My wife and I will be in Toronto in October and plan to stay at the Crowne Plaza Toronto Centre Hotel. Is this a good choice? We also have tickets for Mamma Mia and would like sugestions on dinner before or after the show which is a friday evening performance. We plan on several excursions to see the sights of the city. What are the "must see attractions" that we might overlook? Thanks for your help.

For dinner might I suggest combining a excursion with dinner. The 360 resturant at the top of the CN tower is a decent place to eat and the view is excellent. The advantages of eating at the 360 over the regular tour of the CN tower is that during the resturant slowly turns and you will see the entire city layed out before you. Also with reservations you bypass the tourist lines which can be long both ways.

Tom, <BR> <BR>The theatre where Mamma Mia plays is on King Street West, and there is a strip of good restaurants just across the street. A few suggestions: Solo Grill (at the west end of the strip, about three blocks from the theatre), Kit Kat, Nawlins. Many of these places have live music and are good choices for after theatre as well (if you want dessert, I suggest Kit Kat). <BR> <BR>As far as attractions, I'm not sure of your tastes, but I'd suggest the best way to spend time in Toronto is to wander the different neighbourhods and public areas, including Kensington Market, Harbourfront, Beaches, Yorkville, Queen Street West and in the evening along the Danforth for good Greek food. <BR> <BR>The Crowne Plaza is a good choice and located steps from Union Station on the subway line, so most of the city is easily accessible. (Make sure to visit the menswear shop in the hotel which is run by a good friend of mine!) <BR> <BR>Hope that's helpful. Enjoy your travels.

Crowne Plaza is indeed a good choice and I don't even have a friend who works there. We had a conference booked there recently and I was very impressed. While in the King Street area near the theatre for Mamma Mia, be sure to walk a little further north, up to Queen Street and check out The Bistro Restaurant, charming, reasonable and steak/frites (french fries the Parisian way) are to die for!

For the record, and for your stomach, the real name of the Bitro Restaurnat is Le Select Bistro. Everything else Joan said about it is accurate, and I second her recommendation. <BR> <BR>BAK