Note to self: Never visit Toronto in the wintertime. Okay, I jest a bit at this (after all, I’ve worked in Toronto for nearly 3 years), but there are certain times to visit the city proper. And January 2022 is certainly not one of them.

To make up for that, I decided to check out one of Westin Harbor Castle (not to be confused with the Westin Toronto Airport). The building was built in 1975, and was last renovated in 2007. Spoiler: unfortunately the hotel’s age has begun to show in the décor and functionality of the rooms. Nevertheless, given Westin’s focus on “Wellness”, the hotel still has enough amenities to keep most guests occupied during normal times.

Location and Entrance

The Westin is actually located quite a ways away from Downtown Core Toronto - I consider my office / Bay and King St W downtown, and it is a good 15 minute walk to there. The best way to get there is taking public transport over to Union Station, then walking through the Path to RBC Waterpark Place. Nevertheless, the location is quite ideal in the summertime, as the hotel is located close to Toronto’s Harbourfront. Take a stroll, ride a boat, have a picnic, all is possible when the weather isn’t negative 15 degrees!

For any tourists, there are several takeout places nearby, as well as a grocery story in Maple Leaf Square that is understandably overpriced (but perfect for those who don’t want to venture outside the PATH).

There hotel’s entrance is definitely designed for cars, although there is a staircase at the side for pedestrians.

Upon entering the hotel, the sheer scale of the place begins to come into focus. The place has 2 towers, aptly named North and South tower, containing just under a thousand rooms in total.

A fellow named Oliver checked me in, gave me some cheek about being a young looking titanium (#teamtit) and kindly upgraded me to a 1 King Bed, Lake View, Corner Studio Suite.

I have to say, the service at the Westin Harbor Castle was actually quite nice! I asked for a microwave, and no less than 10 minutes later did I find out promptly outside my door.

Room

This is a great transition into the room review. Note this room was 410 sqft, although to be honest it felt a lot larger than that. This room was also has a door connecting it to a sister suite, which I imagine is quite helpful should a large family stay in the rooms (or more relevantly, a group of friends).

Below, you can see the 2/3 of the main focuses on the room, the sofa (which can double as sofa bed) and the bed. As someone who typically just forces my friends to travel with me, I appreciate that the sofa bed actually had enough room to extend.

Westin actually prides itself in it’s beds: the bed is called the “Westin Heavenly Bed”, and can be purchased off of Marriott’s website. One of the more hilarious benefits of Marriott Platinum status is 40% off a mattress, so if you love hotels so much you can turn your home into one!

I unfortunately was preoccupied with personal matters, and cant say I slept fantastically. Perhaps I should have slept on the sofa.

One minor complaint I have, and this extends to lots of hotels, is that the window curtains don’t close entirely, so the sun can stream in early in the morning. Which isn’t good if you’re on vacation and want to sleep in.

There was also a large, functional desk (apologies for the lack of pictures), along with a TV. I fondly, or maybe not so fondly, remember studying for the GMAT (Graduate School Exam) test in here, so my memories may be clouded.

Despite the sheer size of the room, the hotel’s bathroom was actually a bit smaller than expected, although totally functional and nice.

Note that the Westin has already transitioned to in-room toiletries, although mouthwash and lotion were provided.

Facilities

When I visited Toronto, the rest of the hotel was quite closed. Which is a shame, because the Westin Toronto Harbor, along with Westins in general, tend to have great facilities. I have fond memories of the Tennis and Squash courts overlooking Toronto’s downtown, as well as a massive heated pool.

I did manage to stroll around the Westin’s conference room floors, but alas, the majority of them were closed. Note: try not to do reviews when everything is closed.

As mentioned before, the hotel’s looks and decor were getting quite dated, and it is unfortunate that management did not take the low occupancy rates to refurbish the place (like the Sheraton Toronto).

Final Thoughts

The Westin Harbour Castle is…alright. And by alright, I mean nothing about it stands out, aside from maybe the facilities. The location is alright, abet a bit far from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The rooms are big, serviceable, but ultimately forgettable. The overall décor and ambiance can definitely be updated to reflect the 21st century. One thing I will note is the strength of elite treatment: I have been consistently upgraded to a corner suite, which may be helpful for larger groups. However, if given the choice and a comparable price point, I would definitely opt to stay at the Sheraton Toronto, or Delta Hotels instead.