WiddleBittyKitty
Felis catus
I can't see the hideouness for all the cool.
What a tiny, widdlebitty narrow scope your aesthetic sense encompasses Alklay.
I can't see the hideouness for all the cool.
What a tiny, widdlebitty narrow scope your aesthetic sense encompasses Alklay.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
Apparently not - I asked the maitre d' that last night. He's also under the impression that the patio will be open in the winter ( does it have under-floor heating? )
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
A Magnificent Seven from this forum tried The Counter on Sunday for brunch. Most vowed never to return.
gristle
Senior Member
Yes, the $16 burger is a bit much.
And truffle oil on mac and cheese? That's just cruel.
And truffle oil on mac and cheese? That's just cruel.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
We had to wait well over an hour for our orders to arrive. And they were nothing special when they did.
The fancy lobby bar doesn''t open until 5 o'clock - what sort of a hotel is this place?
The fancy lobby bar doesn''t open until 5 o'clock - what sort of a hotel is this place?
gristle
Senior Member
Was it busy?
Every time I've gone by the place looks half empty. Maybe people booked rooms while they waited for their meal orders?
Every time I've gone by the place looks half empty. Maybe people booked rooms while they waited for their meal orders?
simuls
Senior Member
Was in there today and it was a ghost town. 3 people in the diner at 10am, no one in the hotel lobby.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
Maybe everyone was up on the roof admiring one another ... or themselves?
The fancy New York celebrity chef who's in charge of the fancy restaurant is also in charge of the dreary "diner" apparently.
The fancy New York celebrity chef who's in charge of the fancy restaurant is also in charge of the dreary "diner" apparently.
A few of us paid a visit to The Counter - the new 24 hour diner at the Thompson - on Sunday. I'll just quickly make note of our 75-minute wait for food and move right on to these photos of the Thompson lobby, which I was told I was not allowed to take:
Front desk:
Reflected elevator, flanked by giant end-table lamp:
The lobby lounge, with funky wall-mounted cityscape by renowned Spanish artist Javier Mariscal (most of which is painted on the wall, while some extends from it), and a bar that only opens at 5 PM, for now, anyway.
Decorative palette, by New York-based Studio Gaia, is mostly bold black and dark browns with contrasting white and red accents. I thought it was fun enough, but the mixed bag of furniture drew mixed reviews.
Outside, the diagonally supported space frame by locally-based gh3, which will become an extension of the food-and-drink services, made for interesting views. This should be a quite a fun space to wait 75 minutes for your order in when complete:
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Front desk:
Reflected elevator, flanked by giant end-table lamp:
The lobby lounge, with funky wall-mounted cityscape by renowned Spanish artist Javier Mariscal (most of which is painted on the wall, while some extends from it), and a bar that only opens at 5 PM, for now, anyway.
Decorative palette, by New York-based Studio Gaia, is mostly bold black and dark browns with contrasting white and red accents. I thought it was fun enough, but the mixed bag of furniture drew mixed reviews.
Outside, the diagonally supported space frame by locally-based gh3, which will become an extension of the food-and-drink services, made for interesting views. This should be a quite a fun space to wait 75 minutes for your order in when complete:
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alklay
Senior Member
I know others who have also visited The Counter and all have said the same thing: its a service disaster with overpriced food.
Its too bad. You would think an Amercian boutique hotel chain could teach us something about service (but apparently not).
And the lobby furniture would look great....if that was someone's funky basement. Otherwise, it all looks very cheap 2004.
Its too bad. You would think an Amercian boutique hotel chain could teach us something about service (but apparently not).
And the lobby furniture would look great....if that was someone's funky basement. Otherwise, it all looks very cheap 2004.
Tewder
Senior Member
Given all the hype this one is a let-down. I like the mural behind the bar but the rest of the decor lacks composition... and why would they mind you taking pictures? This is a freakin' hotel for god sakes! What, they have a problem with tourists??
They likely want to protect the privacy of their exclusive reclusive guests...
none of whom were showing their faces in the lobby/lounge.
But yeah, I chafe when told I may not take photos in a space that it is at least semi-public.
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none of whom were showing their faces in the lobby/lounge.
But yeah, I chafe when told I may not take photos in a space that it is at least semi-public.
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G
gabe
Guest
Just reading through the many mixed reviews for the new Thompson hotel on tripadvisor. Several guests complain about frosted film on the glass blocking out the view, Any idea why they would do this? do the condo units have frosted glass as well? seems strange,
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Reviews-Thompson_Toronto-Toronto_Ontario.html
" 80% off my room windows had no view and had an odd frosting-like film on all the windows, except for the one with a view. Like another member mentioned, this is weird and somewhat disappointing. I would hope this is only a temporary thing that the hotel is doing."
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Reviews-Thompson_Toronto-Toronto_Ontario.html
" 80% off my room windows had no view and had an odd frosting-like film on all the windows, except for the one with a view. Like another member mentioned, this is weird and somewhat disappointing. I would hope this is only a temporary thing that the hotel is doing."
JayBee
Senior Member
Owners don't seem too happy either.
Team Me
Active Member
I live in the neighbourhood and went there for a Sunday brunch at about 11:30am a few weeks back. Normally this is the beginning of prime time for brunch almost anywhere in Toronto, but this place was empty. We walked in and glanced at the menu at the entrance....and there were many breakfast options that looked at least interesting. So we sat down, ordered coffee and took a look at the menu.
But the menu was different. There were only a couple of breakfast items on the menu. I asked the server about it, and she informed me that "breakfast ended at 11" and there were only the one or two all-day breakfast items now. I was tempted to ask her if I had mistakenly walked into McDonald's instead of a diner, but held my tongue. I also wanted to tell them they would be ideally suited at being a weekend brunch spot, but they seemed hellbent on mismanaging the place into the ground. I'll probably never go back.
The Japanese steakhouse that was set to open looks equally doomed to fail – it had an "opening soon" sign on it that has since disappeared, and it doesn't look close to opening.