Recently in Toronto Category

It's a wireless world, where staying connected is as easy as picking up your smartphone. With the release of the all-new SPG® app for BlackBerry®, Starwood Preferred Guest® members can manage their travels on-the-go. The new app enables members to search more than 1,000 hotels and resorts across nine brands, including Sheraton®, Westin®, W®, Aloft(SM) and more. Members can access their accounts, book stays, check reservations, get directions, view maps and more. Suppose you're relaxing in the gorgeous lobby lounge of Le Méridien King Edward in Toronto when you get the urge for a serious change in latitude. With just a few clicks, you can search and book a stay at the Westin Maui. And if you're suddenly inspired to visit Tokyo as you're sipping a poolside cocktail, you can use your free hand to search and book a stay at the Sheraton Miyako Hotel. How's that for convenient?

And to celebrate the new launch, members who download the app from BlackBerry App World™ and log-in using their SPG.com username and passcode by September 30, 2010 will be entered to win 100,000 Starpoints®! Two winners will be drawn at random. Official rules can be found at spg.com/BBsweepsterms.

No BlackBerry? Discover all the ways to stay connected with SPG at spg.com/stayconnected.

SPG's Passport to Free Weekends contest is officially underway! The first mystery property was revealed yesterday, May 12, as the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel! One of the 10 winners of two Free Weekend Nights was John (pictured), who was able to visit the hotel's lobby and ask for his "Free Weekends Passports Photo" in order to claim the prize.

Located in the city's vibrant business and entertainment district, the Sheraton Centre Toronto is just minutes from Toronto's greatest attractions including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the CN Tower, one of the clues from yesterday. There's plenty to see in the hotel itself, from its 2.5 acre waterfall garden in the lobby to the Senses Spa & Massage Clinic to the city's largest year-round indoor/outdoor pool.

The good news is that the hunt has just begun! There are 9 more days of the game, so there's plenty of time to win two Free Weekend Night Awards. To play, either "like" Starwood Preferred Guest on Facebook, or follow @spginsider on Twitter to receive a series of clues that point you toward the mystery property of the day. If you're one of the first ten to arrive, you'll get a pair of Free Weekend Night Awards that can be redeemed at more than 920 Starwood hotels and resorts around the world through December 19, 2010. Check Facebook and Twitter for the most recent clues and to start playing!

At long last, summer has finally arrived, and if you're searching for destination ideas for your first getaway this season, may we recommend a jaunt up to Toronto? This vibrant metropolis on the shores of Lake Ontario is brimming with life during the warm weather months, with sidewalk cafes, urban parks, and scores of cultural events providing visitors with endless ways to while away the time. As it happens, the Westin Prince, Toronto is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. Start your summer off with a bang with a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum - Canada's largest museum - or a trip up to the observation deck of the CN Tower, the highest completed tower in the world. Peruse the upscale shops at Hazelton Lanes, or laugh until your belly aches at a Second City performance, where the current and future stars of comedy and improv present their latest material. But do save some time to explore the hotel, which sits on 15 acres of magnificent parkland, with tennis courts, an outdoor pool (pictured), and wooded walking paths. When dinnertime rolls around, feast on continental cuisine at Seasons at the Prince restaurant, or enjoy Japanese specialties at the Katsura Restaurant, with special tapanyaki tables that add a theatrical element to the dining experience. Of course, the Westin Prince is just one of dozens of Starpicks properties this week, so check the list for the destination of your dreams.

Toronto is Canada's most cosmopolitan city, drawing millions of travelers each year to enjoy its many museums, parks, and cultural landmarks. With summer just around the corner, there's no better time than now for a visit to the the center of Canada's Golden Horseshoe, especially when there are great offers to be had on premier hotels. That's right, Le Méridien King Edward is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends, so it won't take much to escape to this jewel of a city on Lake Ontario. Nestled in Toronto's financial district, the hotel is a half block from the subway and walking distance from attractions like the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Hockey Hall of Fame, where fans can check out hockey memorabilia and swoon at a replica of the Stanley Cup. After an active day of sightseeing in this eminently walkable city, guests can soothe their weary muscles at the chic European-inspired Nouvelle Maria Spa and Salon on the hotel's mezzanine level, followed by a meal of seasonal cuisine made from local ingredients at Victoria's restaurant, where fine artwork adorns the walls. It's an elegant way to end the perfect day. New Starpicks properties are posted every Tuesday, so check the list to find the destination of your desires.