Delsuites' Blog

Customer Service Experience, toronto toursim, Vacation Travel

Accessible Travel is Yours at DelSuites

February 15, 2022

Accessible travel photo by Kampus Production from Pexels

Travel is for everybody: no matter the body you live in.

As awareness of accessible travel rises, more travel agents, carriers, and housing providers are creating spaces that meet accessibility needs for everyone. And there’s more effort being made to reduce the extra work that can go into booking business or family travel when you’re living a differently abled life.

Whether you’re traveling with a severe allergy, are mobility-impaired, Deaf, or just need a little more help now and then, here’s how DelSuites is here to meet your accessible travel needs.

Our buildings surpass accessibility standards

Every single one of our suites is located in a modern building already designed for access. Because we place our suites in Tridel buildings, every DelSuites common area is designed to surpass Ontario’s standard design requirements.

That means easy elevator access to suites, parking, and common areas. It also means our recreational amenities—swimming pools, workout rooms, cinema-style viewing rooms, and more—are barrier-free.

Our buildings’ dedicated concierge staff are always able to assist you with packages and information. And our online neighbourhood guides help you find restaurants, transit, and entertainment—whether it’s planning ahead or a last-minute night out.

Open-concept layouts help you stay comfortably

Our large, open-concept suites are perfect for travellers who use moderate mobility aids.

All our units have standard door sizes and one short step to the shower. But our wide layouts and large bathrooms make our suites easy to navigate, and give you plenty of room to turn a walker, brace a cane, or walk alongside a service animal.

Our easy-to-reach, open-concept kitchen spaces are fully equipped with all the dishes and utensils you need to cook and serve a full meal. Each unit also has a full fridge with adjustable temperature, in case you need to store important medications.

If you’re planning ahead, virtual online tours let you explore the space before you book, so you know immediately if the space is right for you—and our Guest Services team is available by phone, email, or chat to answer any questions.

Service animal-friendly

DelSuites is a service animal-friendly provider. We proudly accommodate service animals with no additional charge at any of our buildings.

Our pet-friendly accommodations are already equipped for your service animal’s comfort. Our recommended pre-arrival grocery delivery service lets you order both your groceries and your service animal’s food ahead of time.

While each building’s policies around animals vary, we’re happy to match you with the space that fits your needs and make sure your arrival goes smoothly.

Accessible booking processes

Our booking options are accessible for a broad range of guests. If you’re Deaf or hard of hearing, dynamic online rates and fully paperless transactions can make booking happen on your schedule. If you live with vision loss, our Guest Services team can book with you over the phone and set up your suite to your needs.

Our booking processes let you ask questions as you go with our live chat option, tour spaces ahead of time, and pre-book specialized needs like cribs, highchairs, and more.

An easy space to maintain

Our bi-weekly cleaning service makes it simple to get comfortable. Cleaning, linen service, and fresh towels are included in your booking, and our professional, friendly cleaning staff are ready to tailor to your needs.

Accessible travel that lets you explore Toronto

We’re always improving our ability to welcome guests from all walks of life. Contact us by phone at (416) 370-3504, email at info@delsuites.com, or use our live chat to find out how we can make your next trip to Toronto stress-free.

Markham, Mississauga, North York, Relocation, Toronto Condos

Plan a Better Home Reno with DelSuites

February 8, 2022

Better home reno photo by Nolan Issac on Unsplash

The numbers are in: this year, Canadian homeowners took all that cash we used to spend on dream vacations and put it into our homes. According to a new report from Statistics Canada, renovation spending jumped 66% this past spring.

And we’re not done yet.

The HomeStars 2021 reno report—a state-of-the industry snapshot on home renovations—predicts 2022 will be even busier. Their survey of homeowners showed that 77% plan to do interior renovations this coming year, and with lumber prices finally coming down from last year’s highs, a whole lot more is possible on a smaller budget.

If you’re planning a renovation—whether it’s a much-needed update to that old kitchen or something to make your space feel new—it always pays to renovate smart. Here’s how DelSuites can help you get your bigger, brighter home on time and on budget, without losing sleep.

Should I stay or should I go now?

With contractors and tradespeople increasingly booked in the coming months, compressing your renovation project into fewer days of work can make it more affordable—but also more likely to fit a reputable contractor’s schedule.

For smaller projects like painting and tile repairs, it might just mean some ducking and dodging around your contractors. But for major projects like a full bathroom update, kitchens, or home additions the math changes. The average bathroom remodel runs at four and a half weeks and kitchens average six to twelve. It can be easier on your budget to let the work run uninterrupted—and move your family elsewhere for the month.

