Toronto Markham Marriott: Luxury Getaway Awaits!
Toronto Markham Marriott: Luxury Getaway Awaits!… Or Does It? (A Messy, Honest Review)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I just clawed my way back from the Toronto Markham Marriott, and let me tell you, it was…an experience. Forget your smooth, polished travel blogs; you're getting the raw, unvarnished truth, complete with my questionable decision-making and existential hotel-induced angst.
(SEO & Metadata Jumble to Get Us Started - Sorry, Google!)
Keywords: Toronto Markham Marriott Review, Luxury Hotel, Accessibility, Spa, Pool, Restaurant, Fitness Center, Room Review, Markham Ontario Hotels, Family Friendly, Business Travel, Weekend Getaway, COVID-19 Safety, Value for Money, Not Always Perfect, Honest Hotel Review.
Metadata: Title: Toronto Markham Marriott Review - The Good, The Bad, and the REALLY Questionable. Description: Unfiltered review of the Toronto Markham Marriott. Accessibility, spa, dining, cleanliness, and the overall vibe. Includes candid opinions and personal experiences. Keywords as above.
(Now, the Rant Begins)
First impressions? The Marriott looks impressive. Gleaming glass, soaring ceilings, all that jazz. It’s the kind of hotel that promises you a luxurious escape the second you stroll through the door. But, as with most things in life, the reality is a tad…more complicated.
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, To Be Blunt.
They say they're accessible. And, technically, they are. Elevators? Check. Ramps? Yep. Accessible rooms (we didn’t get one, but they have them)? Supposedly. But the devil, as always, is in the details. The hallways felt a little narrow for a wheelchair, and I had to practically wrestle with a door frame to get my overly-enthusiastic luggage through. Plus, is it truly accessible if the spa's view is only accessible if you can physically…well… get to the view? Sigh.
Rooms: The Battleground of Expectations
We booked a "deluxe" room, which, I'll admit, sounded promising. And it was… until I started noticing things. The carpet was a bit… well, let's just say it had "seen some things." The air conditioning sounded like a dying walrus. The internet, although "free Wi-Fi in all rooms!" boasted the advertising, was about as reliable as my dating life. And that extra long bed? It was great for avoiding the urge to hug your partner, but it wasn't the best spot to relax and enjoy the room. And the room had a lot of stuff – a desk, a fridge, an ironing board, a safe box, more things than you really needed. The room was alright.
Cleanliness and Safety: The COVID-19 Tango
Okay, here's where the Marriott tries. They definitely have the "Professional-grade sanitizing services," and "Daily disinfection in common areas" covered. You can practically smell the Lysol – which, depending on your preference, is either reassuring or actively offensive. They've got the "Hand sanitizer" stations, the "Staff trained in safety protocol" smiles, and the "Individually-wrapped food options." I even saw a sign about "Room sanitization opt-out available," which is a nice touch. But the nagging feeling that you're in a constantly-disinfecting, post-apocalyptic movie set… that's harder to shake. Did I really need my food wrapped in another layer of plastic? Did I really need to be so careful when going around?
And the breakfast buffet? Gone. Replaced by… well, I’ll get to that later.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: A Culinary Rollercoaster (Mostly Downhill)
This is where things got interesting. Or, you know, where I developed a slightly unhealthy relationship with delivered pizza.
- The "A la Carte in Restaurant" Experience: The main restaurant, I think it was supposed to be nice. But everything felt… muted. The lighting was dim, the music was forgettable, and the service was… well, let's just say I spent a lot of time staring at empty water glasses. I managed to get a salad. It was alright.
- Breakfast [Buffet], or the Lack Thereof: As I mentioned, no buffet. Instead, we had this… pre-packaged… thing. I went for the "Western breakfast" which consisted of dried-out scrambled eggs, a rubbery breakfast sausage, and a suspiciously sweet muffin. It was… not a highlight.
- The Poolside Bar: This was an exciting concept that fell completely flat. Empty glasses were on the ground. No one around to make cocktails.
I did try the coffee shop, at least. It was actually decent. I went there a few times to get a good cup of coffee, and the service was at least good. That was a nice change of pace.
Ways to Relax: The Promised Land of Bliss… or Not?
The Marriott boasts a spa, a sauna, a steamroom, a pool with a view, a fitness center. Sounds amazing, right?
- The Spa/Sauna/Steamroom Conundrum: The spa was… okay. Massages cost extra. The sauna was hot. The steamroom was steamy. The pool with view? More like a pool with a view attempt. I suspect the view was better in the summer months than it was in the winter months. I did notice a foot bath, which was nice. At least something works.
