A getaway at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto

The short version

Built for volume and for fly-in guests. The old Casino Woodbine was reborn in 2023 — the gaming floor first, on June 20, and then on August 1 the hotel itself. It sits in Etobicoke with the racetrack on one side and Pearson a short hop away, and the operator's boast is a bold one: no Canadian casino offers a wider choice of slots.

Which room to book

All 400 rooms and suites are new-build. Standard rooms come in four versions, each 388 square feet: Racetrack King, Premium King, Racetrack Two Queen and Premium Two Queen. The Racetrack ones overlook Woodbine, and Destination Toronto reckons nearly half the hotel faces the track. Accessible rooms come with grab bars and a roll-in shower five feet wide. For space, book a Corner Suite (a king plus a queen sofa bed) or a six-person 2-Bedroom Suite; both have a microwave and a fridge. In every room: NEST toiletries, a bathrobe, blackout curtains, a coffee maker and a mini fridge.

Whoever books must be at least 19; children are welcome to share the room, though not to follow you into 19+ areas. Rooms are ready from four o'clock; you'll hand the key back by eleven.

At the tables

Opening-day figures from Global News: 4,800 slots and 145 tables. Even the high-limit room is generous: more than two dozen live tables, over 210 slots, and fifteen terminals for electronic poker and blackjack. Hotel and casino both operate around the clock, and anyone 19+ can join Great Canadian Rewards for free.

Showtime

Concerts in The Theatre draw up to 5,000; gala set-ups seat 1,500 or more; tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and nowhere else. For an evening that costs next to nothing, stroll across to Woodbine, where race-watching and parking are usually free — the autumn meet had race days scheduled until 29 November 2026.

Eating in

Fine dining means Copperhorn, a steakhouse placed on the gaming floor itself. Casual, the gastropub, pours a long list of craft beers from local brewers. Asian dishes are covered twice — at Lobster Legend Noodle Bar, which blends Teochew cooking with Western plates, and at Chopsticks Noodlehouse — and Pizzaiolo bakes gourmet pizza. The Food Hall covers quick meals: a Tim Hortons, Mary Brown's Express and Noodlebox. Northern Lights Bar (19+) mixes the cocktails; Grab & Go at the Lobby Bar welcomes all ages.

Downtime

Downtime here means a pool and hot tub, sauna, steam room and gym. When it's busy, expect the front desk to ask you to reserve pool time.

Getting in, parking and pets

From Pearson, a free shuttle runs in two blocks, morning (6 am–12 pm) and afternoon into evening (3 pm–9 pm); board it in Terminal 3 near gates B and G, or at post F3 in Terminal 1 arrivals. Drivers can self-park at no charge in the 3,800-space enclosed garage, while valet costs roughly $20 from Monday through Thursday and $30 from Friday through Sunday. Pets are fine too: a maximum of two dogs or cats, each under 50 lbs, at $49 a night with a one-time $49 cleaning charge.

Worth knowing

There's a labour dispute to be aware of. One thing to know before you go: since 23 July 2026 Great Canadian has locked out about a hundred security officers from Unifor Local 1090, and there are picket lines outside. Great Canadian's notice of 2 October 2026 reports casino and hotel open day and night, restaurants keep normal hours, and vehicles get past the pickets every three minutes at most. Look up the current situation before you leave.

The getaway verdict

Flying into Toronto, seeing a show, or just after the largest wall of slots in one place? This is the pick for the area. Rooms are new and efficient rather than roomy, so upgrade to a Corner Suite if space matters.