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**A good stay overall, but with notable accessibility issues**
I stayed here on a December weekend for a pre‑Christmas staycation — a chance to reflect, journal, and completely detach from the world. In that sense, the stay delivered. My room was comfortable and stylish, and I enjoyed the quiet time. However, there were two significant issues that affected my experience.
### **Accessibility Concerns**
The room’s drapes, lights, and other features are controlled entirely through a touchscreen panel. While this may look sleek, it is not accessible for a blind traveler. There were no braille markings, no tactile indicators, and no voice output. I had no way of knowing which buttons I was pressing or what settings I was activating. Through trial and error — and with the help of an AI app on my phone — I managed a workaround, but accessibility should not be left to the guest to figure out.
I mentioned this to staff during my stay and again in the post‑stay survey. I hope it is addressed, because “we don’t get many blind solo travelers” is not an acceptable justification. At times I didn’t know whether the lights were on or off, or whether I had daytime or nighttime lighting. Only the sound of the curtains moving gave me any feedback.
The bathroom had similar issues: no braille labels on the shampoo, conditioner, or body wash bottles. Again, my phone helped, but this is another basic accessibility oversight. These may seem like small details, but to a blind guest they send a clear message about whether we are truly welcome.
### **Room Comfort**
The room itself was comfortable, though it only had one chair besides the bed, leaving limited seating options. The bed, however, was extremely comfortable, and I spent most of Saturday happily lounging.
I appreciated the Bluetooth speaker, which made it easy to enjoy music, movies, and audiobooks. The refrigerated drawer kept the provided water bottle nicely chilled, and the refill station was conveniently close to my room.
### **In‑Room Dining**
Because I was decompressing and chose not to leave the room, I relied heavily on room service. The food tasted good, but the pricing structure was disappointing. The menu prices are reasonable for downtown Toronto, but an automatic 18% gratuity plus a $5 delivery fee is added to every order. They do disclose this — but what they *don’t* tell you is that you can pick up your order yourself and avoid the extra charges.
My Saturday breakfast cost $69 for an omelet, chicken sausages, a croissant, and a mug of coffee. The coffee didn’t come in a carafe, so no refills, and there was no jam, butter, or anything extra. It felt like poor value, even for a hotel. Dinners were similarly priced around the $70 mark. Again, my choice — but it did sour the experience.
On the positive side, I successfully made myself an espresso using the in‑room machine, which was a small victory.
### **Other Notes**
There is a gym, pool, and a ground‑floor coffee shop, but I didn’t use them. One annoyance: reaching the ground level requires taking two separate elevators, which discouraged me from exploring.
### **Service**
All staff I encountered were helpful. Special thanks to Matteo, who assisted me to my room and genuinely tried to find a solution to the touchscreen issue. Room service staff varied in warmth, but I had no complaints.
### **Conclusion**
This is a chic, modern hotel that sometimes prioritizes style over substance. I can see younger guests enjoying the high‑tech features, but for me it was a mixed bag. I’m glad I tried it, especially at a good rate, but next time I’ll stick with Hilton — I find their properties more comfortable and consistently accessible.
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