Finally! Before I do the review just a note to those thinking of doing this trip - best to look for your extra warm layers of winter clothes, snow boots etc now in any sports shop sales - come October the shops will be waiting for their winter lines to come in - too late!!!! I write from experience of last minute shopping - although I did get sorted and was toasty warm top to toe, I did not have the choice I would have liked. PS if you are a larger lady (for some reason the warm sports clothing can stop at size 16 XL!!!???) do have a look at menswear as well.
http://forum.justyou.co.uk/forum/thread-68629.html
I booked the Toronto Add On as I had visited Toronto as part of the Canada and New England in the Fall holiday the previous year and there were things I wanted to see or see again. Also, when you are spending so much money and travelling so far it was quite a short holiday, so it seemed a good idea to have a few more days….
After a busy day in Winnipeg (I was one of those who visited the zoo - we certainly got close to the Polar Bears, although the underwater section of the enclosure was closed for repairs as one of the bears had stripped out the mastic sealing the tank! Lots of other arctic animals on display and, of course, hot chocolate to keep you warm inside!) we returned to the hotel for transfer to the airport and our flight to Toronto. At Toronto airport 5 of us said goodbye to the rest of the group who were returning to the UK. I later found out that due to the late departure/arrival of the plane from Winnipeg the others had to run through the airport to make their connection for the long flight home!
One traveller was taking a private holiday with relatives, so just 4 of us piled into our limo for the trip to downtown Toronto. It was gone midnight before we checked into the Eaton Chelsea hotel for our 3 night stay. I had worried about the size of the hotel - advertised as one of the largest in North America - but it was surprisingly easy to get around. (My thanks to JY forum users who had reassured me beforehand). Booking in was easy - as it was so late there were no queues! The concierge desk was most helpful. The lifts were colour coded and so you were led to the correct block and floor. Be aware though - there are several entrances and exits to the hotel on different streets - each is named over the doors but .......
There are bars, coffee shops and restaurants within the hotel and nearby. The included breakfast was OK - the provided voucher detailed the choices - basically a hot or cold selection. Take time in the restaurant on the first morning to work out what is where - it seemed confusing - but by the next morning it seemed so straightforward! The hotels public areas were fine, and it's central position great, but the allocated rooms were disappointing, mine was on a corner, shabby and cold with a minuscule bathroom - sit on loo, wash hands in basin and feet in bath at the same time! TV, kettle, toiletries, hair dryer, wifi.
From this base we all managed to get out and about and see the things we hoped to. I had done a town tour on the previous holiday, but there are hop on hop off bus tours which stop at the hotel - the winter timetable looked a bit restricted but it would give you an overview. I took the DK Top Ten Toronto with me - ideal for this trip. There are plenty of sights, shops and Malls to occupy you for the add on - you may be able to get tickets for the ice hockey or visit the Hall of Fame. Museums aplenty - even a Shoe Museum! Several Cathedrals/Churches. An interesting waterfront - open air ice skating. Not sure if the boat rides operate in autumn/winter. There is a zoo, slightly out of town and liable to be affected by winter weather closures. There are cinemas and theatres within easy reach of the hotel - check with the concierge or go online.
On the Sunday it was the Christmas Parade which passed quite close to the hotel. I dressed warmly and headed in the general direction following groups of excited children - it was snowing gently which added magic to the parade. Lots of floats, marching bands, mounted police, weird and wonderful costumes, a couple of 'Canadian elephants' and finally Father Christmas himself. That evening would you believe we ate next door to the hotel in the Elephant and Castle pub! Back at the hotel more Christmas decorations were being set up every time you turned round!
The next day 2 of the girls headed to Niagara Falls, in increasingly bad weather. They had booked one of the many coach tours available from Toronto - it was apparently a long day and rather cold but worthwhile. Although the Maid of the Mist boat trips had stopped there was an alternative.
Meanwhile I headed for Casa Loma - a 'stately home' I had spotted on my last visit to Toronto and was curious to see inside. I enjoyed my visit to this c1900 built house with baronial hall, beautiful conservatory complete with orchids, "state of the art" bathrooms, eccentric towers and stunning stable bloc. I took a taxi but it is easily accessible by public transport - my return taxi failed to turn up but a lovely couple offered me a lift in their car and dropped me back at the hotel!
We met up in the evening and a couple of us had a nice Italian meal in Fratellis, opposite the hotel. However one of our party decided to have dinner in the revolving restaurant high up in the CN Tower - arranged via the hotel concierge.
With the serious weather warning being issued for Buffalo and New York State in force, our last day in Toronto dawned bright and crisp, a bit windy, with blue skies. We all went our separate ways. One went to the historic St Lawrence Market and had the famous Peameal bacon sandwich. I went to the CN tower and travelled to the highest level - the super quick lift had been slowed down due to the effect of the brisk winds - you could feel the tower sway as you walked round. The views were amazing - last time we arrived just as the sun was setting, this time I could see literally for miles and miles. Having already walked on the glass floor last time, I confidently stepped out this time and indeed helped several people faltering round the edge take their first steps! Cool!! Had a light lunch in the restaurant with views over Toronto Island. You can book for the Edge Walk but the fee is apparently non returnable if the weather is bad - you can of course re book within a year!
In the afternoon I headed for The Bay - the department store run by the Hudsons Bay Company - they had wonderful musical and automated Christmas shop windows. From there I went into the Eaton Centre - a massive mall with arched glass roof - all decorated for Christmas - shopping floors going down below street level and connecting to the PATH which is a series of underground walkways throughout Toronto - needed in the really cold weather which hits Toronto in the winter.
Then it was time to get back to the hotel, meet up with the others and catch our limo to the airport. It would have been much better to have been booked on the plane before, rather than the last one out! We had a long wait at the airport and then a 7+ hour flight home to Heathrow, which started with a chicken dinner at about 1am Canadian time and ended with a slice of banana bread just before landing around midday UK time! I was totally zonked but made it to my coach connection to Gatwick and taxi home - tried to stay awake til bed time and then couldn't sleep!
