Which downtown hotel would offer the best choice in short walking distance restaurants, pubs, shopping, attractions for mid 50's couple (i.e. not really interested in the club scene)?

It depends on what you want to see - the Sheraton on Queen is handy to some attractions but not all.

I guess mostly Ièm thinking of being able to walk out and around in the evening. I do not mind driving or cabbing around to attractions during the day, but at night I would like to be able to just stroll outside, maybe stop somewhere for a drink, browse any fun or interesting shops that are open, have a choice of interesting eating establishments within walking distance, etc.

I'd pick a Bloor Street hotel.

Starting at the east, there's the Marriott at Yonge Street, and then the Hazelton Hotel, the Four Seasons, the Park Hyatt, the Windsor Arms, an Intrcontinental, and if the budget is a bit tighter, the Holiday Inn over at St. George Street, which is as far west as this strip goes.

These put you close to some fancy restaurants and a few bargains, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Bata Shoe Museum, and the Gairdner (sp?) Ceramic Museum.

Lots of commercial art galleries, and perhaps there will be a concert at the Royal Conservatory of Music's fancy new auditorium.

Several extraordinary food stores are int he neighborhood, and if you want to walk through some intresting residential neighborhoods, you can do that, too.

BAK

How much do you want to spend?

The Bloor/Yorkville area hotels are in an interesting area but pricey.

You can be right downtown at Dundas Square at the Eaton Centre Marriott or the Pantages.

You can be in the Market area at the Esplanade Novotel or the Holiday Inn Express.

There's the Sheraton on Queen and also the Hilton (? -- it used to be the Toronto Westin; they keep changing names on me) on University next to the opera house and right at Queen West Village.

There are lots of interesting areas of the city offering the types of things you're looking for and it's all pretty walkable.

What time of year are you coming?

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I actually grew up in Toronto and still visit regularly - but visits are usually either for specific events/functions or involve staying with friends and family outside the downtown core. This is a getaway for a couple of days of acting like tourists, on our own, no family or friends. Visiting early January. I like the idea of Yorkville (planning on visiting ROM too), but also wanted to get to the St. Lawrence Market, Eaton Centre and maybe Chinatown, Kensington Market, even Greektown. In winter especially, I don't think there's a location walkable to all so was trying to pick the best compromise. Some of the Yorkville hotels are very pricey, but there are several downtown Marriotts, as pointed out, and these might be OK.

From theYorkville area, just walk west a couple of blocks to Spadina, and take the streetcar to Chinatown.

Or get on the subway at Bay, at Yonge, at St. George, and get off at Spadina and get on the streetcar.

Easy enough to get on the southbound subway at either Yone, Museum, or St. George, get off at King and Yonge, and walk over to the market.

BAK

Very helpful forum as always, thank you. I am considering the Yorkville Marriott, but first - are there any opinions on the Courtyard Marriott? I am plagued with motion sickness so Public Transit is not usually my favourite way of getting around - the Courtyard seems to have one of the most conveniently central locations. It also seems to offer good value and get generally good reviews, but is the immediate surrounding area good?

While we're at it - if anyone would like to recommend downtown restaurants, I would be interested and grateful. I know there are lots, in past I have often found the choice rather overwhelming. So it's nice to hear some personal recommendations. We would be willing to pay moderately high prices (but not top end) and like interesting food (ethnic, fusion, mediterranean, seafood) in a cozy bistro-type setting.

The Courtyard Marriot is, of all the Marriotts in Toronto, the one located most closely to nothing interesting.

You've got a fairly long walk to Bloor, a fairly long walk to the AGO, a fairly long walk even to The Bay, and you are surrounded by low rent retail.

Downtown is an area with very flexible boundaries. To me, it's Gerrard south to the lake, which keeps you away from everything in Yorkville.

Downtown is a little low in cosy bistro like settings, too. Places tend towards elegant or lively.

