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Advice please on Toronto hotel, food, sights we shouldn't miss

Advice please on Toronto hotel, food, sights we shouldn't miss

Old Jul 25th, 2005, 12:09 PM
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Advice please on Toronto hotel, food, sights we shouldn't miss

College-hunting! My daughter wants to visit York U. in Toronto, and we'll be there in a few days for 3 nites and 2 days. Shoestring budget, as always. We're tentatively booked into Hotel Isabella on Sherburne St. at $99 U.S./night, which seemed about as low a rate as I could find. Does anyone know if this hotel is okay and in a safe-enough area? I was thinking a day of museums (e.g. Bata shoe and either Royal Ontario or Science) and maybe a day trip to Toronto Islands. (We already did the CNN tower thing years ago.) At night, it looks like there's a Shakespeare play in the park (Home Depot theater???)--is that worth doing, or is there something better we should do with our evenings? Also, any good, inexpensive restaurants? We're big on walking--which also gives a good feel of a place--so if someone has a good walking tour to recommend, great! Also, could someone possibly arrange for the snow and temperature of a typical Toronto winter day--I want my daughter to really understand what she'd be getting into! Thanks! leslie
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 03:50 PM
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Hi Leslie
Have you tried the Days Inn at Yonge and College. They have a special for $125/night CANADIAN including breakfast. Nicer area.
Will you be driving? York U. is most definitely not downtown but is accessible by subway and bus.
PS. Torontonians never tempt the Fates by wishing for snow
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 03:52 PM
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http://www.dayshoteltoronto.ca/specials.html#fling
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 04:52 PM
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Actually we're having what's probably the hottest summer on record this year - definitely not complaining!
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 06:01 PM
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Thanks gemelli for your suggestion about Days Hotel. That is a good special! The hotel is fully booked those nights, unfortunately. There are rooms at Days Inn E. Lakeshore and Days Inn E. Beaches, but are those good areas to stay, or are we better off at Isabella in the central area? We will be driving, so parking will be part of the equation. I much prefer walking, subways, and other public transport to driving in unfamiliar cities, however we are planning to drive out to York U. since that's a bit out of the way. Also, any thoughts about our sightseeing itinerary? As for the snow, if my daughter applies to York, we'll have to come back in the winter so she can audition, so we can check out the snow then. Thanks!
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 06:56 PM
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The Hotel Isabella is on the edge of a nasty neighbourhood. One of the worst hell-hole hotels in Toronto is just a couple of blocks away on Sherbourne.

The exact location of the Isabella is not terrible but the general area is certainly not the best.

Jerry
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 07:04 PM
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Oh darn, Days is a popular hotel.The only other location I know is by the airport, closer to York U. than downtown though.

The Delta Chelsea on Gerrard usually has good specials as well, about 125.00 CAN.
http://reservations.hotel--canada.com
Another cute little boutique hotel across from U of Toronto is the Madison Manor, they usually have a $$99.00 Can special
http://www.madisonavenuepub.com/madisonmanor/index.html

Good luck, is your daughter audtioning for the Fine Arts program?

Forget the other two locations, try for downtown.
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 07:07 PM
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The Quality Hotel Midtown is in a better area and often has good rates. You might want to give it a try.

Also, the Delta Chelsea is central and generally can be affordable.
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Old Jul 25th, 2005, 07:15 PM
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Forgot this,
http://www.muddyyorktours.com/index.html
My teens enjoyed the night time tour called the Haunted Streets of Toronto.
Also rec The Bata Shoe Museum/Toronto Islands
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 11:30 AM
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For inexpensive restaurants try Salad King (it's Thai food, not salads!) at 335 Yonge Street. It can be very busy and crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so try to get there early.

The Old Spaghetti Factory at 54 The Esplanade is very inexpensive. It doesn't have the GREATEST pasta, but it's mostly the atmosphere and prices that people keep going back for.

For walking tours, I highly recommend Muddy York Tours.

As for arranging for snow and temperature on a "typical" Toronto winter day, well, I wouldn't want to do anything to deter your daughther from going to York!

Just a side note, it is possible to take the TTC all the way out to York. I don't know the exact route, but I do know for sure that it is doable and takes up to an hour tops.
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 03:07 PM
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RE>Days Inn E. Lakeshore and Days Inn E. Beaches, but are those good areas to stay, or are we better off at Isabella in the central area? <

Stay away from these hotels.

