gtraveller

Renovated in 2011 and right downtown

Stayed at this hotel in May 2011 and though the complete hotel renovation was still underway the public spaces and room we stayed in were all renovated in a bright modern design.The staff were friendly and the hotel has in room wifi and computers at reception for use next to the reception cafe. The hotel is completely non smoking. The hotel location is great being a 2 min walk to Yonge St and 5 min. walk to Church St. and right next to Dundas Square. The airport bus stops right at the door. The room we had on the 18th floor was quiet but some rooms closer to the street may get traffic noise.

OK for a workout

If working out is all you are interested in then it's OK. The steam room, sauna and jacuzzi and open showers are a little dated and though the place was busy when I visited just after work hours on a week night the customers were 90% old men and mostly not in great shape. The endless staff checks was annoying and I found the staff not that friendly.

Not great

The upstairs bar was the only one open the two nights i visited and I was not impressed. The stage is about the size of a double bed and two steps up from the bar floor. There were a few hot dancers like "Krystof" (straight) but many were bad and most did not get naked or just flashed their dicks out now and then. I don't like the two dance format each guy has to perform (one directly after the other) The amature strip they also had (3 guys) was awful and almost made me leave. I think they do that because they are short of professional dancers. The DJ was bad with endless lame chat and comments and leaving moments of silence while he was trying to set up the next music. I hate the fact they allow women in and there were a few drunk shreeking girls both nights I was there which also put me off returning. There is a $5 cover charge and all drinks from water, pop, beer cost much the same. $6.50 + I think Toronto deserves a better strip venue than this and should look at Montreal's as a good example.

Great location - I will return

I think the location is everything for this hotel. It's right at the gay village on St Catherine and directly across from a bus depot and the airport bus drops you off very close by. You might find something nicer farther away or in a better area but then you have walk farther home late at night or take a taxi. I enjoyed a 3 night stay recently and my room was clean, spacious, quiet and had a comfortable bed. The staff were nice and friendly. You can exit the hotel directly into a small shopping mall and be 2 mins from bars and clubs in the gay village. The mall access is locked late night of course so you have to enter by the front door then. It has a swimming pool and a small 4 person sauna in the men's change room both of which are dated looking but they work. The bar is boring and there were only 3 people there on a Friday night when I visited. The hotel is a little dated and bland. I never had any issue with any of the homeless or beggers in the park across the road from the front door. You might be asked for spare change or offered to buy drugs on the street but note, on St Catherine street I was asked more times on a sunny Sunday morning if I wanted to buy drugs than I was in the evening or late night.

Fun but I have some issues

I visited for the first time recently and enjoyed one visit however Stock has online streaming video and if you sit at the stage you can expect to be also visible online so i always sat way back and therefore I was far away from the dancers. I found the two stage format a bit strange and you miss all the action on one stage if you are sitting close to the other one. Drink prices are high and there is a small cover charge of $3. The wait staff were nice and the dancers were hot, but for me I much prefer Campus bar.

Best of the strip bars for me

I visited for the first time recently and enjoyed three visits despite the fact the guy behind the main bar was not friendly and ignored me most of the time. I sat away from the bar other nights and the wait staff were nice. I love muscle and jock type guys and after 9pm Campus provided lots of them with little down time between performances. I really liked the one guys first shirtless dance then the next guys second naked hardon dance format. The stage is great because you can sit close to the edge and the low level of the stage results in the strippers crotch being right at your eye level.....2" from your face sometimes! I was surprised there was no cover charge which was great. I was surprised it was not more busy on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night. I like the fact no women are allowed. (only on Sundays) Expect the dancers to come by your chair later and chat about private dances and sometimes share light fondling which is hot. Expect to pay the same price for water or soft drinks and beer, but remember it's the price you pay because there is no cover charge. Guys, why sit stage side if you are going to be talking to your friends or text the whole time while a hot naked guy is shaking it right by your face and you totally ignore him. I think it's better than Stock bar for the above reasons and because Stock has online streaming video and if you sit at the stage you can expect to be also visible online.