- The Fitness Center: I used it. It was the normal stuff, weights, treadmills, etc.
I have to say, the lack of a sense of excitement with all the things to do in this hotel was a letdown, for me at least.
Services and Conveniences: The "Helpful" Hustle
They clearly have a whole ton of services. Air conditioning, elevator, 24-hour front desk, room service, and so on.
- Business Facilities: They have them. My partner used them. That’s all I have to say about that.
- Concierge: Very nice. That’s a good thing, right?
- The Gift/Souvenir Shop: They do have one. I didn't buy anything, however.
For the Kids: Family Friendly… Ish?
They advertise babysitting and kids' facilities, but I don't have kids, so I’m judging based on the general… vibe. It didn't scream "family vacation," but there were definitely kids there. I imagine it’s fine.
Getting Around: Convenience is a Lie
They offer airport transfer, taxi service, valet parking, and car park.
- Car Park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: They have parking. That's good because driving there is the only real way to get there.
- Airport Transfer: Didn't use it.
- Taxi Service: Also didn't use it.
The Verdict: Would I Go Back?
Honestly? Probably not. The Markham Marriott tries to be luxurious. It really, really does. But it falls short in a lot of areas. The service is inconsistent, the food is underwhelming, and the overall feeling is… a little sterile. If you're looking for a functional hotel with some amenities, it's fine. But if you're hoping for a true escape, a place where you can truly relax and feel pampered? Keep looking. Or, you know, lower your expectations. Because, in the end, a hotel is just a box with stuff inside. The memories? Those are up to you. And mine? Well, they're a bit of a mess.
Montgomery Getaway: Unbeatable Comfort Inn & Suites Deal!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's pristine travel itinerary. This is real life in Markham, baby! Prepare for a whirlwind of questionable choices, hotel coffee, and the constant, nagging feeling you’ve forgotten something important. Here we go… (deep breath)
Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Northeast/Markham: My Existential Getaway – or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Beige
Day 1: Arrival and The Great Toronto-Markham-Hotel-Room Discovery
- 1:00 PM: Touchdown in Toronto! (Side note: Why do airport escalators ALWAYS feel like they're going slower than humanly possible? I swear I aged a year on that one.) Grab a cab. Negotiating the price… always a negotiation, even if it's just a friendly, "Are you sure about that price, friend?" You know the drill.
- 1:45 PM: Taxi driver asks if I'm sure about this hotel? "Oh yes, friend!" I smile, while silently wondering if I've accidentally booked a hotel next to a landfill.
- 2:30 PM: Arrive at the Courtyard. (Ah, the familiar scent of… well, hotel-ness. A mix of cleaning products, recycled air, and the ghosts of a thousand weary travelers.) Check-in. Is the front desk person ever truly happy, or are they just…professionally cheerful? Discussing room preferences, which are quickly shot down. "We don't have any rooms with a view of the… uh… exciting side of Markham. Sorry. Best we can do is the parking lot." (Sigh.)
- 3:00 PM: Room discovery. Okay, it's… beige. Very beige. So beige, it's practically a portal to another dimension of beige. (Someone send help, I'm starting to see beige.) Inspect the room. Does the TV work? (Crucial.) Is the bed… bed-shaped? (Essential.) Bathroom clean? (Praying.) Oh, and the coffee maker. God, please tell me the coffee maker works. Otherwise, the apocalypse has begun. (Important note: the coffee maker is ancient. Whispers say it was manufactured in the late Cretaceous period.)
- 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Unpack. Try unsuccessfully to remember where I put my phone charger. (This is a recurring theme in my life, the charger is always MIA.) Marvel at my packing prowess (or lack thereof.) Realize I forgot my toothbrush. (Damn it.) Contemplate ordering room service. Decide against it because, let's be honest, hotel room service is rarely worth the price.
- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM: Explore the hotel and its immediate surroundings. Walk around the lobby, which is full of people in business suits (mostly men, actually) and feel a sudden, and intense longing for… well, anything that isn't business. Find the gym. Take a quick peak. Nope. Not today. Find the pool. Tempted… then remember I forgot my swimsuit. Wander outside. Realize, with a pang of disappointment, that "Markham" does, in fact, have "more charm." (Though, maybe that was the beige talking.)
