Visitors to Stratford choose between two bases: the downtown core around the Avon Theatre, or the Ontario Street stretch toward the Festival Theatre. Both are walkable, and the right choice depends on which theatre you will visit most, whether you want a pool and parking, and the season you travel. In peak summer, book early, because the central hotels fill.
Downtown, near the Avon Theatre
If you want to walk to the Avon, the Studio Theatre, the shops and the trail stops, stay here. The Queen's Cue, at 161 Ontario Street, is the boutique splurge, an 1858 building with 31 individually designed rooms, a pub, an afternoon tea room and a lobby bar, about three minutes from the Avon. The Parlour Inn, at 101 Wellington Street, is a character inn with a restaurant and bar, jetted-tub rooms and free parking, also about three minutes from the Avon. Mercer Hotel Downtown, at 104 Ontario Street, is about five minutes from the Avon and the Tom Patterson Theatre, and Foster's Inn, at 111 Downie Street, is about two minutes from the Avon.
More downtown options
Bentley's Inn, at 99 Ontario Street, has bi-level loft rooms with fireplaces, an on-site restaurant and bar and free parking, and is about two minutes from the Avon Theatre. Edison's Inn, at 48 Ontario Street, is a small three-room inn with espresso makers and streaming TVs, about five minutes from the Avon, with no restaurant but cafes and pubs a minute or two away.
Near the Festival Theatre
Best Western Plus The Arden Park Hotel, at 552 Ontario Street, is about a seven-minute walk from the Festival Theatre. It has 144 rooms, a heated indoor pool and hot tub open year round, a restaurant and free parking, which makes it the family and driving choice. It is farther from the downtown restaurants, so allow a 15 to 20 minute walk or a short drive for dinner, and the Avon Theatre is around 18 minutes away on foot.
On a budget with a car
Festival Courtyard Inn, at 1144 Ontario Street, is the budget choice for drivers, with an on-site restaurant and bar, free parking and dogs accepted for a fee, but it is a short drive rather than a walk from the theatres.
Cars and parking
If you will drive, ask each hotel about parking before you book. The Queen's Cue, the Parlour Inn and the Arden Park offer free self-parking. The Mercer charges a modest nightly fee and has limited spaces, and Foster's Inn has no on-site parking, so guests use a free public lot a few blocks away or street parking. Downtown hotels let you park once and walk to most things.
Walking and access
Two of the central hotels are older buildings, so ask about stairs and elevators. Foster's Inn has an elevator, and the Mercer Hotel Downtown has none, so it is not the best choice with limited mobility or heavy bags. The Queen's Cue and the Arden Park offer accessible rooms.
Seasons and rates
From May to October the Festival fills the city, and weekends in July, August and September are the busiest, so book rooms when you buy tickets. From November to April rates are lower and many rooms are easy to find, but the theatres are closed, so match your stay to the trails, the gallery, the river and the downtown shops. A cold-weather weekend suits a boutique room, a pub dinner and a long walk by the river.
How to choose
For a boutique splurge, choose The Queen's Cue. For a pool and free parking near the Festival Theatre, choose the Arden Park. For a character inn with a jetted tub, choose the Parlour Inn. For a central, good-value room with a restaurant and bar, choose the Mercer Hotel Downtown, and for the shortest walk to the Avon, choose Foster's Inn. In every case, confirm parking and breakfast when you book.
