TownePlace Suites Belleville Review
“The Point - A fantastic use of Marriott Bonvoy points for travellers from Toronto, the TownePlace Suites Belleville was a clean and friendly stay during the May long weekend.”
The weather has been terrible in Toronto lately - especially on the weekends. When I saw that the was suppose to come out, I immediately wanted to escape Toronto for a quick vacation. We decided Prince Edward County would make a good road trip from Toronto and we were lucky to find a way to use points to stay nearby in Belleville. Less than two hours from Toronto, Belleville is not only close, it’s a jumping off spot for Prince Edward County. The best news? I realized that there are two different Category 2 Marriott hotels that are easy to redeem with Bonvoy points - I booked Saturday morning and we set off on our mini trip.
Booking
There are two Marriott branded hotels in Belleville, the TownePlace Suites Belleville and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Belleville. Opened in 2015, we decided that the TownePlace Suites looked to be the nicer place to stay for the evening.
A night at the TownePlace Suites Belleville was about ~$200 ($175 + taxes). Instead of cash, I used 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy points (Note: As of March 2020, this hotel will move to Category 3, costing on average 17.5K Bonvoy points a night) transferred from my American Express Cobalt card at a rate of 1:1.2. To earn this many points on the Cobalt it takes only $2100 of food spending, one of the best earning cards out there.
I could have also used the sign up bonus of the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card ($120 annual fee with a sign up bonus of 61,000 points after $3,000 spent in the first 3 months) for a 5 night stay, not bad for the $120 annual fee.
Editors Note: Dog lovers rejoice - they take dogs at the TownePlace Suites Belleville although there is a $75 cleaning fee. If you struggle to get away because of your dog this might be a perfect option!
Getting to the Hotel
The hotel is right off the highway in Belleville, located next to the Shorelines Casino. In good traffic, this hotel is about two hours from Toronto. Furthermore, it’s about 40 minutes to the beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park, very manageable with young kids.
Free 10 bucks at the adjacent Shorelines Casino for slots play
If you’re planning to head to the casino, this is an ideal place to stay as it’s a quick, wheelchair accessible walk to casino from the hotel. The hotel even included a card for $10 free slots play for each guest - not a bad perk!
Checking In
The staff at this hotel were exceptionally friendly, the customer service agent Bailey made sure we were welcome. We were given some candy and a water bottle, although he didn’t mention it, I believe it was our welcome gift as a Marriott Gold member. We were given a room on the fourth floor - unfortunately we weren’t upgraded because the hotel was sold out.
Our Room
Our room was sufficient for the one night, especially because it was free, but it wasn’t extravagant by any means.
Facilities
The check in area was really clean when we got there. There is a large seating area and a bar right beside the check in area, but this area was dead on the Saturday night. There is free coffee and hot water at the front, as a coffee snob who frequents Pilot Roasters in the PATH, I was pleasantly surprised with this coffee.
There is also a snack and convenience section for things you may want to grab quickly or anything that you might have forgotten. I was happily surprised to see that the prices were reasonable. There was also a large pool onsite, which is perfect for families, but I didn’t take a picture of the pool.
Breakfast
Being the Sunday of a long weekend, the breakfast was absolutely packed. Open from 7AM - 10AM on weekends and holidays, the breakfast is a family friendly affair with a waffle maker, some sausages, baked goods, cereal, toast, and even provides alternate dairy for those who are lactose intolerant. I wasn’t able to get great pictures because it was so busy, I will say it was a bit messy, but the lady working was trying her best to keep up with demand.
Overall Review
What We Liked
Only 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy Points
Incredibly friendly staff that went out of their way to help guests
Fully stocked kitchen
What We Didn’t Like
Crowds at the buffet
Loud fridge
Weak shower pressure
Overall, our complaints were minor at best. This a great way to get out of the city, as a couple or a family, and enjoy Prince Edward County on a summer weekend. With availability all summer, it’s a great last minute destination from Toronto if you’re looking to escape the city. We will be back!