- 7:00 PM: Dinner. Decide AGAINST the hotel restaurant. It just feels sad to eat in a hotel restaurant. Instead, I go to a local place I vaguely remember from my online research. It's a "fusion" place. (I'm always wary of fusion. It can be a beautiful thing, or a culinary train wreck.) Order something adventurous. Regret it. (The chicken was very adventurous.)
- 9:00 PM: Back in the room. Watch TV. Channel surf for an hour before finally giving up and watching whatever is on in the background. (Currently: a documentary about… well, I have no idea, but it involves a lot of trees.)
- 10 PM: The evening's big drama: deciding if sleep is possible when the AC unit sounds like a jet engine taking off in your ear. (Spoiler: it's not. I call reception, who tell me, "They all do that." Welcome to the beige life, my friend.)
- 11 PM: Toss and turn. Curse the beige. Curse the jet engine. Curse the fact that I can't sleep. Contemplate another coffee, then decide it's a terrible idea.
- 12 Midnight: Sleep. Finally. Sort of.
Day 2: Culture, Coffee, and Questionable Life Choices
- 7:00 AM: Wake up, somehow. The jet engine continues to wage war. (Victory: me.)
- 7:30 AM: Coffee. From the ancient coffee maker. It's… coffee. (Survival achieved!)
- 8:00 - 9:00 AM: Attempt to work out at the hotel gym. (fail)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. (Okay, I'm starting to think I might actually hate hotel breakfasts. It's always the same sad buffet of lukewarm eggs, rubbery bacon, and suspiciously sweet pastries.). Then, the most important question of the day: coffee or juice? (Always coffee).
- 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Cultural excursion! (Or, as "cultural" as I can get in Markham.) Visit a local attraction. Possibly go to a park. Or… perhaps wander aimlessly through a shopping mall. (The existential dread is rising.)
- 12:30 PM: Lunch. Try a different local place. It's better than last night's "fusion" experience. (The bar is low.)
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: The Great Hotel Room Retreat and Internal Monologue. Read. Write. Stare out the window at the parking lot. Contemplate the meaning of life. Decide the meaning of life is… more coffee.
- 4:30 PM: Head to the hotel pool. (Maybe I'll get that swimsuit, afterall!)
- 6:30 PM: Dinner. This time, I'm going to get take-out. Pizza. Because sometimes, you just need pizza. Don't care if it's beige, it's pizza.
- 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM: Eat pizza in bed. (Judging myself, but also not.) Watch more TV. (This time, it’s a show about baking. Irony? Maybe.)
- 10:00 PM: Face another night of the jet engine. (Resigned sigh.) Try the earplugs. (Unsuccessful.)
- 11:00 PM: Fall asleep. Finally.
Day 3: Departure and Existential Reckoning
- 7:00 AM: Wake up. (Astonished, really.) Jet engine still going strong.
- 7:30 AM: Coffee. The last, sad cup of coffee from the beige abyss.
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Pack. (This time, remembering the charger!) Check out.
- 9:30 AM: Final assessment: Verdict? Markham is… Markham. The hotel… beige. Would I come back? Maybe. If I absolutely had to. But I'd bring my own earplugs. And a better toothbrush. And pack less beige.
- 10:00 AM: Head back to the airport.
- 10:45 AM: On the plane, reflecting. Did I enjoy my time in a beige room? Did the plane take off?
- 2:00 PM: Back home.
The End. (Until the next beige adventure, anyway.)
Silver City's BEST Kept Secret: AmericInn Review (You WON'T Believe This!)
Okay, spill. Is the Toronto Markham Marriott *actually* a luxury getaway, or just... kinda nice?
Alright, here's the gospel truth, fresh from the trenches of a weekend spent there: it’s a solid contender for "luxury," but let's be real, nothing's *perfect*. The lobby? Ooh, swanky! Think marble flooring, some seriously impressive chandeliers that made me feel like I should be wearing a tiara (I wasn't. Just jeans and a slightly stained t-shirt, as per usual). The rooms themselves were genuinely lovely. Clean, spacious, that glorious Marriott bed… I actually *slept*. Like, properly slept, which is a luxury in itself when you have a toddler who thinks 3 AM is prime playtime. BUT, and this is a big but, the air conditioning was a bit temperamental. One minute I was shivering, the next I was considering a dip in the ice bucket. So, luxury-ish, with a side of potential thermostat drama.
What's the food situation like? Because I *need* to know about the food.
