Situated on Lake Ontario, Toronto, Canada's largest and most cosmopolitan city, has a vibrant waterfront and an exciting mix of cultures. It also offers a huge range of attractions including theatres, concert halls, clubs and galleries, as well as funky shops, trendy bars and smart restaurants.

THE HAZELTON HOTEL
118 Yorkville Avenue (001 416 963 6300; www.thehazeltonhotel.com). This is the first five-star hotel in Toronto and harnesses top local talents with Yabu Pushelberg interiors and a Mark McEwan restaurant. ££

HOTEL LE GERMAIN
30 Mercer Street, Toronto, Canada (00 1 416 345 9500; fax: 345 9501; http://www.germaintoronto.com/en/accueil.asp). Toronto has been waiting too long for a hotel like Le Germain, which opened in spring 2003. Designed by Lemay-Michaud Architecture and Design, the glass front and red brick of the 122-room hotel stands out from the grey surroundings of Toronto's downtown. The lobby, with its high-ceilinged library, soft white couches and double-sided fireplace, makes it worth checking in just to hang out there. It's so gorgeous that people on the street stand and gawp. Le Germain's generously proportioned rooms are decorated in restrained tones of brown, beige and green, and cheered up by James Lahey's tulip photographs. Two of the city's top restaurateurs, Guy and Michael Rubino are responsible for the restaurant, Luce. Le Germain was featured in The Hot List 2004. £

LE ROYAL MERIDIEN KING EDWARD
37 King Street East, Toronto M5C 1E9 (00 1 416 863 9700;fax: 416 367 5515; www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien). Opened in 1903, Le Royal Meridien King Edward is a comfortably large, grand, traditional hotel located in the heart of Toronto's financial district. Many of the hotel's original features have been lovingly maintained. All rooms and suites are luxuriously furnished and well-appointed with Internet connection, voicemail, 24-hour room service and more. The hotel restaurant, Cafe Victoria, serves one of the best Sunday brunches in Toronto. Facilities include an extensive fitness centre, 'Le Fitness', and the Nouvelle Maria Health Spa. With two ballrooms, 12 conference rooms and a business centre, the hotel is perfectly situated to business guests. £

THE FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK
100 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 1E3 (00 1 416 368 2511; fax: 368 9040; www.fairmont.com). Vast Toronto landmark that is a world unto itself, with something of the atmosphere of an ocean-going liner. This giant hotel has 1,365 rooms, 85 of them on the executive Fairmont Gold Floors and seven restaurants, all with wireless internet. £

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
21 Avenue Road (00 1 416 964 0411; fax: 964 2301; www.fourseasons.com). Boasts a very contemporary aesthetic. The hotel is bigger than it appears, with 380 rooms, including 150 suites. The restaurant Truffles serves contemporary French cuisine and is one of the finest in the city. Avenue bar is a magnet for Martini-sipping fabulosi. The views are among the best in Toronto; on a clear day you can see all the way across Lake Ontario from the top floors. £

PARK HYATT TORONTO
4 Avenue Road (00 1 416 925 1234; fax: 924 4933; www.parktoronto.hyatt.com). Extensive improvements to Toronto's Park Hyatt have resulted in a luxurious, chintzy interior. The service is friendly and accommodating: guests want for nothing. The hotel's restaurant is known for its extensive wine list and fine, seafood-based cooking. Make sure you stop for drinks at the cosy Roof Lounge for superb views over the lake. The hotel's Stillwater Spa is probably the best in downtown Toronto. ££

SOHO METROPOLITAN
318 Wellington Street West (00 1 416 599 8800; fax: 599 8801; www.soho.metropolitan.com). Opening in spring 2003, The SoHo Metropolitan has earned a deserved reputation for conscientious service. It is well-sitauted downtown, close to major attractions such as the landmark CN Tower and the Harbourfront district on Lake Ontario. The food is also pretty good: Claudio Aprile, the Uruguayan chef at Senses Restaurant, used to work at The Sugar Club in London. Don't miss breakfast and pastries from the famous Senses Bakery downstairs. £

WINDSOR ARMS HOTEL
18 St Thomas Street (00 1 416 971 9666; www.windsorarmshotel.com). A hushed retreat with rich wood detailing and one of the city's best spas.

CARENS WINE AND CHEESE BAR
158 Cumberland Street (00 1 416 962 5158; www.carenswineandcheese.com). This is an intimate hideaway with leather-walled interiors, a lovely back patio and cheese platters rather than the usual tapas.

JAMIE KENNEDY AT THE GARDINER
111 Queen's Park (00 1 416 362 1957; www.jamiekennedy.ca). The Toronto chef's third restaurant opened last year in the revamped Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. At lunch, Ontario wines are paired with local ingredients and there is a prix fixe dinner on Fridays.

TRUFFLES RESTAURANT
Four Seasons, 21 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2G1 (00 1 416 964 0411; fax: 964 2301; www.fourseasons.com). Excellent but expensive. See Where to Stay.

SOUTHERN ACCENT
595 Markham Street (00 1 416 536 3211). An old Victorian row-house refitted as a Louisiana restaurant serving Cajun and Creole-style cuisine. Full of atmosphere. An experience rather than a 'must-do' for gourmets.

GOLDFISH
372 Bloor Street West. Contemporary, chic and serving the likes of tuna steak and salsa, squid, and piquant root vegetable salads.

OLIVE AND LEMON
119 Harbord Street (00 1 416 923 3188). Modern Italian cuisine - including great risottos and fish dishes - in a sleek setting.

DOWNTOWN
Toronto's vibrant downtown area is where you will find the bustling financial district, a thriving theatre land (Toronto claims to have the world's third largest live theatre industry, after London and New York), the massive Rogers Centre (a stadium boasting the world's first retractable roof, www.rogerscentre.com) and the Hockey Hall of Fame, another mecca for sports fans.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
100 Queen's Park (00 1 416 586 8000; www.rom.on.ca). Daniel Libeskind's wing at the Royal Ontario Museum is a spectacular, aluminium-and-glass 'crystal' jutting out of the original building.

WATERFRONT
Visit the Harbourfront Centre, a former warehouse which has been converted into a complex of shops, restaurants and a theatre. At the Harbourfront Antique Market you will find a huge collection of antiques and collectibles. In summer, head to the Toronto Islands for a picnic; this 5km sandbar juts out into the city's harbour.

AIRPORT
Lester B. Pearson International is approximately 25km northwest of the city centre.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
Air Canada (08705 247 226; www.aircanada.ca), British Airways (0845 779 9977; www.britishairways.com) and Virgin Atlantic (01293 747 747; www.virgin-atlantic.com) all fly from the UK to Toronto.

Toronto is best visited during the spring and autumn; winters are severe and summers can be extremely hot.

The Visitor Information Centre is situated in the city's Convention Centre at 255 Front St West - a couple of minutes' walk west from Union Station. Open daily; May-Sept, 8am-8pm; Oct-April, 9am-6pm.

Visit torontotourism.com