Beer Bistro on King, I believe, is an exception, and has excellent food and lots of beers. Just east on Yonge.

Fune, on Adelaide near Simcoe, is a favorite of ours. Japanese, middle priced, sushi for my wife and tempura for me.

BAK

That was helpful BAK. The Yorkville Marriott is back at the top of my list, although the Sutton Place has piqued my interest as it is offering some good prices in late December/early January (possibly because their dining room is closed for renovations through that period). You also mentioned fancy restaurants, a few bargains and some "extraordinary" food shops in the Bloor Street area. Any specific favourites?

Dependingon what stores are like at home...

Whole Foods, inside Hazelton Lanes, is a great food store, as is Pusiteria, which is on Bay Street just north of Bloor.

For tourists, both are geat places to buy snacks to keep in your hotel room, and gourmet packaged goods to take home.

Our favorite cheap restaurant is the Vietnamese Restaurant just west of McDonald's on Bloor, across the street from the Royal Ontario Museum.

Look for a few steps to an outdoor landing, and then a narrow stairway to the second floor.

For Japanese food in Yorkville at good prices, especially at lunch, we like Yamato. (http://yamato.sites.toronto.com/) Yamato has some conncetion to Fune, mentioned earlier, which is downtown.

BAK

If you have the money to spend, stay in Sheraton Yorkville - will offer you the best nightlife you can get in the city. A bit cheaper as far as I remember, was the Sheraton on Queen, or another hotel on Bloor and Queen which I forget its name (booked it thgouhg lastminutetravel online. you cant see the name of the hotel, like hotwire, so I can't recheck for you).

Last year we stayed at the Strathcona hotel.Very nice and close to a lot of the attractions. A good tip is to take the trolley for a whole day, hop-on/hop-off. They take you top all the interesting parts of town and you can get off and on and visit the parts you want to visit more in depth.Paul

Hi; We like the Royl York. The metro is just below the hotel. But I think you can walk undergtound up to the Eaton Center from the Royal York. Plenty of shopping underground as you well know. Richard

iris1745 - Yes you are right, you can walk underground from Eaton to the Royal York. We stayed at the Royal in Sept, and loved it. We did take underground transport though. But we also walked a lot too.

We loved the Beer Bistro that Bak mentioned.

If staying in or near the Park Hyatt, stop in at their lounge/bar at the top at the end of the day or before going for dinner. From it you have a beautiful view especially if you can get out on the balcony and the Museum is right across the street. They have THE best service and bar snacks in all of TO.

When I go to TO sometimes I stay at a downtown B & B on Jarvis which is much more economical and really I enjoy them. I've also stayed at The Cosmopolitan, a boutique hotel which is closer to the Lawrence Market. I've stayed at the Soho Met but that was a few years ago when they first opened. It is a great location if you are going to the theatre district, the Skydome etc. The other usual suspects are fine but not as interesting to me except perhaps The Royal York.

Any others have suggestions for smaller or boutique hotels at moderate prices in the area? We have looked at Cosmopolitan already, that's a good location. We are not interested in clubbing or shopping but like walking and we will do Chinatown, Kensington market, St. Lawrence market, the Beaches (long walk!), Church St. village.

BAK thx for the Vietnamese place. Hopefully they have banh xao (apologies for the missing accents). Do you have a recommendation for a good dim sum place in Chinatown, with carts and lots of choices esp. steamed?

Theres the Hyatt on King Street (Formerly the Holiday Inn on KIng)... they have just finished a full remodel of all rooms and its very modern and cool... they keep sending me e-mails on specials so you might catch a deal there... Its in a great location near restaurants and bistros and central to Spadina, Queen St., Front St and Yonge... Cabs or streetcars to Yorkville and Beaches, but good walks to Kensington, Waterfront, and Chinatown... good luck!

comopolitan hotel is a bit sleepy, it's never really caught on...

le germain is a better boutique hotel, though likely more expensive...