Geoff

Hello all....<BR>My wife and I plan to visit Toronto for the first time over Labor Day weekend. We like baseball, theater and great restaurants. We want to stay in a safe and vibrant part of town.We are from NYC so we have no problem with walking and taking subways.We would like a hotel with a nice pool. Our budget is roughly $139 US a night, which from what I gather puts us in the high/ moderate range.<BR><BR>So far I am considering:<BR><BR> Grand Hotel- Very attractive rate, four star, bad neighborhood?<BR> Sutton Place- Also a good rate, positive reviews, neighborhood?<BR><BR> Other hotels considered are:<BR><BR>Toronto Colony<BR>Novotel Centre<BR>Marriott Eaton Centre<BR>Royal York<BR><BR>The Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental and Park Hyatt sound great too. If they are worth the extra $$$.<BR><BR>Any and all suggestions appreciated.<BR>Thanks in advance,<BR><BR>Geoff Clarkson<BR> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Brian Kilgore

Go through the messag lists, and you'll find lots of info on Toronto hotels.<BR><BR>Here's the order I'd pick, considering where you want to be, near the ball park and theaters.<BR><BR>Royal York, which is the closest we have to New York's Plaza Hotel.<BR>Sheraton or Hilton<BR>Holiday Inn on King (not on yourlist)<BR>Crowne Plaza<BR>Marriott Eaton Centre<BR>Novatel.<BR><BR>Now, just for fun, make a list of where you would be willing to stay in NYC for $140. It will give you an idea of Canadian bargain prices.<BR><BR>BAK<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Gayle

Geoff:<BR>I live in T.O., so here's my unobjective view.<BR><BR>The Grand Hotel is in a terrible part of town. I would not want to stay there, despite that it's a nice(ish) hotel. It's in the middle of hooker hamlet. <BR><BR>Sutton Place is a very nice property though I don't find it that well located. It's on Bay Street in what would be termed to be mid/downtown Toronto. But it's surrounded by big, grey, character-less (is that a word?) government office buildings. You wouldn't want to stroll around there either day or night as there is nothing to see. Two or three blocks to the east is Yonge Street which is the very main street which runs north/south through the entire city from the lakeshore right out of the city. This particular stretch of Yonge Street is not attractive. The shops are kind of seedy, the restaurants are not those you'd want to go into. And, in my opinion at night, not the best area to walk around, though others may tell you it's "just fine". Right across from the hotel is a lovely restaurant Bistro 990, however, it's pretty much the only restaurant within walking distance.<BR><BR>The other hotels you mentioned are all "fine". The Royal York is in the same genre as the Waldorf for decor and age.<BR><BR>I always recommend these four hotels as they're really well located to restaurants, shopping, art galleries, the 3 museums and the subway. All are a stone's throw from Bloor Street, which is kind of like staying on 5th in midtown Manhattan.(ranking depends on your budget and what deals are available):<BR>1. Four Seasons<BR>2. Grand Hyatt<BR>3. Windsor Arms<BR>4. Intercontinental<BR><BR>Have fun.

BfloBird

My husband and I have stayed at The Metropolitan Hotel several times and liked it. I believe it is in your price range. It is on Chestnut St. right near City Hall.<BR><BR>You can walk north (20 min.), or subway (5 min.) to Yorkville--chic shopping, restaurants OR you can walk south to Queen St. (10 min.) funky shopping, restaurants, theatre district.<BR><BR>You can walk to the Skydome from the Met Hotel, but the subways are easy, too.<BR><BR>Restaurants we have enjoyed (all fairly close to Met Hotel): Acme Grill, Kit Kat Grill (on Queen), Bistro 990 <BR><BR>I could go on and on. I think you'll love T.O.

anne

I have stayed at the Royal York and Intercontinental and would definitely recommend the former. Had heard the Royal York was a bit shabby but that was not my impression at all. Both the public rooms and hotel room were very nice. There's not a lot of shopping nearby but you can walk underground to the subway across street so you can easily go anywhere you need to The staff was very friendly. I expected a lot from the Intercontinental and was disppointed. Room decor was bland and service was terrible. Would not stay there again

Geoff

Thanks to everyone for their input. I think the Royal York will be the choice. They are offering an attractive rate for our stay, and seem like the all around best bet.<BR><BR> Aside to BAK: Your point about value hotels in NYC, or the lack of them, is well taken. I've seen some truly shabby accomodations being offered in Manhattan for much more than $139 a night.<BR><BR>Anyway, the hotel is solved. Now on to restaurants! The culinary diversity in Toronto sounds enticing. Deciding where to have dinner each night should be a pleasant challenge. <BR><BR>

Elliot

Your choices of restaurants will be endless. In the Royal York area are:<BR>Biff's -- a great bistro<BR>Acqua--in BCE Place, one of the most spectacular architectural buildings in the city or any city, for that matter<BR>Great dim-sum lunch at Pearl Harbour (sorry for that!!) Restaurant in Queen's Quay (pronounced Key). It overlooks Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands.<BR>Chinatown in Toronto is larger than NY's and you can find lots of great places<BR>Elm Street has some great places-- Bangkok Gardens, Adegio (Portgugese), etc.<BR>The Fifth is an outstanding restaurant downtown<BR>Try Rodney's Oyster House for a unique experience<BR><BR>You can get more expensive than these, but they are all in walking distance.<BR><BR>Also, Toronto is a very safe city--much more so than any US city, even though there are some bad areas, but don't worry about walking around.<BR><BR>Also, for the comments about Sutton Place in a "grey, government area", I would disagree. Sutton Place is just 4 blocks south of Bloor, which is Toronto's 5th Ave (Gucci, Tiffany, etc.) and there are some excellent restaruants and shops in the Yorkville area which contains Bloor Street. Anyway, you should make a trip to Yorkville and wonder the shops there. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and Ceramics Museum are there. The ROM has an very interesting exhibit on the underground railroad that brought blacks north during the Civil War--running until next Feb. 2003. Also, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is off Dundas above Queen's and has some great exhibit. For something completely different, try the Bata Shoe Museum-- a real hoot!!<BR><BR>By the way, we're dual US-Canadian citizens. You'll find lots to do here. Try going outside of downtown Toronto to Yorkville, Beaches, Danforth (Greektown), and other locations--all really interesting. Downtown is mainly banks and entertainment, but other areas have some great night life.<BR><BR>Enjoy!!

