Toronto is Canada’s biggest city and offers a wide range of fascinating experiences, Winsor Dobbin reports.
Fancy a vibrant North American experience but are keen to avoid the madness of the US?
Toronto, the vibrant Canadian city just across Lake Ontario from the US, might be the destination you are looking for.
Toronto is the fourth-largest city in North America and home to a range of sporting and adventure attractions.
It has an urban population of well over three million and a metropolitan area with more than seven million residents. If you want to check out highlights like the CN Tower, St Lawrence Market, Chinatown and [Ice] Hockey Hall of Fame, then you will want to stay where the action is: the downtown city core within walking distance of Union Station.
You certainly don’t want to find yourself staying in the Toronto equivalent of Mt Druitt or Cranbourne - spending half your time commuting.
Let me introduce the Novotel Toronto Centre, a superbly located medium-sized hotel that delivers on location, facilities and friendliness. There are 232 rooms over nine floors but there is still a boutique feel.
Unlike some of its bigger, brasher American-brand rivals, there is a cosmopolitan/European vibe here, with multicultural staff and a collective smile. There are some funky public areas, too.
Sports lovers will be able to walk in just a few minutes to watch either the high-flying Toronto Blue Jays baseball team in summer, or the Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey team in winter. The Toronto Raptors basketball team and MLS team Toronto FC also call the city home.
Their venues, the Rogers Centre and the Scotiabank Arena, also host regular concerts and events. Over the few days I was in town recently, acts appearing included Neil Young, Oasis, Nine Inch Nails and the Jonas Brothers.
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| Rogers Centre |
Toronto is a big city with big city attractions. It currently boasts 109 skyscrapers (with another 30 planned). Fortunately for tourists, there is a well-connected transport system with an underground railway, buses, and streetcars that take you to destinations like Chinatown, the massive Eaton Centre shopping complex, and the waterfront.
The Novotel is in a great location for foodies – with the renowned St Lawrence Market just a two-minute stroll away. From maple syrup and Canadian bacon to cheeses from around the world, and fresh fruit and vegetables, this is one of the great gourmet destinations. Takeaway, dine in, or al fresco.
I popped by for lunch one day and enjoyed a delicious clam chowder followed by a freshly made spicy calamari po’ boy sandwich. Just around the corner is a legal cannabis shop -one of many – should that be your bag.
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| Novotel Toronto Centre Dining (supplied) |
The hotel itself offers very comfortable rooms with fridges, fast Wi-Fi, and excellent showers. The bar has a happy hour from 4-8pm with local beers and wines for $5 and reduced-price cocktails (think an $8 Aperol Spritz). On-site restaurant Cafe Nicole Bar & Bistro serves copious buffet breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and also has an ice cream parlour on the streetside patio for an afternoon treat.
From soups and salads to fish and chips, burgers and chimichurri striploin steak, and sun-dried pesto fettuccine, the menu showcases popular favourites.
Next to the reception desk there is a 24-hour mini market selling everything from toiletries and travel adaptors to sandwiches, crisps and ice cream, as well as a wide range of drinks, should you need a canned cocktail at 3am.
There is a well-equipped fitness centre (which I studiously avoided) and an indoor swimming pool and sauna; and you are in a safe area to go for a run or jog.
Rooms have huge TVs, wireless-charging clock radios, pillow-top mattresses, fridges, coffee makers and kettles, in-room safes, and complimentary water.
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| Toronto food scene (Destination Toronto) |
Just across the road from the Novotel you’ll find a number of eating and drinking options, including The Old Spaghetti Factory, Scotland Yard, a busy and friendly English-style pub, an Indian restaurant and a craft brewery. All well within staggering distance to your room. A fun place to stay. Room prices vary seasonally.
One of the surprise highlights of my trip was Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, which is located in the city centre next to the imposing CN Tower. The aquarium has 5.7 million litres of marine and freshwater habitats from across the globe, ranging from sharks to colourful tropical fish. The various exhibits hold more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species.
The facility has flexible pricing, but admission is currently around $C57.70 per person. Good value considering you could spend several hours here.
First time in Toronto? I’d recommend taking a hop-on-hop-off City Sightseeing Toronto bus that stops at most of the major attractions including the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, the historic Distillery District, the Toronto Railway Museum, the hip Kensington Market quarter, and the Harbourfront Centre on Lake Ontario, from where boat cruises depart to the Toronto Islands.
If you have a few days in town, day trips to Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake, the wine region of Prince Edward County, and historic Kingston are easily arranged.
* The writer was hosted by Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada and the centrally located and recently refurbished Novotel Toronto Centre.
* Qatar Airways flies from Sydney to Toronto with one stop in Doha. The writer was given lounge access by Qatar Airways.
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