Hotel Review: Element Toronto Airport
Element By Westin (Element) is Marriott’s modern approach to long-term accommodations. I stayed at similar hotels for extended stays such as Residence Inn or TownPlace Suites. When I recently spent a night at the TownPlace Suites near DFW, I was impressed with how updated my room was. I recently spent a few nights in Toronto, Canada and the flight from Austin would land at 10 PM. So I wanted to spend a night near the airport before going to downtown Toronto the next day. Luckily, the most budget-friendly option was Element Toronto Airport, located a few minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport. I decided to give the Element brand a shot for a quick overnight stay, and I am glad I experienced Marriott’s latest effort to modernize its extended-stay brand. Here is my review of Element Toronto Airport:
Element Toronto Airport is located at 6257 Airport Rd, Mississauga, ON L4V 1E4, Canada.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does come with a hefty $650 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
$25 monthly dining credit—$300 total in a year
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
An 85,000-point Free Night Award
Access to Priority Pass lounges
25 Elite Night Credits for chasing Marriott Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have, in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Marriott Bonvoy status
Please note that you can’t combine Elite Night Credits from two Marriott Bonvoy personal credit cards, but you can stack Elite Night Credits from one personal and one Marriott Bonvoy business card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 25 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you!
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits, which can be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from other personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual Free Night Award perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Location
Element Toronto Airport is conveniently located right next to Toronto Pearson International Airport. If you have loads of luggage, you may want to call for a taxi, but I walked for about five minutes to reach the hotel. However, this is not the location you choose to stay in if you want to explore Toronto and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Lobby & Check-In Review
After landing in Toronto, I googled the hotel, and Google Maps indicated that the hotel was 13 minutes away from the airport on foot. Uber quoted me $20 for a five-minute ride from the terminal to the hotel, so I decided to save some money by walking to the hotel. I’m glad I didn’t pay for Uber because the walk took about five minutes. As I approached the hotel, I realized Element Toronto Airport was a joint property with Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport. So if you’re just spending a night here, I suggest you choose the cheaper option.
You could stay at Four Points by Sheraton next door, but Element Toronto Airport is cheaper and has recently been renovated.
The lobby was open and had few seats or couches beside one or two scattered here and there.
The lobby could’ve used additional lounge chairs and tables.
Since I arrived late at night, I was assisted immediately. Upon checking in, I was upgraded to a one-bedroom suite on the first floor, and the front desk agent was very kind and helpful.
The check-in desk reminded me of a less European version of the AC Hotel brand.
Even though I would typically prefer a room on a higher floor to escape from the outside noise, I accepted the upgrade since I was only spending a night before heading to downtown Toronto the next day. After receiving my card keys, I walked to my suite on the first floor.
Kitchen & Living Room Review
As soon as I stepped into the room, the kitchen and the living room reminded me of the one-bedroom apartment I used to have in Austin, TX. The kitchen featured a fully functioning kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, dishwasher, electric stove, and microwave.
The open-concept kitchen made the living space appear more spacious and created a smooth transition between the kitchen and the living room.
The single sink was small but deep, and you could undoubtedly make simple meals in the kitchen if you were to stay for an extended period. The kitchen cabinet was missing dishes and utensils, and I found them all in the dishwasher. It appeared that the housekeeping crews ran the dishwasher but forgot to place them back in their original positions.
The dishes and utensils weren’t put away, but they were ready to be used.
The coffee machine was a basic one by Mr. Coffee. Though it wasn’t my favorite, it didn’t surprise me given the Element brand.
For a no-frills hotel, a simple Mr. Coffee coffee machine seemed appropriate.
The kitchen island had two low-back bar stools, and the island was perfectly acceptable as a breakfast station or even a workstation because there were outlets and USB ports on the side of the island. Beyond the kitchen, the floorplan transitioned to a compact living space. The work desk was made of solid wooden legs, and it came with a beautiful LED light stand, which was surprisingly bright and functional.
I loved the simple and quality construction of the work desk.
The work chair was supportive, but I found a few strands of long hair on the seat. Although the rest of the area was scrubbed, they made me less confident about the cleanliness of the room. The remainder of the living room was for entertainment; a smart TV was wall-mounted, and a gray sectional was available for lounging.
Because the HVAC unit was right next to the TV, I had to significantly the volume.
Some basic pieces of framed art were mounted above the sectional, and a small round white coffee table was in the corner to finish the ultimate apartment look. Though I enjoyed the cozy look, the art decor on the wall was not meaningful to the brand.
The artworks on the wall were too generic for me, but they made me feel more at home.
Those generic artworks were similar to the ones you would spot at Target. However, the intention was to mimic a typical apartment setting, so I suppose the interior design team successfully executed the task. The only complaint I had about the living was the placement of the HVAC unit. The hotel probably didn’t have much control over it, but it was located right next to the TV. As a result, I had to significantly increase the volume when watching TV. Fortunately, the noise was subtle, and it became white noise after I got accustomed to it. Other than the HVAC location, the living room and the kitchen made me feel as if I was at home, and I enjoyed renovated look of the kitchen compared to some outdated properties built for extended stays.
Bedroom Review
The bedroom had just enough room for a king bed. The bed was comfortable, and while the sheets were not as soft as luxury hotels, it was more than adequate for a budget airport hotel.
The king-sized bed barely fit the bedroom, and I had to station my luggage in the living room.
I did like the design aesthetics of the headboard; its ends were slightly curved inward. I understand that is just a subtle design element since many inexpensive hotels don’t explore beyond generic design. Each side of the bed came with a nightstand as well as a cylinder-shaped wall light that was open on both ends. Thus, when you turn it on, it brightens the nightstand below and the ceiling above.