Oh, the food! This is where things get… complicated. The on-site restaurant, Essence, is… well, it's there. The breakfast buffet was a mixed bag. The croissants were suspiciously perfect, like they'd been individually sculpted by tiny, pastry-obsessed elves. But the scrambled eggs? Let's just say they could have used a *little* more… love. I ended up mostly sticking to fruit (which was thankfully fresh) and copious amounts of coffee. Dinner was better – I bravely sampled the steak, and it was quite good, although my partner's fish was a bit… underwhelming. Honestly, the best meal I had was the late-night pizza from the room service menu because, you know, after a long day, sometimes all you need is a warm cheesy slice. Don't tell my doctor I ate it at 11pm.
Is the pool area Instagram-worthy? Asking for a friend… and myself.
Okay, the pool. This is where the Markham Marriott *almost* nails it. The pool itself? Yes, perfectly picture-perfect. Clean, with a nice, shallow end for splashing (again, toddler-compliant, a huge plus!). The pool area decor? Stylish, plenty of comfy loungers, that whole vibe. BUT… I had a *moment*. Picture this: I’m finally relaxing, sun is shining, I have a margarita in hand, and suddenly, a small child decided the pool was a perfect place to... you get the picture. (Let's just say I needed another margarita after that. The pool staff handled it beautifully, but my relaxed vibe was… compromised.) So, yes to Instagram, but be prepared for potential splash zone hazards. Bring a hazmat suit just in case, Kidding! Mostly...
What about the location? Anything exciting nearby?
The location? Okay, here's the… honest truth: it's Markham. Which, if you're from Toronto, is basically a satellite city, a bit on the… suburban side? No, not *bad*. There's a shopping mall across the street (useful!), and a few restaurants and things nearby. Downtown Markham, with a slightly more lively feel, is a short drive away. Don't expect bustling nightlife right at your doorstep. Think more… family-friendly, business-y. For a true "getaway," you might be spending a fair amount of time *in* the hotel unless you're willing to Uber everywhere. But hey, if your idea of a great time is lounging by the pool, eating room service pizza, and sleeping soundly, you might be perfectly happy right where you are.
Let's talk about the staff - were they helpful, or did they just pretend to be?
Okay, here comes the gush-fest. The staff? Generally lovely! The front desk was efficient and friendly (even at 3 AM when I was trying to find milk for my monster). The housekeeping crew was *fantastic* – the rooms were always spotless, and they always left extra towels (bless them!). The servers in the restaurant were attentive, even if the food was a bit hit-or-miss. Seriously, these people were genuinely trying, always with a smile. I had one minor issue with a billing, and the staff at the front desk fixed it *immediately* without any fuss. That kind of service earns major points in my book. Definitely a highlight of the stay..
Anything that *really* bugged you? Spill the tea!
Ugh, yes. The *parking*. Okay, it's not the *worst* parking situation I've ever encountered, but it felt a bit like a minor hidden fee. Valet parking was available, expensive, and for a certain type of person, which I am not. Self-parking was available, but felt like you're playing parking lot roulette. I spent a solid twenty minutes circling the garage before finding a spot that wasn't a mile away from the elevator. It’s a small thing, I know, but after a long drive with a tired toddler, I just wanted to *be in my room*. And then I wanted a margarita… see how the pool situation led to parking and then back to Margaritas? It's a vicious circle, all this relaxation!
Would you go back? Give me a straight answer!
Honestly? Yes, I probably would. Despite the few minor hiccups (the a/c, the parking, the… questionable eggs) the Markham Marriott offers a pretty solid experience. It's comfortable, the staff is great, and it's a decent escape from the usual chaos of life. If you're looking for a luxurious, perfect getaway? Maybe temper your expectations. But if you're okay with a bit of imperfection, a good bed, and a chance to actually relax (pool-related incidents aside), then yeah, book it. Just… pack extra sunscreen, a hazmat suit (kidding!), and maybe your own supply of coffee. And pray for good parking karma. And maybe extra margaritas are a good idea too.
Is the gym *actually* worth using? I'm trying to be good.
I, uh, didn't actually *use* the gym. Look, I had plans. Plans that involved sun, a pool, and a book. And possibly pizza. The gym did look pretty well-equipped from the outside – treadmills, weights, the whole shebang. But honestly, after all the parenting and eating involved, the thought of exercise was… well, exhausting. So, I can't give you a definitive answer. From a distance, it looked okay. From my perspective… not my priority. You be the judge! Maybe let me know?
Post a Comment for "Toronto Markham Marriott: Luxury Getaway Awaits!"