A pair of luxury hotels in Toronto and New York City are the newest properties to receive the AAA Diamond Program’s highest designation. The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto and Waldorf Astoria in New York City have earned AAA Five Diamonds for their stunning surroundings, thoughtful amenities, and unparalleled service, the Canadian Automobile Association and the American Automobile Association announced. I haven’t been to the recently renovated Waldorf in Manhattan, but I’ve stayed at the Hazelton Hotel in Toronto’s trendy Yorkville district a couple of times, and dined there on several occasions. It’s an elegant property that definitely worthy of Five-Diamond Read more
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NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO, CANADA – There’s a stylish, new place to stay in one of the most popular destinations on the planet. The new Hyatt Regency Fallsview in Niagara Falls takes the falls to a new level of sophistication, with a sleek, modern design, enormous rooms, a fabulous steakhouse and, yes, unbeatable views of the world-renowned falls. My wife and I recently stayed the night to see what Hyatt (which is aiming to double its footprint across Canada by the end of this year) was up to, and to have a look around and see what’s new in the area Read more
It’s not the easiest time to sell a U.S. destination in Canada. But Visit Florida folks are a determined bunch. The new head of the group charged with boosting tourism to the Sunshine State, Visit Florida President and CEO Bryan Griffin, was in Toronto this week to chat about the state’s ongoing efforts to keep Canadian travellers heading south. I sat down with him for a one-on-one chat that covered off everything from lesser-known corners of the state to explore to Michelin restaurants. And, of course, the ongoing problem of diminished Canadian visitation to Florida. “This is part of my Read more
WELLINGTON, ONTARIO – Cheeky, fun and off the charts on the vibrancy meter. A stay at the Drake Motor Inn is like a designer vacation amidst the superb quiet of Prince Edward County. My wife and I recently had a fine evening at this uber-trendy spot a couple hours east of Toronto, as well as a truly memorable meal at the restaurant at the Drake Devonshire Inn, their equally buzzworthy sister place a few steps down the road. The sense of playfulness begins before you even enter the motor inn, especially if you come up Wharf Street from the “downtown” Read more
With Canadians increasingly interested in staying home for their vacations this year, a new report from KAYAK finds that domestic airfare prices are up 70% so far in 2026. It’s normal for domestic flights to increase in price in spring and summer as compared with winter, when Canadians tend to seek warmer climates. But the KAYAK study finds it’s a pretty serious increase; an average hike of $158 for flights between Canadian destinations. Not only are prices up 70% from January, but domestic airfares in Canada are up 26% in April of this year, compared to the same month in Read more
