[DavefromSt.Vital]

To me, this underscores the need to attract more properties from the major hotel chains to downtown. The blogger couple appear to travel on points and those of us who travel on points tend to be loyal to one or two specific hotel chains. Imagine all of those unsuspecting IHG loyalists deciding to wander up Colony/Balmoral to see what is around will experience.

At the moment, downtown has a grand total of five hotels from major chains; one each from Marriott (Delta), Accor (Fairmont), Radisson, IHG (Holiday Inn), and Best Western. While nice, micro-chains like ALT and Sutton aren't available widely enough to make a difference.

Whether it is new builds or renovations (whatever happend to 138 Portage East?) or existing hotels reflagging (Can someone tell the Sparrow family that they would make a mint signing up the Inn at the Forks/Mere/Norwood with a major's soft brand) something needs to happen.