Kimpton Saint George Hotel — Hotel in Toronto

TL;DR: If you belong to the unspoken club of travellers, consumers, and families who quietly look out for each other—I'm confidently putting this in writing: there's a degree of hospitality and consumer law shadiness happening here.

Photos/videos to be uploaded as an edit.

If you can afford to stay here, I strongly recommend having backups ready—other reputable hospitality options in the same economic bracket. The first red flag? Madame Front Desk assumed I was canceling the trip right after checking in, as if she already knew what I was about to walk into: a filthy, dusty room with a leaky ceiling. The suggestion? “Stay the night, someone will clean it tomorrow.” That would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

This was just the start. There’s more—some of which I’ll document further in time.

I’ve never personally seen this level of money taken from anyone, anywhere in the world or Ontario, for this kind of substandard value—whether luxury or barebones accommodations.

If you’re part of some inner circle or loyalty program or visible group that gets preferential treatment, maybe this review isn’t for you.

But if the following are basic expectations for you/loved ones, proceed with extreme caution:

Actually receiving what you paid for

Acceptably clean rooms

Ceilings that don’t leak

Furniture without suspicious stains

Basic red flag handling—not disappearing, not using third-party channels to set up empty “chats” that delay or deny service—especially after forcing guests and families to clean their own rooms and relocate themselves within the hotel

Equal treatment—not giving noisy party-goers extreme leeway and service despite paying less for shorter time...get this...while over-policing one senior about having some sort of 'party' in the room and inspecting/eyeing their personal items at check in! That's a new low level of class altogether!

A minimum standard of respect, especially for family travellers → All of this = just a decent night’s sleep

Clean non musty robes and fresh linen on checkin, even if bed unmade.

Functional amenities

Staff at the front desk who don’t “play the fool” or act like they’re doing you a favour by doing the bare minimum

Middle management with an actual grasp of hospitality and professionalism

Neutral, service-oriented communication

Value proportional to price

A basic sense of accountability when things go wrong—not dodging or scheming to avoid making it right and charge full price.

And if you happen to see a predictable corporate response to this review—something defensive, dismissive, or an insincere public invitation to “chat”—be warned. That’s part of the local pattern.

They know what they’re doing wrong. They just don’t care—because they already have systems in place to get away with it.

Yes, you have freedom of choice. But take this into account: even highway motels have shown better standards—than what was documented here.

I could have spent less, received more honest service, and still been just as close to key venues—without enduring this kind of ordeal while they shamelessly collected the money.

They will try to wear you down. They’ll make you repeatedly ask—borderline beg—for the basics you already paid for. And you may still not get them. That, in consumer law, sits in a very specific realm of fraud.

You don’t need to spend less. You can spend the same amount elsewhere—where professionalism isn’t selective.

5-star shoutout to the frontline service staff who showed class and pulled the weight for those above them. That one maintenance guy—and others like him—are...