Daily cleanup and site protection costs. Most renovation crews take time at the end of each shift to clean up and make the space habitable again; an average of half an hour per day. This comes out of time they could spend on the primary work—and also adds up on your bill.
Electricity and plumbing planning. Anything that involves wiring or plumbing has to be organized around the basics of daily life: school lunches, morning showers, and for many of us, working from home. Letting your contractors work without having to carefully plan those outages moves your project forward faster—and saves you costs.
Save on dust mitigation. Renovations kick up dust: drywall dust, materials dust, and just the regular kind you haven’t gotten around to while living in your home. The measures you need to take to keep it out of living areas, like hanging plastic curtains, also cost money—and that’s money you can save.
Save on takeout. Kitchen renovations mean you’re down to microwaves or takeout for most of the construction period—and that can rack up huge expenses on meals.

Build a reno budget that works

Renovations have a reputation for running over budget—and that’s sometimes because we haven’t thought about these smaller expenses. You know, the ones that add up.

It’s worthwhile to add up the potential costs of living in your home through the reno—a little here, a little there—and stack them up against the fixed cost of a fully-furnished, ready-to-go rental.

If the incremental bill is bigger than you’d like, building a DelSuites stay into your project plan can be the low-fuss, smart financial decision. It lets your contractors finish major renovations faster, keeps your grocery budget manageable, and reduces the time you lose at work through noise, dust, power shutoffs, or fatigue from early morning carpentry.

We take the hardest part out of the renovations moving dilemma: finding the right temporary home for the right cost. With locations in all of Toronto’s major neighbourhoods, fully furnished units, fully equipped kitchens, ensuite laundry, and phone, cable, and wifi ready to go, all you have to do is show up at the door.

All our units have transparent rates, with discounts available for extended stays. And if your project does run longer than you expected, our Guest Services team can work with you to extend your stay or arrange flexible checkout without trouble.

Solve the stay-or-go equation with a better home reno plan

Ultimately, every renovation is different; it pays to ask careful questions, do your research, and weigh the options with a trusted contractor.

But if you’re leaning toward a temporary home while your dream home comes together, contact us by phone at (416) 370-3504, email at info@delsuites.com, or use our live chat to find out how DelSuites furnished short-term rentals can help you keep your reno within budget.

Downtown Toronto Condos, Entertainment, Lifestyle talk

Plan Your Perfect Toronto Valentine’s Staycation

February 1, 2022

Toronto Valentine's staycation photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels.

It’s been a hard winter—both in terms of the windchill and the COVID-19 situation. It’s not the easiest time to set up a romantic Valentine’s Day gesture, but it’s a good time to show the special people in your life how much you care.

Whether Valentine’s Day is a chance to spoil yourself or set up a romantic treat, here’s some of your best options for a Toronto Valentine’s staycation that feels like a real escape.

You don’t need to go far for your Valentine’s getaway

If staring at the same familiar walls doesn’t make you feel romantic—well, you’re not exactly alone. But it’s not too hard to find a change of scene and feel loved while keeping things COVID-safe.

Toronto’s famously a city of neighbourhoods—which means we never have to go far to find a whole new landscape. If you’re a downtown-dweller, the winter hiking trails at Mimico Creek and the Humber River can get you outside into nature, not far from Parc Nuvo. And if you’ve been aching for a little city action, the lake views and city lights downtown can set up a weekend of nice meals, great Instagram shots, and adventure.

Wherever you land, a DelSuites booking comes with soft sheets, fluffy towels, and warm, luxurious furniture that’s great for cuddling up together. Take a luxuriant hot bath in our deep soaker or Jacuzzi bathtubs, or enjoy sweeping balcony views of Toronto’s city lights.

A romantic dinner delivered to your door

Pandemic restrictions don’t have to mean missing an incredible Valentine’s dinner—or a catered breakfast. Toronto’s local dining scene has been getting creative with the limits of home delivery for two years—and they’re going all-out for Valentine’s.

High-end wine bar Grey Gardens offers full five-course meals for pickup a short walk from The Livmore. A stay at Qwest puts you down the block from Momofuku Toronto, which offers both takeout, delivery, and meal kits if you want to whip something up yourself—with a little help. Toronto chocolatier Soma is offering virtual tastings of both spirits and chocolate kits.

Even local specialty stores are offering serious options for Valentine’s Day. Local sustainable fish store Hooked is lining up three-course dinner specials–as well as oysters, caviar, and more. And for breakfast, the all-online Matchmaker Coffee can set up offering a DIY tasting tour of Canadian coffees—complete with flavour notes.

