My girlfriend and I are visiting Toronto Feb 20 for 5 days. Staying at Fairmont Royal York. We plan on visiting the CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, and attending a Maple Leafs game at the ACC. What are some mid priced romantic out of the way resturants not too far from us? How is the spa and resturants at the FRY? Any suggestions for music locales (jazz or rock), museums, and not $$$ designer shopping? Also, any comments on the Hall of Fame would be appreciated. I'll take all the advice I can get. Thanks in advance

I've mostly talked with kids aboput the hockey hall of fame, and they have all enjoyed it, and parents nod in agreement.

the three best jazz locations are the Montreal Bistro on Sherbourne Street, the Rex Hotel on Queen Street West, near St. Patrick, and the Top of the Senator, on Victoria Street. All are within walking distance of the Royal York, which got a new sign saying Fairmont Royal York within the past few days.

The RY is linked to underground tunnels going to lots of intereting places, including the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"Romantic" is, of course, subject to lots of different opinions. Oro, on Elm Street near Bay, is my first choice romantic upper-middle priced fine food restaurant. It's a cab ride on a cold evening.

BAK

Hi Flanman - here are my romantic restaurant choices:

Southern Accent (very intimate booths) - southern US/cajun food

Scaramouche - expensive but romantic

Le Paradis and Le Select - both are French bistros

Mata Hari - Indonesian/Malaysian food

As for shopping Queen St West has a lot of boutiques specializing in domestic/small designers at reasonable prices. The shopping area starts at Spadina Ave. and stretches to Shaw St. West of this area (known as West Queen West) is the Gallery District primarily showcasing local artists.

The best museums are the Royal Ontario Museum though part is it is under renovation and the Art Gallery of Ontario. If you're into footwear check out the Bata Shoe Museum which features shoes throughout the ages.
There are too many locales for music to list so here are a couple of links to Toronto entertainment weekly newspapers. Both of them are issued every Thursday and list upcoming events for the following week.

http://nowtoronto.com/
http://eye.net/

Also worth visiting is the Distillery District which is a recently refurbished Victorian distillery that's been turned into a culture/entertainment district.

Have fun!

Give me Le Select.....a bottle of red, an intimate corner, the jazz, the food....mmmm...even Queen St West apres Le Select is romantic! Scaramouche has never done it for me!

The Fairmont Royal York is nice (old) hotel but for your girlfriend and yourself I would suggest something like the Intercontinental on Bloor just west of Yonge Street (the main thoroughfare in Toronto). The Intercontinental is, in my opinion, in a more lively area. A nice size, not too large, not a great exterior but an upscale hotel inside. The RY is in the business district and may be convenient to the Tower, the ACC and other sights but if you hit a weekend in February it could be bleak and somewhat deserted. Many of the activities you mention are easily accessible by a short subway ride from either hotel or on foot so you may find yourself hopping the subway anyway. While shopping on Bloor is expensive it could be fun window shopping and the younger set (not teens) gathers in that area and the streets just north. Not far away is the Eaton Centre, the famous shopping mall with everything you could ever want in shopping.

There is lots to see and do so ask for tourist brochures and surf the net before leaving home.

As someone who hasn't been "into" hockey for over thirty years, I did find the Hockey Hall of Fame fairly interesting. My "boys" really liked it. Since you are going to a game, I assume you will love it. But is your girlfriend into hockey? If she isn't, how about some theater also? Otherwise make sure you wine and dine her!!

Related to Michi's message.

There are now two Intercontinetal Hotels in Toronto.

The Intercontintal Toronto is the name of the one on Bloor Street, west of Avenue Road, east of Bedford Street, close to the St. George Subway station and across the street from the Royal Ontario Museum.

the Intercontinal Central is in fact not that central, and is the old Crowne plaza, on Front Street, a block west of the Royal York.

But if I was looking for a romanitc hoetel with your girlfriend.. no, wait, that's not right... if I was suggesting a romantic hotel for you and your girlfriend, I'd point you towards Le Germain, in the entertainment district, on Mercer Street. Small, ultramodern, high quality, near restauratns and clubs, and more.

I was in the Intercontinental on Bloor this afternoon; described to me by a staffer as popular with business people and with movie production people. many guests stay for longish periods of time. Lap-style narrow pool, rather than a bigger, more friendly family style pool.

If it was me, iut of the hotels under discussion, in order I'd pick Le Germain, the Intercontinental on Bloor, the Royal York, and the Intercontinental on Front Street.

But I would not worry about the Royal York. I'd recommend it without reservation, so to speak. Short walk to St. Lawrence market for Saturday breakfast, too. I was in the RY this week, too. And, come to think of it, le Germaine last Friday night.

More museums are closer to the IC-Bloor than any of the other hotels, though.

BAK

Thanks for the information about the second Intercontinenal, BAK. I like the IC Toronto for ambience in winter* because activity around the RY is down dramatically due to places like Centre Island and other attractions in that area are closed or running on low. But it's right for some.

Be sure to visit the St. Lawrence Market area if you come over the weekend. The Old Spaghetti Factory(?)restaurant is a fun and average eating place and it's a taste of old Toronto. The Movenpik Market restaurant near Yonge and Front (I think this is the name but you'll have no problem finding it by asking) is a fun and adventurous eating spot where food is served boutique style -- that is, you can go from area to area, each specializing in a given food. Very popular. Can be fairly pricing depending on what you select. Not sure how to rate it but it's a change from the normal restaurant. Lively and noisy.

Japanese restaurants abound both pricy and cheap on almost every corner.

*I'm no help on hockey. Check the internet for weather in Toronto by going to environment canada.ca and clicking in the right places. Currently the temp is about -11C but that's warm to the -30C and lower with windchill we've been experiencing lately, a very cold spell.

Come dressed with warm jackets (layers), hats (although you don't see many of these unless it's really, really, really, cold), gloves and scarf. Warm boots are good but many of us just wear our sports shoes like NB, Nike on good days, with warm socks unless snow is very deep.

Have fun!

I'd agree with BAK that you don't need to worry about the RY. I like it.

More on various things ...

The Movenpick restaurant near Front and Yonge is called Le Marche, and is in BCE Place, a giant office building that is attached to the Hockey Hall of Fame and to the underground tunnel network, making it a good one-two event (HockHall and Le Marche) to visit on a rotten day, because of the tunnels.

BAK

Le Papillon is a great reasonable priced restaurant on Church Street, only a block or 2 away from the FRY. You can check out their website at www.lepapillon.ca Or you could take a dinner cruise (mariposacruises.com)very romantic!

If you like museums you may also want to visit Casa Loma www.casaloma.org and why not take a trip to the zoo, yup it is open all year round, and is fun for all ages!

Don't forget to bring your skates for the rink at city hall (rentals are available)

Dinner Cruise in Feb?

A dinner cruise may be a little cold, but if the cruises go out on New Year's then why not go in February?