My husband and I stayed in this apartment for over four months during an extremely challenging time involving family issues, international moves and more. To make this helpful, I'll go straight to comparing the positives and negatives.
POSITIVES
- Great location in heart of downtown (with caveats)
- Property is well maintained and boasts a spectacular view
- All amenities are on offer to enable a comfortable short- or long-term stay
- The property manager Jas is incredibly receptive and responds in a very timely fashion
- It has two bedrooms (which can be tricky to source) - although it's a tight two bedrooms which could get squishy long-term
NEGATIVE
- The volume of homeless people in the area has exploded. While this is an issue facing much of the city, there were times when the blocks around the building were crowded with homeless, often with drug or mental-health issues. It could feel uncomfortable and might be a turn-off for solo travellers.
- As you can't speak directly to the concierge, you can't get packages or post delivered and issues with neighbours have to be fielded through Jas. This probably won't be an issue for someone staying short-term but does get frustrating long-term (although in Jas' defence, she is incredibly responsive).
- Short-term rentals are largely not allowed in the building. This property is an exception as it has a licence. But there are a huge number of units that are ignoring this rule. We had some major problems in our last week with a couple of units on the floor involving extremely loud music and cannabis use.
- The biggest issue is the fire alarms. They go off frequently. If you cook, the alarm in the unit is extremely sensitive and tends to go off at least once while you are cooking. It's much more suitable for those who nuke food or order in. The bigger issue is the building alarm which went off regularly during our stay - sometimes in the very wee hours. During our first month, it went off at least twice a week, our second month not at all. Our final month, four times over two days including twice at 2 and 3am. It's unpredictable but very annoying.
I would recommend this property for both short- and long-term stays. For a long-term stay, probably best for a solo traveller that needs easy access to the financial district. For short-stays, multiple guests would be fine. It feels far more like a really nice hotel suite or executive property rather than a cozy home. Great for exploring the city.