Story and images by Ed Salvato; Above: at 1,815 feet, the CN Tower is the world's tallest tower
The Canadian Groupe Germain consists of Germain Boutique Hotels, Alt Hotels, and other businesses. I recently visited two of their properties in Toronto.
Hotel Le Germain Toronto provides a lovely blend of urban sophistication for a visitor to Toronto with plenty of amenities harried business travelers love, including a delicious breakfast (with warm, mouthwatering croissants), an adequate gym (with a small but fun putting green), an espresso maker in the lobby, and WiFi all free of charge. The public spaces -- all warm, masculine woods with splashes of feminine color -- are inviting, with plush seating and lots of table and counter space to spread out for some work or impromptu meetings. The rooms boasts one of the best rain-forest showers in town.
Victor, the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, offers topnotch service and an inventive contemporary cuisine celebrating a wide range of Toronto's multi-ethnic influences. The restaurant is proud to use locally sourced ingredients from organic and eco-friendly suppliers.
The newest Groupe Germain property is the 167-room Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, located in a downtown site experiencing an explosion of growth, just steps away from Union Station, the center of Toronto's transit hub. It was all hard hats and site plans (see photo, left, of travel journalists on a recent tour of the property), but the tour included a model room, which was gorgeously designed, including sparkling bathrooms whose rain-forest shower has three glass sides. (Don't worry there are blinds for the more modest among us.)
This hotel is a good choice for visitors interested in catching a game or concert, with the Air Canada Centre, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey) and the Raptors (basketball), as well as events and shows just across the street. Either property is a quick cab ride from the gay village centered along Church Street in downtown. Both are also close to Toronto City Centre Airport, on an island in Lake Ontario -- a quick ferry ride across a narrow channel -- which is one of the only major city airports you can actually walk to from downtown. (Right: view of the Air Canada Centre from the hotel.)
Fly 3.5-year-old, stylish Porter Airlines in from major east coast hubs. You'll love the swank interior, the flight attendants' pill box hats and jaunty kerchiefs, the actual glassware used for beverage service, and the complimentary (and tasty) snacks served free even on short flights.
More Canada trip-planning info:
- Toronto's tourism authority provides lots of great trip-planning information both mainstream and gay.
- If your Canadian travels take you to Montreal, too, be sure to visit our Out Guide before your trip!
Story and images by Ed Salvato; Above: at 1,815 feet, the CN Tower is the world's tallest tower
The Canadian Groupe Germain consists of Germain Boutique Hotels, Alt Hotels, and other businesses. I recently visited two of their properties in Toronto.
Hotel Le Germain Toronto provides a lovely blend of urban sophistication for a visitor to Toronto with plenty of amenities harried business travelers love, including a delicious breakfast (with warm, mouthwatering croissants), an adequate gym (with a small but fun putting green), an espresso maker in the lobby, and WiFi all free of charge. The public spaces -- all warm, masculine woods with splashes of feminine color -- are inviting, with plush seating and lots of table and counter space to spread out for some work or impromptu meetings. The rooms boasts one of the best rain-forest showers in town.
Victor, the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, offers topnotch service and an inventive contemporary cuisine celebrating a wide range of Toronto's multi-ethnic influences. The restaurant is proud to use locally sourced ingredients from organic and eco-friendly suppliers.
The newest Groupe Germain property is the 167-room Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, located in a downtown site experiencing an explosion of growth, just steps away from Union Station, the center of Toronto's transit hub. It was all hard hats and site plans (see photo, left, of travel journalists on a recent tour of the property), but the tour included a model room, which was gorgeously designed, including sparkling bathrooms whose rain-forest shower has three glass sides. (Don't worry there are blinds for the more modest among us.)
This hotel is a good choice for visitors interested in catching a game or concert, with the Air Canada Centre, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey) and the Raptors (basketball), as well as events and shows just across the street. Either property is a quick cab ride from the gay village centered along Church Street in downtown. Both are also close to Toronto City Centre Airport, on an island in Lake Ontario -- a quick ferry ride across a narrow channel -- which is one of the only major city airports you can actually walk to from downtown. (Right: view of the Air Canada Centre from the hotel.)
Fly 3.5-year-old, stylish Porter Airlines in from major east coast hubs. You'll love the swank interior, the flight attendants' pill box hats and jaunty kerchiefs, the actual glassware used for beverage service, and the complimentary (and tasty) snacks served free even on short flights.
More Canada trip-planning info:
- Toronto's tourism authority provides lots of great trip-planning information both mainstream and gay.
- If your Canadian travels take you to Montreal, too, be sure to visit our Out Guide before your trip!