Downtown, try the Strathcona and Hotel Victoria.

York has two campuses (campi? York did not tech me the plural)

There's the arctic campus, a long way fromdowntown, but there's nothing much up there to see, so you are better off downtown, and makingthe trek to the campus.

The other campus, Glendon College, is bilingual, and much closer tdowntown, at Lawrenmce Avenuie East and Bayview Aveneue. Make sure you don't go to the wrong place.

BAK
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 05:34 PM
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As a suburban compromise to downtown and York U, there is a Holiday Inn on Dufferin at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre. It's hike through the mall to the the GO buses which go directly to York U and the subway station for downtown access. You can also catch a TTC bus to York U from Wilson station.

The only accomodation near York U with TTC bus access is Dodge Suites in the Steeles and Highway 400 area between Jane and Weston Road.
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 07:21 PM
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Thank you all so much for your suggestions and comments! I have checked out all the downtown hotels mentioned, and their rates are a bit steep for us. I do think that, with the short time we have, we're better off in the central downtown area, or perhaps just outside central, such as the university area. One B&B in "Cabbagetown" sounds interesting, Pimblett's Toronto B&B" and its rates seem affordable, though I don't know if there are vacancies. Is Cabbagetown a good area to stay? In any case, it's not a dire situation because we do have a reservation at Isabella, and we are good at looking like we're not worth bothering with when in dicey neighborhoods. (We practiced last summer in Naples.) We will definitely check out the Muddy York tours. The York U campus we'll be visiting is the larger "arctic" one, where the Dance Dept. is located. We must find the perfect combination of excellent ballet and cutting-edge math/science to satisfy dear daughter, and this search is taking us thousands of miles! Between my daughter and my son's college search 2 years ago, I've seen much of the Eastern seaboard. BAK--did you attend York U? If so, any info on the school would be greatly appreciated. Also, does anyone know anything about the Home Depot Theater Shakespeare? (Such an elegant name for a theater!) Thanks much!--leslie
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 07:30 PM
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For ballet schools in Canada, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school is well respected. Check out http://www.rwb.org/#
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Old Jul 26th, 2005, 08:35 PM
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Have you thought about staying at a University residence? We did that in Montreal for a few days one summer and it was fine. You might ask at York U and stay on the actual campus your daughter will be attending. You'll have to travel to get downtown but the experience will be interesting for her. York's Keele Street campus (the main campus) is defintely suburban but I think there's much more on campus and in the neighbourhood now then there was when we lived there. (I met my husband when he was a grad student and I was working at York. Also, my brother-in-law is a professor there.)
For residences, also try University of Toronto, Ryerson University and Neill-Wyck College, all right downtown.

Another mid-town hotel you might look at is the Best Western Roehampton Hotel & Suites on Mount Pleasant. It's a very nice mid-town hotel in a good neighbourhood (restaurants, shops, lots of public transportation).

I don't know if you've been looking at www.tripadvisor.com but that's a great website for hotel reviews by patrons. Also, have you tried www.expedia.com (that's the US version and will give you prices in US money which I think is about 25% better than Canadian money at this point. Expedia.ca will give you prices in Canadian dollars.)

Regarding free entertainment, check out www.harbourfront.on.ca. It's our lakeshore complex and often has free concerts, movies, opera, ballet, etc. Also check out www.distillerydistrict.com (I'm not exactly sure about that website, sorry). There's often free stuff happening there too. For general info, try www.toronto.com. There are lots of festivals in Toronto in the summer. The ferry boat ride to the islands is nice but personally I've never found much to do there. If you're going to see Shakespeare in the park (The Dream In High Park, it's called) take bug stuff.