Our fully-equipped kitchens mean you can set the mood with fine plates, not takeout containers, or whip up a last-minute surprise dessert if you’re in the mood. Pack a few candlesticks and your best playlist, and you’re a restaurant built for two.

Do your Toronto Valentine’s staycation your way

Romance is personal—literally. For some people, it’s flowers, gifts, and fanfare; for some, it’s chocolate cake and Shark Week. And that means a little gesture, if it makes you feel heard and loved, can go a long way.

If your ideal Valentine’s weekend is keeping it low-key: our full premium cable packages and cozy couches let you curl up together for a movie night. If it’s big, bold, and classic, our building concierges can take delivery of as much chocolate and flowers as you need.

You can also book our buildings’ convenient—and romantic—amenities. Go for an evening swim at Ten York, enjoy the spa-grade saunas at Element and Republic, or take in the panoramic city view at The Livmore.

Whatever’s on your mind, our Guest Services team can help you put it together. With a little ingenuity, all you’ll have to do is open the door.

Get cozy in the city

We’re happy to set up your romantic getaway—whether it’s with friends, spoiling yourself, or with a special someone. Contact us by phone at (416) 370-3504, email at info@delsuites.com, or use our live chat to find out how we can make your Valentine’s Day extra romantic.

Business Travel, Energy Conservation, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Your Big Fat Green Vacation: Travel Sustainably with DelSuites

January 25, 2022

Travel sustainably photo by Scott Evans on Unsplash.

After a year of fires, floods, and hurricanes, how to travel sustainably in our networked world is a bigger question than ever.

But as travel restrictions lift and all those trips COVID put off become possible, the question is: how? Without spending cash on carbon offsets, how do we balance the travel we love—or have to make to keep business running—with doing what’s right for our climate?

At DelSuites, we’ve already taken care of the big things: situating our fully-furnished rentals in sustainably-designed, LEED-certified Tridel buildings which are pushing the limits on how eco-friendly a high-rise can be. And our fully paperless booking service also lets you book, bill, and plan your trip while keeping a few trees in the ground.

But if you want to max out your sustainability while you travel, here are a few easy ways you can make that Toronto trip a little greener—and have fun while you do it.

Ditch the plastic toiletries, and get some planet-friendly ones

Everyone always forgets the toothbrush—but it might not be a bad idea, this time. For no more than a few extra dollars, you can forget the toothbrush and pick up a biodegradable, planet-friendly bamboo brush for your stay.

Kensington Market health food store Essence of Life Organics has a whole selection of biodegradable, zero-waste kitchen, laundry, and bathroom products to sample for only a few dollars each—and they offer reliable next-day delivery. Schedule an order before you leave, and you’ll be happily picking up your zero-waste, plastic-free lemon-flavoured dental floss from the concierge on your way through your door.

If you’d like to give that bamboo toothbrush a longer shelf life—and use it for your next five trips, too!—Quebec-based OLA Bamboo also offers a case to take it home in.

Sustainabilify the souvenirs

It’s not a trip without a few treats for the people back home. But it’s easy to make those treats more sustainable, eco-friendly, and longer-lasting.

“Eco-conscious general store” Logan & Finley offers a wide selection of sustainable treats for friends and family back home, from clothes to sustainably sourced specialty chocolate and decadent bath soaks.

In the west end, the laid-back Roncesvalles neighbourhood’s Ecotique puts an emphasis on looking chic, with green accessories, Toronto-themed tea towels, and elegant lounging robes made from upcycled saris. They’re gifts so elegant the environmental impact is just gravy.

Clean up your caffeine

When we’re on the road, all those morning coffees add up. But there are a few cafés that’ll let you get your fix greener while you’re on the go in Toronto.

Low-waste café Poured Coffee is taking the indie coffeeshop entirely package-free: their beans are dropped off by roaster La Marzocco in reusable food-safe bins, their milk in glass bottles, and every cup served goes into a reusable mug or thermos—yours or theirs. Complete with locally sourced baked goods and neighbourhood art, it’s a low-waste haven for east end travelers.

On the west side of the city, regional coffee roaster Reunion Island Coffee Roasters is a certified B-corp focusing on sustainable coffee “from seed to cup”. Powered by renewable energy provider Bullfrog Power, they’ve made every part of their supply chain more sustainable, from compostable wood-pulp coffee bags to fair-trade beans. And if you have to get a few bags delivered, don’t worry; the packaging’s biodegradable too. Drink up!