This was my second stay at the Kimpton St George, and I was happy to return to this charming, cozy hotel in an excellent Toronto location. With thoughtful touches and a welcoming atmosphere, it's a solid choice for both leisure and business travelers - with one notable exception.||Prime Location: The hotel's location is truly fantastic. It's just a 2-minute walk to St George station, making it incredibly easy to navigate the city via public transport. Yorkville, with its upscale shopping and dining, is only a 10-minute walk away. You're perfectly positioned to explore Toronto without being in the thick of the tourist chaos.||Daily Afternoon Pizza & Wine: This is such a lovely touch and one of the reasons I chose to come back! The complimentary afternoon pizza and wine social hour creates a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere and is a great way to unwind or meet fellow travelers. It's these thoughtful gestures that make Kimpton hotels stand out and create a real sense of community.||Well-Designed Rooms:The rooms are a good size - not huge, but perfectly adequate and cleverly designed to maximize space. The Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic is clean, calming, and contemporary. Everything feels fresh and uncluttered, which makes for a very relaxing environment. It's cozy without feeling cramped.||Thoughtful Amenities:The bathroom products are lovely - high quality and a pleasure to use. I particularly appreciated finding a yoga mat in the room - such a thoughtful touch for wellness-minded travelers. It shows the hotel understands modern travelers' needs and priorities.||The Restaurant - A Disappointment:Unfortunately, the hotel's restaurant is the weak link and hasn't improved since my first visit. It has more of a sports bar/diner vibe and serves food and drinks that are frankly below par, especially compared to the quality of the hotel itself. It's a shame because everything else about the Kimpton St George is done so well. I'd recommend skipping the hotel restaurant and exploring the neighborhood instead - that's what I did on both stays.||Great Coffee Across the Road:Fortunately, there's excellent coffee just across the road, which more than makes up for the restaurant shortfall. Perfect for your morning caffeine fix before heading out to explore.||Overall:The Kimpton St George is a cozy, well-located boutique hotel with charm, character, and some genuinely lovely touches. The fact that I chose to return for a second stay says a lot - the Scandinavian-inspired rooms, quality amenities, daily pizza and wine, and fantastic location make it a great choice for staying in Toronto.||While the restaurant is disappointing, it doesn't significantly detract from the overall experience - there are so many great dining options nearby that you won't be stuck for choice.||Bottom Line:A charming hotel with excellent location and thoughtful amenities that keeps me coming back. Just venture out for your meals and you'll have a wonderful stay.||Perfect for: Solo travelers, couples, business trips, anyone who values location and character over full-service hotel amenities.||Tips:|- Don't miss the afternoon pizza and wine social hour|-Book a room on higher floors as the street noise on lower floors can be high|- Skip the hotel restaurant and explore the neighborhood|- Grab coffee across the road|- The St George station proximity makes getting around Toronto a breeze||Would definitely stay again - and...

Interesting that all “recent” reviews have not mentioned the street construction that has been going on at this hotel since June 2023. The hotel doesn’t inform you of this when making your reservation but will include a disclaimer in your confirmation email. I fell in love with Kimpton Hotels after a visit to the Savannah Georgia Kimpton which was beautiful & provided amazing service and had an amazing restaurant. They had 5pm wine hour in the lobby and guests traveling with pets were greeted with pet bowls and pet beds in your room. It was such a great experience. I was excited to have that experience again in Toronto - DID NOT GET THAT AT ALL This was my first and last visit to the Toronto Kimpton St.George. The only good thing about this hotel are their pet policies and pet amenities (when the staff actually provides them without you having to ask) Upon late checkin after a long 7hr drive the receptionist discloses “Oh sorry - you were incorrectly informed by our reservation desk - we do not have rooms without carpeting” I asked this question prior to making a reservation as I have allergies and request uncarpeted hotel rooms whenever possible. It will often be a key decision in where I choose to stay. The reservation desk confirmed they were available so I reserved at Kimpton St George. This was not her fault and obviously nothing she could do about that error but the lack of effort was pathetic. Try a little customer service!!! - “I’m sorry for the inconvenience….we see you’re exhausted from a long drive - how about a free snack and glass of wine in our restaurant?” No attempt to even try. She went right to….Oh we can provide a full refund so you can find another hotel. Ya - because thats a realistic option at 9pm at night after driving 7hrs to a new city. . None the less we did exactly that the next morning. We were suppose to stay 2nights but after a horrible meal in the restaurant that serves poorly made pub grub - an awful nights sleep in a tiny closet of a room listening to the HVAC thumping on/ off and an awful morning shower that was equivalent to standing under a garden hose. The room service breakfast was also pathetic. You can get a better meal and presentation attempt at an off highway truck stop. Do better Kimpton St. George!!! This hotel is NOT worth the price point - total false advertising. I still tip valet and service staff because they were all kind a friendly except for the check-in hostess. The lady who helped us check out early the next morning was WAY better and obviously had customer service experience. She apologized for the inconvenience - and didn't charge us for valet service because obviously our stay was not a good. I wish she had been our hostess on check-in. A little customer service and courtesy...