The former Days Hotel and Conference Centre on Carlton Street unveiled the results of a $20 million renovation at its grand opening last week, including updated guest rooms and meeting spaces and a new higher-end restaurant. The 45-year-old building, neighbour to the historic Maple Leaf Gardens, was gutted and given a contemporary decor treatment by architect Ava Janikowski of Chase International Consultants in Design.
The newly renovated space, now called the Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre, includes 9,000 square feet of meeting space spread over nine rooms, each named after a local street. The largest is the 2,600-square-foot Wellesley Room, which can seat 110 people. There are also several 10-seat boardrooms.
In-house catering is provided by the hotel’s new restaurant, the Carlton, where executive chef Christopher Moreland serves dishes with locally sourced ingredients, like Moroccan-braised Ontario lamb flatbreads with Niagara peach chutney. The restaurant, which seats 106 and overlooks Carlton Street, is available for private events; the adjacent Thirty Bar & Lounge can also be booked.
“We've definitely moved to a higher scale of catering and are looking at serving more corporate and government groups,” says Nidhi Kapoor, the hotel’s catering sales manager.
Along with revamped event and meeting spaces, the renovation project included the hotel’s 513 guest rooms, 24 of which are suites. The rooms were given sliding bathroom and closet doors to maximize space, as well as new linens and sleeker furniture. Abstract paintings by Canadian artist Neil Young appear throughout the building for a shot of colour.
The hotel spa, indoor pool, and workout room also received the makeover treatment, and a large patio will be available in warm weather for private functions.