Send it with pedal power

Have an important package to get across town by end of day? Need a prescription refilled, stat?

Send It Courier is one of Toronto’s all-cargo bicycle courier companies—this one worker-owned and operated, with an A-list client portfolio and reasonable rates (including the highly descriptive “Panic”).

Instead of a cab or a rideshare, hand your parcels—heavy or light!—off to one of those professional cyclists, and do business with no carbon footprint at all.

Love your new green bin

The city of Toronto’s Green Bin program is a citywide way to keep your organics out of landfill. And because DelSuites furnished rentals are residential spaces, your stay lets you access the program.

The rules for Green Bin use may look complicated at first glance, but they’re worth spending five minutes to get to know. The program takes in food waste, coffee and tea grounds, paper plates, tissues, and paper towels—and much, much more.

Instead of piling up garbage, your waste will be turned into compost for the city’s parks and gardens, and biogas to power renewable natural gas programs—a win-win for everyone.

Our smallest gestures count when we travel sustainably

No, your travel toothbrush isn’t going to save the world. But the small choices we make add up, and a few better habits can be enough to make a much-needed trip more sustainable in the long run.

For more sustainable travel planning, contact us at DelSuites by phone at (647) 370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com. We’ll help you make your next visit to Toronto green, clean, and easy.

Customer Service Experience, Downtown Toronto Condos, Toronto Condos

What’s Behind the Trophy? Deciphering The DelSuites Awards Shelf

January 18, 2022

What’s in an award? Sometimes, it’s hard to tell. With a dizzying amount of industry-specific awards handed out every year, sorting what it all means—and what it says about the trip you’re about to book—can take a little expert knowledge.

With that in mind, we’re happy to explain the bottom line on the badges and honours DelSuites has collected—and what they mean when you spend the night in a DelSuites furnished apartment.

Consistency: The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

TripAdvisor‘s one of the biggest travel platforms out there, letting you rate, book, and browse everything from accommodations and airlines to local attractions.

In a word, Certificates of Excellence mean consistency. Snagging a spot on this coveted list means keeping at least a 4 out of 5 rating—that’s at least 80% satisfaction—over the past year, with a minimum amount of reviews required. Only the top 10% of listed businesses manage to keep their quality and customer satisfaction that steady.

With seven consecutive years on the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence list, it means you know you’re likely to get a positive experience—and not run into sudden problems or confusion.

Sustainability: Corporate Housing Providers Association Best Green Progress Award

The Corporate Housing Providers Association is where corporate housing companies go to learn, network, advocate, regulate, and recognize excellence in the industry. It’s an international trade association that does the heavy lifting of making our industry better.

Its Best Green Progress award means a judging panel of cross-industry experts recognized we’ve not just made one-off green improvements, but made sustainability an ingrained part of how DelSuites does business. Because it emphasizes policies that put eco-friendliness at the centre, it means you can trust that a company’s thinking about the bigger picture—and constantly working to think up the next innovation.

Doing a lot with less: Consumer Choice Award

Market research firm Léger Marketing has handed out the Consumer Choice Award for almost 35 years to honour excellence in small- and medium-sized businesses. It’s based on a survey they conduct with consumers in 28 cities—now driven by AI—and highlights businesses that are getting huge results with smaller staff.

As a six-time winner, this means you know a stay with DelSuites is a stay where you can enjoy the personal, relationship-driven service of a smaller company without sacrificing efficiency or comfort.

Thinking globally: Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards

The Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards are given out by the Forum for Expatriate Management—a community for the everyone in the huge business of helping people immigrate, emigrate, and relocate for work.

The EMMAs judges look for businesses that meet expats’ unique requirements: translating a new country’s housing market for their guests, working across cultural differences, and being a bridge with landlords and service providers.

As a three-time nominee—and the only Canadian corporate housing provider to be nominated in those years—the EMMAs send a simple message: that DelSuites can handle the unique challenges international guests deal with when moving across borders for work, and do it with sensitivity, care, and a smile.

What our awards bring to the table

So, what’s the story those statues tell you? That no matter what country you’re travelling from—or whether you’re one traveller or a multinational company—you can count on personal, thoughtful customer service that’ll always live up to our high standards.

And that whether it’s innovative technology or bringing in sustainable practices in our sustainable buildings, we’re always finding the newest way to make your stay better.

We’re proud to have been recognized by our industry for the DelSuites commitment to excellence: the best compliments come from the people who know what it takes to deliver great work. But we’re even prouder to bring that excellence to our guests every day—and live up to the promises our awards shelf guarantees.

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