Want to do some dog-friendly shopping and stay in the heart of downtown Toronto, Ontario with your dog?

Me too. That’s why my favourite dog-friendly hotel in Toronto is the Chelsea Hotel. Located at the corner of Gerrard Street West and Yonge Street, the pulse and energy of downtown is right outside the hotel’s door – or doors as is the case. Not only is the Chelsea the largest hotel in Toronto, it’s the largest hotel in Canada. Here are the details:

• Three towers
• 1500 rooms
• 26 floors
• 130-foot indoor waterslide
• Two indoor pools (one adult only)
• 600 newly redecorated executive rooms (1000 more on the way)
• Unfortunately, pet dogs are not permitted near either pool

Therefore, the Chelsea straddles several city blocks, and you have several doors to exit, depending on which direction you’re heading. (This will become relevant soon, when we discuss doggie pee breaks).

For now, we are at the Chelsea to shop … yes, there’s dog-friendly shopping all around The Chelsea Hotel. You’ve heard of girlfriend getaways? Well, we’re on a take-your-dog-getaway, and the agenda is similar. To the stores we headed.

Is there dog-friendly shopping in Toronto?

Yes, but it’s not the iconic Dundas Square adjacent Eaton’s Centre, which is an easy four-block walk from the Chelsea Hotel. Unfortunately, the Eaton’s Centre is not pet dog friendly (service dogs only). However, that doesn’t mean we’re out of luck. My dog and I spent hours shopping just outside the Chelsea doors and didn’t need the car.

Good thing too, because driving in Toronto is more difficult than ever, and The Chelsea Hotel has four levels of guest parking. Parking is either an extra fee per day (about $40), or included in the price of your stay if you book a package.

Dog-friendly Shopping Itinerary

First dog-friendly shopping stop – IKEA.

Yes, there is a two-floor IKEA city outlet across the street from the Chelsea, exit the Gerrard Street doors, walk to the corner to safely cross the street, and you’re at the doors of the only IKEA outlet I know of that welcomes pet dogs on leashes – the sign on the door even says so.

We explored both floors – there’s also an entrance further down Yonge Street and an escalator or elevator that takes you directly to the second floor. Believe or not, my dog walked seamlessly onto the escalator. She is fearless.

The street-level floor of IKEA is where the smaller stuff is including most of the kitchenware. Our best find was more square glass storage containers with a bamboo lid that seals tightly. I’ve tried these in the kitchen and loved them (they stack well in the fridge), but this trip I bought more for travelling.

Dry dog food stores easily – take the lid off at the hotel and your pup is eating from glass (not plastic). If she doesn’t finish it all, seal it with the lid until you reach the next road trip stop.

Second dog-friendly shopping stop – Marshall’s.

Next to IKEA (stay on the escalator one more floor) is Marshall’s, another version of Winners. This chain of discount department stores has a dog-friendly policy across the country, which is awesome.

But in this case, keep in mind it takes a while to get back outside, so bathroom break before you get inside. Otherwise, my dog picked out a package of beef liver chew sticks (from the pet section) to keep her busy and quiet in the hotel room later.

Third dog-friendly shopping stop – Winners.

Where there’s a Marshall’s or HomeSense, there’s usually a Winners nearby. In this case, Winners was in the neighbourhood first in the College Park Mall (at the corner of College Avenue and Yonge Street). The historic Art Deco building, inside and out, was formally Eaton’s from 1930 to 1977. The heavy brass doors alone are worth the visit.

Like all Winners, the Winners at College Park is dog-friendly, and my pup met several employees. Fun find here, thanks to stacks of holiday displays, was a 500-piece holiday dog puzzle because less than 1000 pieces and pet-themed is my favourite kind of puzzle.

Fourth dog-friendly shopping stop – BMV Books.

Truth is, I miss the World’s Biggest Bookstore across from the Eaton’s Centre (a downtown Toronto icon for decades), so I’ve now made BMV Books my mandatory stop each time I’m in downtown Toronto.

