay for every hour after noon, even though we were silver members and had stayed a month. On another occasion, I went to collect a delivery. One staff member said her colleague had received it and she couldn’t access that room. Then another employee called me back to get the parcel, and the woman handed it over without apologizing for the inconvenience. Cleaning times were unpredictable, anywhere from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. I’ve usually had hotel cleaning happen between 10 and noon. The hotel didn’t seem especially busy or large at that time of year, and since I worked in my room, the changing schedule bothered me. They told me to put out the do-not-disturb sign, but when I did, they didn’t come back later to clean. The cleaning itself wasn’t satisfactory either, with stains on towels and sheets. I wish the staff had treated us better. We might have returned, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to friends.

We had a great time at the Mariah Carey x Willy Wonka holiday drag brunch. The Christmas-meets-Willy-Wonka theme was a lot of fun, and Sucka Queen kept the energy up as host. The other queens were amazing and entertaining, and the servers were friendly and attentive. The food was good, with pastries and really nice blueberry scones. We also got bottle service, which seemed reasonably priced for a brunch event. We loved the performers and atmosphere. Definitely recommend it for a fun drag brunch in Toronto.