It was so genius, I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it myself: I was chatting with a friend, lamenting about my decision to take a 6am flight back home from my weekend in Toronto. By our calculations, we determined that I’d have to leave my downtown hotel at about 3:45am to make it through U.S. Customs & security in time to not be totally rushed for my flight. Yikes. Then she had a genius idea: why didn’t I move the last night of my reservation from the Germain Hotel Group property I was staying at (the Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square) & stay at the Germain Hotel Group’s newest property – the ALT Hotel (conveniently located next to Pearson International Airport) – the night before my flight? Genius. The staff at Le Germain were nice enough to switch my reservation for the final night of my stay to their sister property.
As soon as I stepped into the lobby, on a quiet Sunday evening, it became very clear that this was not your typical airport hotel. The space was modern & funky & very specifically aimed at a target demographic (I’m guessing millennials-ish). A huge, colorful wall of Instagram photos dominates the lobby – quite the investment in a technology that didn’t even exist 2.5 years ago. Also in the lobby was a comfortable seating area, designed to promote conversation – it reminded me more of a hostel than a hotel (in a good way).
I stepped off the elevator onto the ninth floor & into a sea of black. Everything was painted black: the walls, the doors, the carpet. Violet colored accents popped throughout. I made my way down to my corner room (only two types of rooms in this hotel (& they’re the same price 365 days a year): queen bed or two double beds) & was greeted by a long entryway (I think I said aloud “oh, how intriguing!”). The room itself wasn’t very big – it definitely would be a tight fit for more than one person – & very no frills, but absolutely perfect for an overnight stay. The bathroom pulled in the white accents & warm wood tones from the Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, with a decent sized walk-in shower & more than enough counter space.
The real joy of my room was the view: two corner windows provided views of both the downtown Toronto skyline, but also Pearson airport & all the beautiful jumbo jets that come with it.
Breakfast isn’t included in your rate, but there’s a 24/7 grab-and-go in the lobby, which provides freshly made options packaged on site. I wish I had more time to explore everything they had available, but I was in no mood to eat when I checked out at 4:15am.
There are ALT Hotels across Canada, including Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, Ottawa & one opening next year in Winnipeg. I think they’re the perfect option for young people traveling on a budget who don’t want to stay in a hostel. I don’t know if I’d stay in one for multiple days – I like something a little bit larger & higher end (like the Le Germain hotels), but without a doubt I’d stay at this location again if I had an early flight put of Pearson.
It’s refreshing to see a new hotel the scene that is unapologetic about who they are – it feels like so many properties these days are trying to be what they’re not. ‘My Dad would hate this hotel,’ I thought more than once during my stay. I think that’s exactly what they wanted me to say.
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