Inside The Nintendo Switch Suite at Hotel X Toronto

Stay for a night in the Mushroom Kingdom 🍄🏰



By Paul Hunter

Every time I attend a live Nintendo event one thing is guaranteed—I'm going home with a huge smile on my face. I love seeing their elaborate displays filled with iconic characters and colourful backdrops that put you in the centre of their video games.

This year to celebrate Mario Day (a.k.a. #MAR10Day), Nintendo held what might be their best Toronto event yet: converting Hotel X's Presidential Suite into a Nintendo-themed immersive experience.

Entering the hotel room was overwhelming and breathtaking, especially for me being such a huge, lifelong Nintendo fan. The entire unit was decked out with Nintendo props, from a massive 75-inch TV with attached, life-size Joy-Cons to a Yoshi egg chair to Question Mark blocks holding the new Nintendo Switch Lite.

Over 50 Nintendo Switch box copy games were available to play, including first party titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3, Ring Fit Adventure, and Super Mario Odyssey. There were so many cool indie titles too, like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Celeste, Shovel Knight, and Untitled Goose Game. It was a Nintendo gamer paradise!



If only I could stay there forever


The hotel room was divided up into three main sections, all with the sickest Nintendo props and gear imaginable:

  • Main room - This is where the big screen TV was, the 50+ games library, and a huge couch to play games with your friends. It also had the Yoshi chair, which was far more comfortable than I expected.
  • Gaming den - There was a cozy side room with a gigantic 60-inch set, a half dozen Joy-Cons, a few Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers, Piranha Plant plushies, and the three cutest Goombas I've ever seen.
  • Recreation area - It had a large pool table with a sign reading "Nintendo Switch Suite," which was awesome enough, but there were other games to play such as Pokémon and Zelda Monopoly, plus Mario Chess, Checkers, and Tic Tac Toe. The room also had a life-size version of Toad (love him!) and an incredible view of Toronto looking out from the hotel's 26th floor.

The hotel suite had at least a dozen Nintendo Switch consoles in all, making this a massive party place where everyone gets their own device. There was just so much to see and do, I really wish I could have stayed longer than just a few hours. If only I had the money and space to turn a room in my home into a cool Nintendo-theme playground like this!



All for a good cause


The Nintendo Switch Suit was bookable from March 11 to 26 for $500 CAD per eight-hour session. Access to the room was between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., so no sleepovers (understandable, but boo!) All proceeds from the bookings were given to the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charitable organization out to spread joy to sick children across the country.

When asked, a Nintendo rep said all 16 bookable dates had been snapped up by Nintendo fans. Great news for Starlight and Nintendo!

I had a total blast hanging out in the suite, and props to Nintendo for doing such an amazing job decorating. Check out some more photos I took inside the room:






Thanks to Nintendo of Canada for an invite to the event.