Smiley's Bed & Breakfast on the Toronto Islands

Description from the owner

Welcome to Smiley's B&B;

Located on Algonquin Island, one of the Toronto Islands, a 15 minute ferry ride from the foot of Bay Street in Toronto, we offer comfortable accommodation in a pastoral setting. A choice of two lodgings is available: The Belvedere and The Studio Suite

Bookings for the Studio are normally made ahead of the desired dates. This year the Belvedere is not available until September.

The calendar shows Studio bookings only. Inquire for Belvedere availability.

The Belvedere is a little fantasy room at the top front of the house. The bed is 3/4 width, (48"/1.22m,) so it is suitable for one or two peop...le who want to snuggle up. Guests in this room share our bathroom, and will breakfast with us.

The Studio is available for housekeeping accommodation.

The Studio Suite is a self contained apartment with a separate entrance at the rear of the building. We supply breakfast foods which you prepare and enjoy based on your own schedule. Bring your favorite foods for other meals. A BBQ is also available.

We can accommodate up to four people in the two double beds in the suite. Occasionally we have provided a single air mattress and bedding for a fifth person.

This apartment is a self-contained fully furnished, housekeeping unit that can accommodate four people. Enter from the private porch in the back yard into the airy, open-concept apartment. The kitchen is full sized and fully equipped. There is a four-piece bath, dining suite and a (double-size) futon bed/couch on the main floor. Other living room amenities include a TV with VCR & DVD player and a boom box with radio, CD and tape player. For high speed internet access but you can hook your laptop up to the Ethernet cable or password protected WiFi.

Up the stairs in the loft there is the double bed and a powder room, (toilet & sink.)

Two can sleep on the fold-out double futon bed/couch in the living area on the ground floor. We supply towels and bedding.

Prices are based on two adults and up to 2 children. Each additional person add $20 /night. Pets add $10 /night.

Breakfast food is provided e.g.: fruit, cereal, juice, bacon, eggs, milk, fresh home-baked bread or croissants, coffee, tea and incidentals. Please let us know if you have dietary requirements.

Because the unit is a housekeeping apartment guests prepare their meals and tidy up on their own.

There are basic ingredients in the pantry: tea, coffee, honey, sugar, flour, oil, vinegar, canned pasta sauce, pasta, assorted spices and perhaps other things. We have a small garden so there will be fresh herbs in season.

Timmy is our 10 yr. old poodle/terrier and he weighs about 15 kilos, (35 lbs.) He is very friendly but does bark when someone approaches the house. Timmy is actually quite sweet and timid. The yard is fenced and he enjoys being outside in good weather. This is his home so our guests and their pets need to be able to at least tolerate him if not enjoy his presence.

When entering and leaving the yard please close the gate.

Parking & the Ferry

Automobile parking is relatively expensive close to the ferry dock but there are a number of lots to choose from. Motor vehicles are not allowed on the island with few exceptions. If you can, leave your car at home and bring your bikes!

If you need to park a car the following car park may give you the best price.

Pinnacle Car Park at 16 Y Street do a discounted rate for consecutive days of $20/day or $25/day if there are events. You can arrange this by calling H or A at 416-363-9416. Payment can be made by cash or check or credit card.

The ferry schedules vary with the seasons. Only the current schedule is published

Phone 416-392-8194 for information. Tickets are sold as return fares, $7 for adults, and $4.50 for seniors (65 yrs. +) and $3.50 for children 2 to 14 yrs and youth aged 15 to 19 with a student card, pay $ 4.50 Tickets purchased in multiples of ten receive a discount. Monthly passes are available.

To Get to Our Bed and Breakfast take the ferry to Ward's Island.

Our place is a 10-minute walk from the Ward's Island ferry dock. The route from the ferry dock follows.

Follow the main road, Cibola AV, west until you come to the first bridge. Cross over and you are on Algonquin Island. Turn left, you will be walking west two blocks on Omaha Avenue to Dacotah Avenue. We are three houses from the corner in the house with a white picket fence. There is a sign "Smiley's B&B.;" Timmy, our friendly dog, may bark. Please close the gate behind you to keep him in the yard.

The entrance to the Studio Suite is at the rear of the house. Guests using the Belvedere enter through the front door.

The calendar shows Studio bookings only.Read more

Additional Location Information

Transportation Options - walk, cycle or roller-blade. You can not drive onto the islands.
The Toronto Islands are a barrier island of sand stretching about 5 kilometers and protecting the Toronto harbour. Many people walk, some run the 10 kilometre circuit for recreation or in races.

