November 17, 2003 -- Following up on its big promotion last summer to show the world Toronto's recovery SARS scare, Canada's best-known city is gearing up for another promotion designed to keep a happy, healthy and tourist-friendly image of Toronto on everyone's minds. As a part of the campaign blitz called "Time for a Little TO," a bunch of weekend packages are aimed at filling up hotels, attractions, restaurants and and sporting events, with themes for each late fall and winter weekend. In November, the emphasis is on theater and culture; in December, on holiday shopping; in January on winter dining; and in February, on jazz and nightlife.
There are all-inclusive weekend packages featuring one night of hotel lodging, admission to a popular attraction and a three-course meal at a choice of trendy restaurants. The first class accommodations package costs CDN $112.50 (US $87) and deluxe packages cost CDN $94.50 (US $73) per person, per night, based on double occupancy available weekends-only. You can also build your own package on the website (www.itstimeforalittleto.ca), selecting your choice of accommodation, restaurant and attraction. You click "add to package" on each, then "Print Summary," after which you phone Tourism Toronto at 800/499-2514 to book the deal, reading from your own print-out.
First class package hotels (just click on highlighted names to read our own reviews):
- Metropolitan Hotel Toronto
- Accor Hotels-Novotel Toronto Centre
- Cambridge Suites Hotel
- Fairmont Royal York
- Hilton Toronto
- Le Royal Meridien King Edward
- Renaissance Toronto Hotel at Skydome
- Sheraton Centre Toronto
- The Sutton Place Hotel
- Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville
Deluxe package hotels include:
- Bond Place
- Comfort Suite City Centre
- Courtyard by Marriott Downtown
- Days Hotel & Conference Centre Toronto Downtown
- Delta Chelsea
- Holiday Inn on King
- Howard Johnson Inn & Suites Toronto East
- Radisson Plaza Hotel Admiral
- Sheraton Gateway
- Strathcona
Participating attractions include:
- Art Gallery of Ontario
- Bata Shoe Museum
- CN Tower
- Casa Loma
- Royal Ontario Museum
- Toronto Zoo
Some better-known restaurants include:
- Café Victoria
- City Grill
- Duke of Argyle
- Duncan Street Grill
- "Hey Lucy" Café
- Leoni's
- The Strip House
- Tundra
Few examples of the packages should give you an idea of what you may be doing in Toronto:
- The "Nutcracker Neighbourhood" package runs from November 28 through December 28, 2003 and starts from CDN $130. You get one night's accommodation, one dinner from a choice of over 20 hotels and 19 restaurants, and admission to one attraction and the Nutcracker Experience. For more information call 800/205-7638 or log on to www.nutcrackerneighbourhood.com.
- There's a "Diana -- A Celebration" exhibit featuring the late Princess of Wales and her memorabilia, possessions, bridal gown, and more. Opens December 19, 2003 for a limited engagement. Phone Tourism Toronto at 800/499-2514 for tickets or information, or visit their website, www.torontotourism.com.
- If you want a complete package, consider the "Ontario Science Centre's Family Fun Package," available from now through February 1, 2004, costing CDN $199 (about US $150), all taxes included. Each family of four gets one night stay at a participating hotel (such as the downtown Courtyard by Marriott), Ontario Science Centre Combination Passes for two adults (18-64 years) and two children (4-17 years), which include admission to the Centre and one film at the Omnimax Theatre, four meal vouchers for lunch at the Centre, a Pizza Pizza meal voucher for one large pizza, two pre-selected children's gift items from the Mastermind gift shop, and discount coupons to a number of restaurants, attractions and retail outlets. The sponsors say this is a retail value of up to CDN $400. Visit www.ontariosciencecentre.ca for more details.
- For travelers by air from the US, Maxxim Vacations is offering "Toronto, Anyway You Want It" packages this winter, which provide roundtrip air from the US to Toronto and three nights of lodging at the Delta Chelsea Hotel downtown. The package price from New York is just US $479, from Boston or Chicago US $489, from Atlanta or Dallas/Fort Worth US $539, from Miami US $569, or from Los Angeles $669. Contact the company at www.maxximvacations.com or call 800/567-6666.
More getaway packages are available through www.torontotourism.com or at www.ontariotravel.net.
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