-
I’ve just used by Barclays Upgrade Voucher for a CW trip to Toronto (GLA-LHR-YYZ) for Easter next year for 5 days with a A350 on the way out and a 787 on the way back.
I’ve never been to Canada so I’m excited to visit and even more excited to have extracted a bit of value from the Upgrade Voucher as the trip only cost me 85,000 Avios & £365. It will be fist time flying long haul business (thanks to all the tips and advice in HfP over the last 5 years!).
I’m now wondering:
– if there are any good hotel recommendations – preferably Marriott as I have Platinum status?
– how is public transport in Toronto? I don’t drive and I’ve heard public transport in Canada is poor but I’m hoping this isn’t the case for Toronto as it’s a big city?
– given I don’t have long there – are there any must see places?
– what is the weather like at the end of March/start of April. Will it be a typical British Spring by then or is the weather still quite harsh from the Winter?Sorry for so many questions, but I’m just super excited!
Several threads in the destinations forum includign this one
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/toronto/
there are others as well so a search will produce more – use this in google – site:headforpoints.com/forums toronto
(and I’d do a canada search as well)
Train to Niagara worked well. Arrive 1020 depart 1746, you can do the main attractions in a day or stay overnight to give you more time. If you book a Niagara Parks pass for the attractions it includes a WeGo pass for a local bus that will take you to most of the attractions.
The airport train to the city centre is excellent – takes 25 mins. Can’t comment on public transport as we didn’t use it but with limited time, I would definitely stay centrally (we booked an apartment 2 mins walk from the CN Tower/Rogers Stadium and walked everywhere.)
CN tower is a must. We booked the dinner an hour before sunset which is expensive but as you don’t pay the entry price was comparable to a normal meal out. And a wonderful experience.
Actually blogged about Toronto and Niagara at much more length – you can read it here:
Niagara and CN Tower is already on the list 😉
The airport train to the city centre is excellent – takes 25 mins. Can’t comment on public transport as we didn’t use it but with limited time, I would definitely stay centrally (we booked an apartment 2 mins walk from the CN Tower/Rogers Stadium and walked everywhere.)
CN tower is a must. We booked the dinner an hour before sunset which is expensive but as you don’t pay the entry price was comparable to a normal meal out. And a wonderful experience.
Actually blogged about Toronto and Niagara at much more length – you can read it here:
Thanks – Will definitely have a read!
As well as Niagara Falls, there’s also Niagara by the lake, which is as I recall a quaint little town surrounded by wineries and artisan food producers, rather than the cheese fest by the waterfall down the road. You would I think need to find a tour to cover off both, though – it’s on the WeGo shuttle but it seems that only starts in late April.
As for weather, I think you have to prepare for the worst. You’re potentially still going to have some pretty cold and wet conditions at that time of the year. And that lake is so big it throws off its own weather patterns, too.
Niagara hotel quality is poor, as are the restaurants. Even the views don’t make up for the poor quality. Can’t remember which hotel we stayed in, but booked a high floor for the great views. Furniture was plastic and the carpet was sticky.
Ate in a Morton’s steakhouse, was the poorest quality food I’ve ever eaten in that chain.
Was a real disappointment compared to Igauzu and victoria falls.
Being disappointed by overly expensive food in Canada is part of the experience. (Same can be said about hotels quality/price)
At least the nature remains unmatched …
Toronto native here so happy to help with some suggestions.
– if there are any good hotel recommendations – preferably Marriott as I have Platinum status?
The Delta downtown is a favourite amongst the Bonvoy community. If you’re able to get a room with a CN Tower view, they are very nice. Not sure what your budget is but price is around the mid-range for Toronto around 400CAD per night.
– how is public transport in Toronto? I don’t drive and I’ve heard public transport in Canada is poor but I’m hoping this isn’t the case for Toronto as it’s a big city?
If you’re staying within the downtown core public transport is fine. If you want to venture out into suburbs our elsewhere, it’s not the best but still doable for the most part. Intervals for trains and buses are longer in general then what you would expect in a city like London. I haven’t been back in a couple years but you should be able to use contactless for public transport now rather than needing to purchase passes or a Presto card. Transport is a flat fare per tap in no matter the distance you travel.
– given I don’t have long there – are there any must see places?
Are you planning on staying all 5 days in Toronto? As some others have said, you can do a day trip to Niagara but the hotels are generally mediocre and pricey so I wouldn’t stay the night unless you really wanted to. If you want to do all 5 nights in Toronto, you can probably fill up your time and do things at a leisurly pace depending on your interests. Most obvious “tourist” spots would be CN Tower, ROM or AGO if you’re into art, Distillery District, Roundhouse, St. Lawrence Market, etc. If you’re willing to, you could also explore the option of a small sub-trip to Montreal potentially but the train is about 5 hours each way.
– what is the weather like at the end of March/start of April. Will it be a typical British Spring by then or is the weather still quite harsh from the Winter?
Weather depends on the year to be honest. It can still be cold enough to ski in Northern Ontario some years and other years it’s already well into Spring. In genreal it’s probably still around single digit temperature wise so chilly but not that cold by Canadian standards
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
