Given that more than 100 languages and dialects are spoken in the Greater Toronto area, it's not surprising that much of the downtown hotel market is international-business-traveler savvy. Wi-Fi connections are standard at most high-end properties, and business services abound. But these same core hotels are close to tourist attractions—Harbourfront and the Toronto Islands, the cavernous Rogers Centre, the Air Canada Centre, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Royal Ontario Museum.
Not wanting to miss out on potential customers, hotels like the Delta Chelsea have instituted perks for the younger set, such as complimentary milk and cookies, kid-size bathrobes, and children's day camp. Another key trend in Toronto's downtown lodgings is the emergence of small, upscale boutique hotels, such as the Hotel Le Germain, the Pantages and Cosmopolitan hotels, and the swank SoHo Metropolitan. An explosion of ultraluxe chains has struck Toronto in recent years, and the city now boasts outposts of Shangri-La, Ritz-Carlton, and Trump International, plus a brand-new Four Seasons.
City-center accommodations are usually within a few minutes' walk of Yonge Street and the glittering lights of the Entertainment District, the soaring office towers of the Financial District, the shops of the Dundas Square Area, and the bars and art galleries of Queen West. Within a 15-minute drive west of downtown are the forested High Park and the meandering Humber River, an area where there are few major hotels but an ample array of B&Bs and the lovely Old Mill Inn. The growing West Queen West area has some unique places to stay, such as the restored Gladstone and Drake hotels, as well as funky restaurants and galleries. Lester B. Pearson International Airport is 29 km (18 miles) northwest of downtown; airport hotels are airport hotels, but staying in this area also means quick connections to cities beyond, such as Niagara Falls.
