Toronto Hotels and City Guide

Lodging in a Nutshell

Toronto has many claims to fame including being Canada's most visited city. This expansive cosmopolitan city offers "something for everyone" with Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown, a variety of ethnic markets, countless options for theater, culture, recreation, dining and lodging all adding to the mix.

So whether in Toronto for just a stopover, for business or pleasure, there is no doubt you will find what you are looking for.

Metropolitan Toronto has a population of approximately 4.4 million. This includes the regions of York, East York, North York, Etobicoke, Pickering and Scarborough. The surrounding areas are Mississauga, where the Pearson International Airport is located, with Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Thornhill and Markham north of the city.

While Toronto is noted for its skyscrapers and modern appeal, there remains a real traditional air in many pockets of the city, especially downtown. There are the Victorian-Romanesque Parliament buildings in the Queen's Park area, the exclusive Yorkville shopping district comprised of restored Victorian houses, the early twentieth-century refurbished historic theaters, Old City Hall, historic turn-of-the-century churches and Casa Loma, a medieval style castle with secret tunnels, stables and gardens surrounding the grounds--all in the downtown area.

Due to Toronto's seasonal temperatures, summer is the most popular time for tourists and the rule of thumb is hotel rates are higher. However, with myriad attractions in the downtown area such as the Toronto Harbour, Ontario Place, Queen's Quay Terminal and the Toronto Islands, the Beaches (a 15-minute ride from downtown), Paramount Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan to the many golf courses and parks across the city, there are numerous alternatives to warrant a visit during high season.

Seasonal treats are the Beaches International Jazz Festival, billed as the largest free jazz festival in Canada, held every July. Beachfest is an annual free summer concert held on Labor Day, and the Toronto Film Festival is an autumn extravaganza described by Weekly Variety magazine (US) as the most prominent on the continent.

Downtown, popular tourist attractions to choose from are the CN Tower, the world's tallest freestanding structure where, on a clear day, you can see as far as Niagara Falls and Rochester, New York. Then, from the Entertainment and Theater district to the Skydome, a sports complex which also houses a hotel, restaurants and entertainment, there are many options for accommodations.

Well-known hotel chains are all represented: from the Quality Hotel and the Comfort Hotel Downtown to the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza. As well, there are the more exclusive Radisson Plaza Hotel Toronto, the Toronto Marriott Eaton Centre, and the Royal York-Canadian Pacific Hotel, also centrally located, with the Four Seasons Hotel topping the list. The Westin Harbour Castle is located right in the Bay overlooking Lake Ontario, directly accessible to the Toronto Island's ferry.

Toronto has many alternatives for getting around thanks to a subway system within the city boundaries, Rapid Transit, a light rail transit system, streetcars, trolley buses, a GO train for travel outside the city limits, cabs and, of course, regular bus service. Hwy. 401 (the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway), the Queen Elizabeth Way, (which becomes the Gardiner Expressway), Hwy. 400, Hwy. 404 and the Don Valley Parkway are the main routes in and out of the city. Rental vehicles are readily available but parking, at least in the downtown area, is limited.

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