firas

There's a cute italian restaurant in Downtown, called "Terroni" at Victoria/Richmond...<BR>Famous for their Focaccia sandwiches, and pastas... cute little place, very reasonable and cozy.. It's closed on Sundays though...<BR>Chinatown is great for chinese...<BR>The KEG is a very famous Steakhouse on Front/Church St. (very nice neiborhood)<BR>Go to St. Lawernce Market for a saturday breakfast... Steak sandwiches, canadian bacon, etc...

Bonnie

Just read your original question re: hotels and am sorry that I didn't put my opinion in earlier. I would definitely have suggested that you stay at the Park Hyatt. And if that was too expensive I would have suggested the Marriott Bloor/Yorkville. Am I too late to have you reconsider your choice of the Royal York?

Brian Kilgore

Further to a couple of other comments.<BR><BR>Unless they changed the name, it's not, fortunately, the Pearl harbor, but is insted the Pink Pearl. And it is very good.<BR><BR>Sometimes food snobs turn up their noses at chain steak houses like The Keg, but come to think of it, it's a pretty good place with a fun atmosphere.<BR><BR>Further to the museums -- The Bata Show Museum wil have a show about wedding shoess, according to a woman I know who works there. And there's a textile museum to add to shoes, ceramics and general museum stuff like at the Royal Ontario Museum. And the Hockey hall of Fame is sort of a museum, and is a block from the hotel.<BR><BR>French fries from a truck in front fo the convention center and CN Tower, or in front of City Hall, are always good.<BR><BR>On Saturday morning, walk a few blocks to the left from thehotel's front door (east) to St. Lawrence Market to buy somne snacks to keep you fed over the weekend and a back bacon sandwich from one of the takeout places to enjoy for breakfast. There are outdoor terraces on which to eat.<BR><BR>BAK

Lori

Regarding the Park Hyatt or Marriott Bloor as first choices above? Can you elaborate. I was told that the Marriott wasn't ideally located but I thought it looked okay. I know the Park Hyatt seems to be the best. I'm getting a rate of 200 there and a rate of 133 at the Marriott. Is the Park Hyatt worth it?

Brian Kilgore

Lori, what's your house worth? How good are your carpets? Do you have original oil paintings that cost thousands of dollars, and drive a Mercedes or BMW?<BR><BR>If yes, the Park Hyatt may well be your kind of place. <BR><BR>For people who don't spend lots of money and watch their budgets, but aren't skinflints and/or broke, -- Accord or Camry kind of folks -- with prints instead of original oils, and nice homes instead of mansions, any Marriott is a pretty good hotel.<BR><BR>And ifyour eyes are closed and you are asleep, does it really matter.<BR><BR>I've got better things to do with $70 than give it to a hotel company. But if you get down to prices too low, you'll find holes in the carpet and burns on the counter tops, and the pillows will be too thin. That's what the Howard Johnson in Hamilton is like.<BR><BR>So really, it is very hard to make a value judgement for someone else. I've travelled around North America, stayed at Four Seasons Hotels so often the staff knew my name, but I can also fall asleep very comfortably in a marriott bed. They run good hotels.<BR><BR>Now, as for ideally located -- no hotel in Toronto is ideally located, unless you have a narrow range of interests.<BR><BR>And how far are you willing to walk to save $70?<BR><BR>The Park Hyatt is at Bloor and Avenue Road, across from the Royal Ontario Museum, and maybe 75 yards from a subway stop.<BR><BR>The Marriott on Bloor (they call it the Yorkville Marriott, I believe) is on Bloor Street, west of Church and east of Yonge. That's three blocks from the Park Hyatt.and the Marriott is closer to Holt Renfrew, Ashley's, Birk's, the Bay, Stollery's, and Sassafrass.<BR><BR>But, and this is a big but, the Park Hyatt is closer to the Bata Shoe Museum and the Gardner Ceramic Museum.<BR><BR>If you want to go to the Eaton Center, the Marriott is three or four subway stops closer, and if you want to eat at Centro or North 44, you save two subway stops or $4 in cab fare.<BR><BR>The Park Hyatt is closer to Chapters, but the Marriott is probably closer to Indigo.<BR><BR>So, it all depends. If you want to cross the street and get a drink in the bar of the Four Seasons, Hyatt wins. If you want to buy a really good cookbook at the cookbook store, well. Mariott wins.<BR><BR>So there you go. If the $70 matters -- that's half a good dinner in Toronto -- pick the Marriott.<BR><BR>I am,however, puzzled by the continuous praise in this forum for a Hyatt hotel. They've never seemed that great to me, and I've stayed in lots of them. I'll have to go take a look for myself.<BR><BR><BR>there are lots of threads about Toronto hotels in the forum, of course, so go look at them.<BR><BR>and tell us what your standards are and what intersts you. Tehre may be better choices than those two.<BR><BR>BAK<BR>