We normally stay at the Quality Inn and Suites on Carlingview Dr when flying out of Toronto on vacation. I waiting too long in booking and found they were full due to an event on the dates I required. I chose the Crowne Plaza after looking at their website and assumed because of their higher cost they would be a "better" experience then the lesser priced hotels in the area. I was not right in that assumtion. Now having said that they were not disappointing either. The front end staff was friendly, professional and had us checked in very quickly. The room was lovely, comfortable, quiet, and well appointed. We paid $260 for one nights stay and over night parking for 8 nights. We pay at the Quality Suites $193 for the same. I feel that because they were not better in quality or service we over paid for what we received. If money is of absolutely no importants then I certainly would recommend them but if you want value for your dollar then there are cheaper hotels in the area.

This is an airport hotel, plain and simple, and anyone expecting otherwise really needs to manage their expectations. Location aside, the front desk staff were extremely pleasant and professional when we checked in late for our one night stay in late January. Our room was clean and perfectly acceptable. The breakfast buffet was very good, and our server beckoned us in for coffee 30 mins before the restaurant was due to open - and told us to help ourselves to anything that had been set up. We were amazed, to say this least. This level of service spoke highly of the hotel and how it looks to accommodate short term guests.

You know how you here at the end of shows things like "guests of the Oprah Winfrey show stay at the xxxx", this would not be one of those hotels. We stayed the night of February 1 on Air Canada's dime because they missed our connection.

Location: Its near the airport so not much around. There are three or four restaurants in front of the hotel which I would choose over the hotel food.

Checkin: Quick and efficient. You can't get a late checkout unless you are a Priority Club member with status or paying $50. This is not helpful when you are stuck until 815pm for your next flight.

Room: My wife though it was more equivalent to an old Hampton Inns room than something the Crowne Plaza would be associated with. We had two double beds, with just enough space to move around. Lets say space was a premium. There was a desk and what looked like a 20" flat screen tv. I would expect more from a Crowne Plaza location. The bathroom was in desperate need of updating. The sink was updated but shower was ancient. If you are over 6'2", you would have a problem with the low ceiling and I am only 5'9" but had to bend down to was my hair. Water pressure was reasonable. We both thought the bed was hard and woke up a little stiff the next day.

Restaurant: Poor combination of bar, lounge and restaurant. The night we ate there, there was a piano singer in the lounge but because it is one big open space, there was no quiet spot to have dinner with the wife. That is why the diners were probably as far away from the piano as possible. I am not sure where the bar, lounge and restaurant begin and end. The dinner service was indifferent and the food was bland. For lunch the next day, there was lots of staff wandering around but few servicing the guests. Was never offered water, no jam tray brought with the toast, never asked how the food was. Again, food was bland. Unfortunately, with the airline dollars, we could only eat at the hotel otherwise we would have gone elsewhere.

intangibles: The shuttle service to the airport was good but the driver tossed in and stacked luggage with no regard that it wasn't his. Luggage storage was appreciated.

Overall, don't know why Air Canada prefers them, lots of flight crews there but I would not stay here and wonder if it should be the Crown Plaza, not Crowne Plaza.

We stayed at this hotel on December 8 prior to our December 9th flight to Cuba. This was the first time that we stayed there and we liked it so much we are going back on the night before and the night after our next vacation. The rooms are very comfortable and clean, the staff is very helpful and this was the first time that we have been able to get a good night's sleep prior to a vacation flight. We found it quiet and the temperature was very comfortable. We had dinner in the restaurant and really enjoyed it.