Toronto is a great city for ethnic neighbourhoods and you can find good cheap restaurants just about anywhere. It's also safe to walk around in the evenings -- there are always lots of people about because Torontonians really appreciate summer! Try these neighbourhoods and here are a few restaurants:

Dundas & Spadina: Chinatown & Kensington Market (try noodle houses Kim Hoa or Goldstone)
Danforth Avenue: Greek (try the Pantheon and then Athens Bakery for dessert)
Broadview & Gerrard: Indian (Siddartha for Indian buffet)
College Street between Clinton and Grace (there are millions of restaurants but go to the Sicilian Outdoor Cafe for gelato/dessert)
Queen Street between University and Bathurst: lots of restaurants and the street gets funkier and more interesting the farther west you go
Bloor Street from Spadina to Bathurst: U of T neighbourhood, lots of shops and restaurants, Sushi on Bloor is good, also ZiZi Trattoria. At Bathurst you'll find Honest Ed's, a Toronto landmark -- a bargain house that's lots of fun to visit. On the west side of Honest Ed's is Markham Village, a cute little street with galleries, restaurants, artists' studios.
Bloor Street from Avenue Road to Yonge/Yorkville area: very ritzy, Toronto's Fifth Avenue, good for window shopping but leave your credit card at home.
St.Lawrence Market area: particularly fun on a Saturday; go to both the south and north building; you can have a great cheap lunch at the south market -- don't forget to go downstairs.

The most famous ballet school in Canada is, of course, the National Ballet School.

Please don't wish us snow in July -- we get plenty of it in the winter!

Write when you get home and tell us how the trip went. Have a great time.
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Old Jul 27th, 2005, 04:41 AM
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Hi Leslie

The Taming of the Shrew, (updated and set in 1913) plays at the Home Depot Theatre, Ashbridges Bay Park until Aug. 7. Coxwell Avenue and Lakeshore Boulevard. 416-872-1111.
This venue is an open air theatre situated right beside Lake Ontario, it just opened last year so I haven't been.The cool! (literally&figuratively)location should be worth a trip though.
* University of Toronto, downtown offers accomodation at $50.00/night inc breakfast. New College is a new residence with A/C.
http://www.torontores.com/rates.html
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Old Jul 27th, 2005, 06:04 AM
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I went to York in its very early days, at the Glendon campus, although I donanted a ballot box with bullet holes in it to be used for student council elections in one of the colleges in the arctic campus.

York is well-respected in its fancy-arty courses -- good jazz, dance, film making, etc.

I think that generally, it is a poor university in the intellectual arts world, like sociology, etc.

But for varuious capital C cultural stuff,it is fine.

My daughter is an opera singer, fromthe Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto, so I have done a little research into university performance arts teaching.

As you check out the school, also check out the living arrangements.
Living in a university residence on campus eliminates a lot of crappy travel on poorly managed bus routes.

I think of York as a modern dance school -- the big time ballet school in Toront is the national Ballet School, but I don't know much about it at all, other than to know it covers high school ages, plus maybe older kids.

Cabbagetown is a very mixed area; on thesame street you'll find lawyers and engineers and big time executives in finely rstored homes, and next door an unrestored house with 10 people living in it. But, on balance, it's OK to stay in Cabbagetown.

Karen Kain, Canada's most famous ballerina, lives in Cabbagetown, by the way.

Bata Shoe Museum is worth the visit.

There's no such thing as a typical winter day. We survive generally just fine, and the city is full of immigrants from the south, and they survive, too.

Usually, it's just below freezing, so there is ice and maybe some old snow, but sometimes it gets seriously cold -- down to zero F. And if there's a relly big snowstorm, a foot of snow, but that's rare in Toronto. Some winbters there's a foot of snow all winter long on people's lawns; other years the snow melts, more falls, melts after a week...

I think of Toronto winters as being like New York City; much better than Chicago or Buffalo or even Boston.
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Old Jul 27th, 2005, 08:31 AM
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Wow, great info from all of you! Thanks. Taming of the Shrew set in 1913--hmm, I'm a bit of a Shakespeare purist so I'll have to think about that! The Toronto U housing option is a great resource for the future, but it's out of the question now because they don't permit children under age 18. Anyway, my daughter will have just spent 5 weeks in the dorms at Mercyhurst College and she would probably kill me if she had to see one more dorm room or dining hall! I think we will leave well enough alone and stay this time at Isabella, that also has (for extra $$) a secure parking lot, which will be good because we will be lugging around all my daughter's possessions from the aforementioned dormroom. BAK, that's cool about your daughter. Is she singing professionally now or still in school? Thank you for your insights into York U. I was a bit unsure about the academic rigor of the school, but its dance program does look very comprehensive, they are building a brand new performing arts building, and there is some kind of link with the NSB. There are other factors involved with my daughter attending school in Canada, such as the fact that she won't be 18 and I'll have to find a Canadian "guardian" for her--don't ask how I do that! But, I'd like her to see as many options as possible so she can draw her own conclusions (that I can later veto citing executive privilege...). Well, I just unearthed my AAA Toronto map. The writing on it seems to have shrunken so it's unreadable since last time I looked at it. Guess I'll be entrusting map reading to my daughter. --leslie
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Old Jul 27th, 2005, 03:23 PM
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You might want to check out the rates for the Travelodge Toronto Downtown West, located at 621 King Street West at Bathurst Street. It's relatively close to Downtown and has free parking. (Downtown Toronto parking will probably cost you $16-20 CAN per day.)

