Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre (Western)

The Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre is located at 40 Carlton Ave. near Yonge St., very close to the Yonge subway. Breakfast buffet is available from 0630-1000. The buffet and dining area is located in the hotel’s interior with no windows, but it was bright and modern, and very full of diners. Coffee is included and a pot was left on our table. Other beverages ie orange and apple juice are also part of the buffet thus included.

Scrambled eggs were very good, not dry fresh and clearly made fresh that day. Seasoned potatoes were delicious and well-seasoned. Sausages were excellent without any slightly rancid-oil reheat flavor most places have, so again were probably fresh for that day, especially considering the number of clientele. Bacon is Hormel thick-cut and was excellent, savoury and not burnt... much better than most places. Orange juice was very good and not watery. The coffee left as a pot on the table was excellent, rich and not bitter, among the better I have had.

Oatmeal has brown sugar, cranberries and granola topping and was delicious. Iogo yogurt cops and fresh fruit are available and Mishy had the idea of putting them together in a bowl which makes a parfait. (Of course... that is why they are in proximity in the buffet. Why don’t I think of these things?) My pancakes were fresh and moist and delicious, but Mishy still managed to find a slightly dry hard one. I decided to try a pasty not knowing it was a cherry turnover and split it with Mishy; it was so good enough that she wanted another one... had very light and flaky pastry and excellent filling.

Cost is $20 with a room voucher, $25 without for anyone, but there was a -$10.00 discount entry on the bill though we were not guests; I’m unsure why it was there, but I'm not questioning it! Service was very good as well. We filled up nicely and even though it was breakfast, I didn’t eat anything else substantial that day. There isn’t anything spectacular such as eggs benedict in the offerings, but the basics there were all done very well. Even without the discount which I wasn’t expecting so can’t promise, it was a good value.

Rating 9 / 10