If you think of Exhibition Place as somewhere you go once a year, for a concert, a sports game or a big event at the Enercare Centre, you might not realize you can actually stay and dine right on the grounds, too.
We recently spent a night at Hotel X Toronto, located right on Exhibition Place, and it gave us a completely different perspective on one of Toronto’s biggest event destinations. It also happened to line up perfectly with the CNE media preview and start of the fair, giving us the chance to experience just how convenient it can be to stay in the middle of the action.
Instead of driving home after an evening event or figuring out how to get across the city the next morning, we could head upstairs to a hotel room, order room service, catch the sunset from the rooftop pool and wake up just steps from everything happening on the grounds.
What Is There to Do at Exhibition Place?
The sprawling waterfront destination that is Exhibition Placeis home to some of Toronto’s biggest venues, attractions and annual events, including the Enercare Centre, Coca-Cola Coliseum, BMO Field and, of course, the Canadian National Exhibition.
Throughout the year, Exhibition Place hosts everything from major sporting events and concerts to trade shows, consumer events, festivals and community programming.
You can spend a summer afternoon at the CNE, catch a Toronto FC match at BMO Field, browse the One of a Kind Show at the Enercare Centre or head over for one of the many events taking place throughout the year.
And then there’s the fact that you can make a full stay out of it. That’s where Hotel X Toronto comes in.
Staying at Hotel X Toronto
Located right on the Exhibition Place grounds, Hotel X Toronto is a resort-style hotel that makes a pretty compelling home base for exploring the area.
We stayed in a one-bedroom suite, and the room was significantly more spacious than your typical Toronto hotel room.
The suite had a separate bedroom, a large living room with its couch (that converts into a pull-out bed for guests), sitting chairs and a coffee table, its own work desk area and two bathrooms, making it feel much more like a small apartment than a standard hotel room.
And that view!
From the suite, we could see across the Exhibition Place grounds and catch glimpses of the grounds, while also taking in the Toronto skyline, Lake Ontario, the CN Tower and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Watching planes take off and land from the room was an unexpected bonus.
And during the CNE, there’s something particularly fun about looking down and seeing the fair happening below you. You can see the rides, the Ferris wheel and the midway while knowing you’re only an elevator ride away from joining in.
Sunset Drinks 28 Floors Above Exhibition Place
One of the highlights of our stay was heading up to the hotel’s rooftop pool around sunset. Hotel X’s rooftop pool is located on the 28th floor, adjoining with their Valerie restaurant, and has panoramic views over Exhibition Place, the lake and Toronto.
Pool access is reserved through reservations, so we booked a spot around sunset and settled in with a couple of glasses of Prosecco.
The space is expansive, with loungers, chairs and tables, and more standard restaurant-style seating surrounding the infinity-style pool. You can even order bites to your pool chair, and we literally couldn’t think of a better way to watch the sun disappear behind those wild summer clouds.
With the buzz of the city below us, it was one of those very Toronto moments that makes you appreciate how much is happening right outside your window.
You Can Eat Without Leaving Exhibition Place
Another perk of staying at Hotel X is that you don’t have to go far for dinner, drinks or a coffee.
The hotel has several dining and social spaces, including Roses Social, Valerie and Playbook Commons, giving you options whether you’re looking for a proper meal, cocktails or somewhere more casual to hang out.
There’s also room service if you’ve spent the day walking around Exhibition Place and would rather put your feet up.
For a stay centred around an event, that convenience is a pretty major bonus.
You can spend the day exploring the grounds, head back to your room to freshen up, grab dinner downstairs and still be right where you need to be for the evening’s plans.
and there’s always something happening at Exhibition Place
One of the things we came away from the stay appreciating most is just how much happens at Exhibition Place, even outside of peak summer months.
The calendar continues throughout the year with events at the Enercare Centre, Coca-Cola Coliseum and BMO Field, along with seasonal and community programming across the grounds.
As summer winds down, the fall calendar brings even more reasons to visit, including upcoming community events and experiences such as Exhibition Place’s Ghost Walks.
For sports fans, Toronto FC also continues its season at BMO Field through the late summer and fall, giving fans another reason to make an evening of it.
And for anyone who normally thinks of Exhibition Place as somewhere they visit for one specific event, staying at Hotel X is an easy way to see the grounds differently.
For more Toronto date ideas and things to do, read here!
