The famous Four Seasons Hotel chain is based in Toronto; reason enough to check out its Yorkville digs and do some star gazing (21 Avenue Road, +14169640411, www.fourseasons.com/toronto, $285-$570). Le Royal Meridien King Edward boasts a four-storey lobby decked out in marble columns dripping in chandeliers (37 King Street East, +14168630888, www.toronto.lemeridien.com, $200-$450). At the swanky new boutique Hotel Le Germain Toronto (30 Mercer Street, +14163459500, www.germaintoronto.com, $220-$295) guests enjoy the peek-a-boo blinds dividing bedroom and bath. Close by is another new boutique hotel, SoHo Metropolitan (318 Wellington Street, +14165998800, www.metropolitan.com/soho, $350-$650). Generously sized rooms feature minimalist but cosy décor, and the on-site Senses restaurant is recommended.

When it opened in 1929, it was the tallest building in the Commonwealth and the grand dame allure continues at the 1,376-room Fairmont Royal York Hotel across the street from Union Station (100 Front Street, +14163682511, www.fairmont.com/royalyork, $199-$469). You might get beyond first base checking into the Renaissance Toronto Hotel (1 Blue Jays Way, +14163417100, marriott.com/renaissancehotels, $249-$579) at the Rogers Centre where some rooms look out onto the baseball diamond. A new addition to high-end hotels is the Pantages Suites Hotel Spa (210 Victoria Street, +14163621777, www.pantageshotel.com, $149-$309) with features like washer/dryer in every room, yoga mats and a meditation TV channel.

For more affordable accommodation, the Delta Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard Street, +14165951975, www.deltahotels.com) is kid-friendly and has a range of restaurants from food court to fine dining. Howard Johnson Downtown (89 Avenue Road, +14169641220) puts you into Yorkville at a budget rate. If you like to sleep where you party, check in to the new 19-room Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West, +14165315042, www.thedrakehotel.ca, $149-$259) for a taste of Queen Street bohemia. Two blocks west, the century-old Gladstone Hotel has upgraded tastefully, with new artist-designed rooms and three bars for downstairs diversion (1214 Queen Street West, +14165314635, www.gladstonehotel.com, $150-$250).

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