As a payback to all the friends on this board, I am posting the highlights of our recent weekend in Toronto. We drove from Detroit through Sarnia and arrived at our hotel in four hours: Hotel LeGermain on Mercer Street in the entertainment district. We were a five minute walk from the Prince of Wales Theater where The Lion King has just extended its' engagement. We were thrilled with the look of and the amenities of the hotel. The beds had deluxe sheets, four pillow each and down duvets. There was a comfortable reading chair with a mohair throw and a movable writing desk. The bathroom had an in-the-wall vanity which could be closed to hide bottles, hair dryer, etc. The tub was deep and comfortable and there was a large rain shower head. The bath area was enclosed with glass to see into the bedroom, with a blind for privacy. Bottled drinking water was provided at each bedside every evening. A very nice breakfast was provided on the mezzanine which included a cappuchino bar. The nightly introductory rate was very reasonable: $199 Can. There is only one reason we would not stay here again: noise from outdoor dance clubs kept us awake until 3am each night. We were not the only ones who complained about this and the poor staff at the hotel were kept busy fielding complaints, explaining that they had been trying to get help from the city.

Restaurants: We were not impressed with our lunch at St. Tropez on King Street. The waitress was cold, distant and disinterested. The trout was bland, unimaginatively presented and the portion was so meager that we found ourselves hungry after an hour.

Later that evening we entered Rain, right across the street from our hotel, also on Mercer Street. The decor just knocks you out at this place. It is cool and refreshing, just like the name. You have to see it to know what I mean. While on the pricey side, each dish elicited ohs and ahs on presentation and tasting. Don't let the chic decor and staff put you off. This is one excellent place.

I felt nearly as enthusiastic the following evening at the place next door, Schmooze. I had stopped in earlier before it opened for dinner and had a nice chat with the chef. He was slicing huge portions off of a beef filet. On his recommendation, we later ordered the filet mignon, the best we have ever tasted. The decor was elegant and romantic.

We had Sunday brunch at Mildred Pierce. While difficult to find (it sits at a dead end in the middle of what appears to be an industrial zone, and there is no sign out in front)once there, it was well worth the effort. The interior was charming, but noisy, and we opted to sit outside. The food was very good and, surprisingly, very reasonable.

Activities: I did a lot of walking and exploring. Had a great long conversation about caviar with a vendor at the St. Lawrence Market. Toured the Art Galley of Ontario and especially enjoyed the marvelous Henry Moore exhibit. I took a foodies walking tour of Kensington Market. This was led by a young Asian woman who took us to various shops who prepared various specialties for us. Later, shopping on Queen Street we stumbled upon our favorite find, Caban. Their contemporary tropical, quasi-asian home decor had us wishing we had brought a moving van. They also have beautiful linens, dishes and some clothing.

Alas, it was time to go home. We left TO at 6:00pm, anticipating a 10:00 arrival. WRONG! As we entered Sarnia, we found ourselves in a parking lot of cars and trucks waiting to get over the bridge. It took two hours before we actually got across and then got stopped and had to go through customs before we could proceed. Next time, we will come home on a Monday.

We also just got back from a stay in Toronto. I will post a report tomorrow. I live near Sarnia and I know what you mean about the bridge. It can be so frustrating sitting there in traffic waiting to get through customs. Sounds like your trip was mostly positive. I have never heard of LeGermain but will investigate it in the future.

Very glad you enjoyed Toronto and good posting. Hotel LeGermain has received rave reviews from guests and the press. For others planning trips to Toronto, take advantge of the current low rates.