Bicycles are the transportation mode of choice for most Islanders so if you can, bring your bikes. Rentals of bicycles and quadracycles are available from a kiosk on Centre Island in warm weather. Cost ranges from $7 to $28./hour with no maximum.

Bikes and roller-blades can be rented by the day from Wheel Excitement Inc. on the mainland, not far from the Bay Street Ferry Dock. Phone> 416-260-9000
We may be able to let you use our canoe and we have a couple of older bikes that may fit you.


Food & Stores
There are no stores on the Island but a full selection of food and drink is available with-in walking distance of the ferry dock on the mainland.
There are two restaurants in the residential community on the island. The Rectory is normally open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. on the off season and 7 days a week with extended hours in the summer. Please contact the management for details and reservations. Phone> 416-203-2152. Website> http://rectorycafe.com/tabid/170/Default.aspx Email> therectorycafe@rogers.com

The cafe in the Ward's Island Clubhouse is open from the Victoria Day weekend through Thanksgiving. Phone 416-203-6460.

Spas
If you want to treat yourself while you are here I can recommend:
Alice's House of Big Hair – 416-203-0781
Just Imagine Bodywork: Reflexology: Delwyn Higgins – 416-203-0948

For more information take a look at our web site. http://erelda.ca

Location Type Away from it all, Downtown, Lake

Rental fees

What Past Guests Are Saying

• Alex&Jamie
  London

  A wonderful and unique place to stay!

  Left on 06/03/2011 for a stay in May 2011
  
  

  We spent a fantastic few days with David and Ellen Smiley, very kind and generous hosts who truly welcome you into their home. The Belvedere room -- at the very top of the house with lots of windows -- is small but very comfortable and clean. It is truly like no other room you will have stayed in, plus you get the bonus of David and Ellen's tasty breakfasts and interesting conversation in the morning.
  
  The island location is absolutely beautiful: a place with a strong sense of creative community and nice little beaches overlooking Lake Ontario on one side and Toronto on the other. The ferry to the island costs $6.50 return, takes fifteen minutes from the harbour front, and offers terrific views of down-town Toronto. If you want to be at the heart of the action, it is possible that you might think this a little isolating, but we found that the ferries left often enough and late enough into the evening that they never inconvenienced our plans at all. If anything the boat trip added something to our experience in differing weather conditions and light!
  
  One other practical thing to consider is Timmy, an incredibly friendly canine member of the household. If you really don't like staying up close and personal with a dog, this might not be the right choice for you, but we had no problems at all (and are definitely not exceptionally tolerant of pets).
  
  Overall, we would not hesitate to recommend Smiley's. For a couple, it is as cheap as many of the hostels and less salubrious guest-houses over the water, and it is so, so much more as an experience. Certainly, if we ever head back to Toronto, we know where we will be staying!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Friends, Tourists, Families w teenagers, Romantic, Families w children, Rugged, Singles

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• FowlerFamilyParry
  Newcastle, UK

  The perfect place to stay in Toronto

  Left on 05/22/2011 for a stay in August 2010
  
  

  I was delighted to find somewhere to rent on Toronto Island for our family holiday from England. When we arrived, David met us at the ferry and helped us take our cases to the house. A lovely welcome to these wonderful islands.
  
  The property is beautiful! David's partner is an architect, and she has designed this area with grace and skill - maximising light and creating a natural circulation of air around the property so that inside always felt relatively cool despite the humidity outside. The space is light and airy, spacious enough for our family of 4 to feel very comfortable and to use this as a base for a week. The kitchen area is well-equipped for cooking, and David provided food for breakfast each morning (lots of fresh fruit, good coffee, home baked breads etc.) There is a dining area inside, or one can eat al fresco at an outside table and barbeque area.
  In terms of welcome - we soon felt very much at home. We enjoyed spending time with our hosts, and our children adored playing with their dog. David went out of his way to ensure that we had a truly memorable holiday. One of my favourite memories is captured in a photo showing David helping my husband to take the canoe out with my children - our two girls were wide-eyed with happiness at their first trip on the water.
  We loved this holiday and we can't wait to return!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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• Rick Kim and Claire
  Downtown Toronto

  Our visit to a bit of peace and quiet, in Downtown Toronto

  Left on 05/19/2011 for a stay in August 2010
  
  

  Smiley's B and B Is situated in the midst of a quiet residential Park in the heart of downtown Toronto. David and Ellen are very congenial and unobtrusive hosts who are only too happy to share their enjoyment of the islands and the city with their guests.
  
  Smiley's accommodation is a very well designed one-bedroom loft space with two bathrooms and a full kitchen. I can't think of a more pleasant and peaceful place to stay in our wonderful city.

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  Detailed ratings for this rental

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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  Was this review helpful? Yes