Exit the Chelsea Hotel through the Yonge Street exit door and turn right (rather than left to head toward IKEA and College Avenue) and you’re on Yonge Street central will all the grit a downtown can offer. Head towards Dundas Square, the city’s downtown core.

Before you get to Dundas Square (across from the Eaton’s Centre), turn right on Edward Street and BMV Books is three doors down the street. Here, you’ll find both new and used books, and some new remaindered books, so everything is a good price. This visit the fun find was from the clearance bin outside the store – an Ann Patchett novel for $2. No issues will my pup perusing the stacks with me either. She even made some friends among the staff.

Insider Discounts for Chelsea Guests

Chelsea Hotel guests get discounts on a lot of Toronto attractions (including Little Canada) – some you simply show your room card at the admission desk, while others the hotel concierge can help you. Unfortunately, not many attractions are pet-dog friendly …. Except for one: Walking tours.

The Toronto walking tours that are dog-friendly include The Original Haunted Walk of Toronto, Spirits of the Distillery District, and Campus Secrets & Spectres at U of T. Chelsea Hotel Guests save 15% off any regularly priced tour – get the promo code from the hotel’s concierge to book a tour that runs on select times and dates.

Also, Chelsea Hotel guests get 20% off GoTours, primarily in Toronto’s Distillery District. According to GoTours, pet dogs are welcome on all tours. However, on the breakfast tour and prohibition tours that include tastings, dogs won’t be permitted inside the venues. The company recommends the 11:30 am walking tour because the area is less busy and easier to navigate with the pup.

Tips for Taking your Dog to the Chelsea Hotel

Originally opened in 1975 as the Delta Chelsea Inn, the Chelsea Hotel has undergone several transitions, including 600 executive rooms that were newly renovated. The sleek grey, white, black, and chrome interiors, larger flat-screen TVs, and print collages of Toronto street signs add a modern minimalist edge to the hotel. The remaining 1000 rooms are up next.

Yes, dogs can stay in the executive rooms too. The hotel adds a $50 dog fee per stay, limits size to less than 50 pounds and permits no more than two pets per room. Pets are not allowed in the health club, pools, or restaurants. There’s no room service at the Chelsea, but you can order for pick up at the Market Garden and taken up to the room.

Doggie bathroom breaks are the only thing challenging about staying at this hotel with the pup – or at least I found them to be. My dog doesn’t like to pee on anything but grass, and there is very little grass in downtown Toronto. During the day, exit the Chelsea through the Gerrard Street door and straight across the street is the entrance to a small urban park. Turn right to cross at the lights.

Cross Gerrard Street using the lights, then head to the small park behind the IKEA which is essentially a courtyard flanked by retail buildings and residents. There are patches of grass here, and you will encounter other dogs because grass is that scarce. I don’t, however, recommend venturing here after dark. During the winter, there is a circular skating rink here, temperature permitting.

Peeing in the City at Night

Staying on the 15^th floor (or higher) at the Chelsea means you’re first taking the correct elevator (colour coded) to your room and second, travelling up and down several times during your stay to look for places to wee. After dark – and that was 5:30 pm in the winter – I stayed close to the hotel.

Exit the Elm Street doors, and the long walkway to the road is lined with river rocks which, fortunately, my dog was willing to use. During the day, the side hotel property courtyard was handy too. Toronto is a major city, after all.

Did my pup love the city? You bet. Cities are busy, chaotic, and stinky – all things that stimulate my crazy spaniel. Add birds on every corner, and she was full fascinated. By the time she was back in the Chelsea Hotel executive suite, she was zonked.

Side note: the Chelsea Hotel is within a 20-minute city leash walk of the Toronto Dog Fountain (check it out), and a 10- to 15-minute drive of the High Park Dog Park and dog-friendly zoo.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!