I used to stay there (when it was the Executive Motor Inn)on most of my Toronto trips before I began bidding for rooms on Priceline.

Since then, I've stayed at various times in 10 different Toronto area hotels on Priceline bids, ranging from $23-37 USD ($28.29-45.51 CAN at the current exchange rate).

Including taxes and Priceline's service charge, my net charge per night has not exceeded $47 for any of these stays.

These are the hotels that I've received on my Priceline bids:

Airport Zone:
2.5* Quality Suites Toronto Airport
2* Ambler Hotel

Vaughan/North York Zone:
3* Radisson Toronto East
2.5* Courtyard by Marriott/Vaughan
2* Comfort Inn/North York

Markham Zone:
2.5* Courtyard by Marriott/Markham

Don Valley Zone:
3* Crowne Plaza/Don Valley

Brampton Zone:
2* Comfort Inn/Brampton

Mississauga Zone:
2* Fairfield Inn Toronto Oakville

Toronto Downtown:
2* Quality Hotel

Generally, I avoided bidding for hotel rooms in the the Downtown Zone because I wanted to explore various areas of the city and to avoid high Downtown parking charges. All of the above hotels provided free parking except the Quality Hotel Downtown $16/day CAN, Quality Suites Airport $10/day CAN and Crown Plaza/Don Valley $8/day CAN.

On my most recent Toronto trip, I decided to split my bids (weekdays/weekend) for the Markham Zone and received the Courtyard by Marriott both times -- $30 bid(Wednesday/Thursday) and $25 bid (Friday/Saturday/Sunday).

If you want to consider bidding for a Toronto hotel room on Priceline, be sure to go first to www.biddingfortravel.com (BFT), scroll down the home page and click on Hotels/Canada/Ontario(Toronto/Ottawa).

There you will find winning Priceline hotel bids and strategies posted by BFT members and a list of known Priceline participating hotels at various quaality levels.

I also strongly advise reading the BFT Hotel Frequently Asked Questions section and the Bidding Tips section posts relating to "free rebidding zones" and "how to treat Priceline counter-offers." This effort may take you a half hour or so, but the information included can save you big $$$$ over time!

For getting around town, you might want to look into buying TTC Day Passes ($8)for unlimited rides on Toronto's subway, busses and trolleys. A Day Pass is good for one person anytime after 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m., Mondays through Fridays, and anytime on Saturdays. On Sundays, the Day Pass become a Family Pass -- good for up to two adults and four children under age 20.
http:/www.toronto.ca/ttc/family_pass.htm

The Toronto forum at www.chowhound.com is an excellent source for restaaurant and generaly Toronto food information with a couple dozen new posts daily.

Also, if you're interested in a wide variety of inexpensive Toronto dining, check out the reviews and superb photos at www.torontofoodies.com.
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Old Jul 28th, 2005, 01:04 PM
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Thanks, GeoNit, for your thorough description of Priceline bidding! I've never done priceline--for some reason (probably because I'm a control freak)I have always been wary of trusting my fate to the internet gods. But with savings like you described, I should get over it! Travelodge is fully booked, so we're sticking with Isabella. I now have a list of restaurant possibilities so long that we'd need to eat 4 of each meal to work our way through it, at which point my daughter and I would be so large, we'd each need our own Family TTC pass! We're booked on a muddy Toronto walking tour, I unearthed daughter's birth certificate since her passport has not arrived in time, and after I do the laundry, I'll be ready to pack and set off! I thank all of you for your suggestions and advice and will be sure and report back after the trip about our adventures. Those of you familiar with my Europe trip report from last summer know that I can parlay a short trip into a real long story! Zzzzzz. --Leslie
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