The hotel provided hand sanitizing wipes as Canada still had relatively strict COVID-19 safety measures.
Sadly, those two wall lights were the only sources of brightness for the bedroom, and I wish there were additional lighting in the room. The nightstands were uniquely shaped, allowing guests to place an item, like a backpack, underneath it. Across from the bed, another smart TV was wall-mounted, and a closet was located next to it.
My suite came with two smart TVs—uncommon for affordable hotel brands.
The closet featured a recessed light, illuminating the inside. Because the Element brand is built around extended stays, the closet had ample space as well as plenty of hangers.
A small detail, like having dedicated lighting in a closet, matters at a budget-friendly hotel.
The bedroom was simple and matched my expectation from the Element brand. Overall, interior design elements and amenities were quite impressive for a budget hotel.
Bathroom Review
Contrary to the bedroom, the bathroom was full of lights. The brightness perceptually enhanced the spotlessness of the area. The backlit mirror had light bars integrated on its ends, making the room even brighter.
I deem cleanliness the most important consideration for a budget hotel, and the bathroom was spotless.
The single sink vanity was deep and substantial, but it was positioned too low. I am not a tall person, and even for my standards, it was too low to the point where I had to significantly bend my back. The walk-in shower featured a fully enclosed sliding glass door with communal toiletries by Pharmacopia. Typically, a hotel would provide individual shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash products, but this particular Element hotel had a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner product.
The recessed lighting in the shower brightened the bathroom even more.
The shower was equipped with a standard shower head that produced a decent water stream, but it wasn’t as strong as I would’ve preferred. However, I did appreciate a light bar in the shower. It brightened the room and certainly woke me up in the morning. The bathroom was pretty typical and wasn’t particularly interesting, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing since the Element brand was created to target the mass public.
Gym & Pool Review
The gym was on the first floor, and it was open 24/7. It was quite spacious and had a nice selection of gym equipment for a budget travel hotel. Treadmills and ellipticals occupied half of the room, and although they weren’t high-tech or brand-new, they were well-maintained.
Because the cardio machines faced the indoor pool, you could supervise kids while working out.
Also, I was surprised to find a stair climber since most affordable hotel gyms don’t usually carry it.
A stair climber is a very effective workout machine that will destroy your legs.
The fitness center had two adjustable benches and a standard set of dumbbells as well as other strength machines including an all-in-one machine.
The hotel utilized every space possible to fit additional gym equipment.
The problem with the gym was that it was narrow in general. Thus, if I used one of the benches to lift weights, it would effectively block out the entire walkway. Luckily, no one used the gym while I worked out, so I could take advantage of the whole gym.
Some light dumbbells were missing from the weight rack.
The pool was also on the first floor, adjacent to the gym. It was also open 24/7, and it was a very popular spot for families. It was a pretty typical hotel pool; there was a small hot tub in the corner of the pool, and a few chairs and sunbeds were scattered on the floor, mainly for parents to oversee their children.
Unless you visit the pool in the morning, it is most likely crowded with families with kids.
Breakfast Review
The breakfast was served on the first floor from 6 AM to 10 AM on weekdays and from 6 AM to 11 AM on weekends. Because the hotel was connected to the Four Points property, both hotels shared a communal bar which was then divided into two separate breakfast areas for each hotel. The space on the left was for Element and the room on the right, Moments, was for guests at the Four Points hotel.
Make sure you enter the dining hall on the left, as the right one is for guests at the neighboring Four Points hotel.
The breakfast area had some small tables and a gorgeous natural wooden table that would be perfect for a large group.
Grab the communal table in the middle if you have a big group.
When I approached the breakfast station, I learned one of the wait staff was serving food to people.
The only savory food items were frittata and scrambled eggs.
There were breakfast menus for Saturday and Sunday, but they needed clarification because the items on both menus were identical. Regardless of it, I opted for buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, and frittata.
Decaf coffee wasn’t available, but you could get coffee to go using takeout cups.
I grabbed complimentary water and orange juice from the back and tried the pancakes. Even though the pancakes were sitting on a hot catering tray with a burner heating the food from below, they were cold to the touch.
My breakfast was disappointing, and it could’ve been mitigated by serving warm food.
Moreover, the frittata was barely warm and greasy. I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of breakfast and hardly touched the food. On my way out of the restaurant, I noticed a pastry station and reluctantly grabbed some individually wrapped bagels as I left.
If you are in a rush, grab a muffin or a bagel for a quick breakfast.
Positives & Negatives
Positives
The Element Toronto Airport is located right next to Toronto Pearson International Airport. The location is perfect for those who have an extremely early flight the following day or for those arriving in Tronto very late at night.
The hotel was built for extended stays, which means the room will resemble an apartment with a fully functioning kitchen. You can feel more at home and even cook healthy meals.
Negatives
While the location is terrific for those wanting to stay close to the Toronto airport, it is not ideal for tourists seeking to explore Toronto. If you want to indulge yourself in a luxurious hotel stay in downtown Toronto, I recommend The St. Regis Toronto.
Unfortunately, my experience at the breakfast bar wasn’t satisfactory. I think the food would’ve been more appetizing had it been warm.
Summary
Element Toronto Airport was my first experience with the Element brand. I usually don’t stay at extended-stay hotels, but its proximity to Toronto Pearson International Airport made it easy for me to choose this budget-friendly hotel among other options. I stayed in a one-bedroom suite, and it came with a full kitchen and a cute living room that reminded me of a recently remodeled apartment. Though I believe the bedroom could benefit from more lighting, the suite was clean and modern, and I could understand why younger audiences may choose the Element brand over traditional long-term stay brands like Residence Inn. If you need to stay at an affordable hotel with simple amenities near the Toronto Pearson International Airport, try Element Toronto Airport.
