Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto - Markham by IHG
A reliable Vaughan base for a slides-heavy trip
About this hotel
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto - Markham by IHG sits in the Markham stretch of the hotel corridor that most Splash Works visitors use as a base for a trip to Canada's Wonderland's outdoor water park. It sits within the broader Markham hotel cluster that most Splash Works families use as a base, a short drive rather than a long haul from the park gates. The indoor saltwater pool is a genuine point of difference from the more common chlorinated pools nearby, worth knowing for anyone sensitive to the usual pool smell after a long slides day. Younger kids get the most use out of the hotel's own pool as a second, lower-key water session, while older kids and teens mostly treat the room as a base between park visits. What ultimately sets Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto - Markham by IHG apart in this cluster is less any single amenity than the combination of free breakfast, free parking under one practical, mid-range roof.
- Indoor pool
- Free breakfast
- Free parking
- Pet-friendly
Our take
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto - Markham by IHG suits families travelling with a dog and anyone wanting an early, fed start before the park queues build, given its position in the Markham cluster and its 3-star tier. It is not the pick for a family wanting more than a fitness-centre-level wellness offering, since the amenities here stay practical rather than aspirational. For a family whose main spend and energy is going toward Canada's Wonderland itself rather than the hotel, that trade-off is exactly the right one, and the rating of 8.4 among recent guests backs it up.
- ✓Book the Markham area early for peak summer weekends, since rooms here sell out faster than the wider Greater Toronto Area hotel market.
- ✓Eat breakfast before eight if beating the Splash Works queues matters, since service here runs early enough to still make the park on time.
- ✓Confirm the pet fee and any breed limits directly before booking, since policies are not identical across every pet-friendly hotel in this cluster.
Why we love it
- Free breakfast included in the rate
- Free parking on top of the room
- Pet-friendly rooms for travelling with a dog
- Fitness centre for a stay-behind adult
Why guests love itOn paper Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto - Markham by IHG is one of many similar 3-star options in the Markham cluster, but the an indoor saltwater pool and free breakfast give it a genuine edge for a family planning around Splash Works specifically. The location keeps the drive to Canada's Wonderland short without pushing the nightly rate into a premium bracket, which is the balance most families weighing this cluster are actually looking to strike.