Family Vacations in Toronto Archives - Page 8 of 13

Community Events, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Neighbourhood Guide: The Toronto Beaches

July 3, 2015

The summer season is one the best times to be in Toronto yet sometimes, city living in the summer can be hot, muggy and crowded (even though our short term rentals Toronto are centrally located). The Toronto Beaches (or “The Beach,” as it has been intensely debated), located on the eastern edges of the Greater Toronto Region is one of those neighbourhoods which feels like a little village, enabling you to escape the city without having to leave it. Here are a few of our favourite things to do if you have a day to explore the Toronto Beaches.

1. Explore the Martin Goodman Trail. The trail extends from east to west from the three separate parts of the beach along the lakeshore: Balmy, Kew, and Woodbine. The best way to see this is by biking if you’re coming from our furnished apartment rentals at our downtown locations. That said, you can easily walk, run, or rollerblade the three beaches. If you map this out with a few key pit stops in between to picnic or to go to a restaurant on Queen Street East, this is a scenic way to explore the city.

2. Swim! Though the water is deemed safe by the Toronto Department of Public Health (you can check for updates here and on your smartphone), you can also take the opportunity to swim at the Donald D. Summerville Olympic pool. Located at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and in the heart of Woodbine Beach, the pool is currently undergoing a $3.75 million capital renovation project to be completed in time for the Pan Am Games. If you are here for a longer term stay with your family or you like to swim, you may want to consider enrolling your kids in the Toronto Swim Summer Camp, or as an adult, enrol in the masters swim program or triathlon club.

3. Volleyball. If you pass by the western edge of Woodbine Beach, also known as Ashbridge’s Bay, you’re lucky to see rows of volleyball nets with lively players jumping up to the net with the music blaring to the skies. Want to go beyond people watching and try your hand at a spike? Check out the Ashbridge’s Bay Beach Volleyball Team or find a league through Beach Blast or the Ontario Volleyball Organization.

4. Events. The Toronto Beaches are home to many events, especially in the summertime. The biggest event is the Beaches Jazz Festival in

Boardwalk- Woodbine beach, Toronto | Photo Credit: Don Gunn

mid-July, which spans for two weeks. All event listings are here.

5. Watch a Movie. Beyond the boardwalk is a lively strip on Queen Street full of businesses, including the Fox Theatre. Located on the fringe of the Beach, this repertory theatre has been in business for over a century and is another way to discover the area and also watch a good film that you may have missed in the theatres.

Whether you’re living in Scarborough, Mississauga, Markham or North York, the Toronto Beaches are a wonderful area to explore and come back to from time to time when you want to escape the “city.”

Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Food & Recipes

Our Top New Places to Eat in Toronto Now

June 18, 2015

Over the past 8 years, Toronto has rapidly risen its reputation as one of the best cities in the world in which to live, mainly in part due to becoming a destination for a variety of quality restaurants that range in tastes, cultures, and flavours. The best part? They are in short distance of your furnished rental in the metropolis. 2015 has been an exceptional year for many anticipated openings. Here are our favourite eateries and places to eat in Toronto this year, thus far.

1. Bar Raval
Following his success at one of our top ten favourite restaurants, Bar Isabel, Chef Grant van Gameren’s Bar Raval was most anticipated opening of the year and it has not disappointed his loyal following. Those who have ever had to wait for a seat at Bar Isabel can now chow down on Gameren’s pinxtos at his stand up bar, morning, noon, and night. The shrimp and cream pinxtos and the Galician octopus are standout dishes. As much as the bar is adored for the food, the architecture by the firm, Partisans, is just as much of a highlight with its all encompassing wooden curves, bars, and peek-a-boo hideouts.

2. La Carnita Eastside
The neighbourhood of Leslieville has embraced La Carnita’s second location in the east and it’s a quick streetcar ride over the bridge across the Don River from your furnished apartment in Toronto. The funky Mexican eatery is serving up the classics like their fish tacos and feature daily specials which range from arctic char and chicken tostadas to shrimp tacos.

3. Dailo
Easily walkable from our downtown furnished suites, Dailo is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion. The Asian-American infused menu bursts with flavour and texture. Try the fried watermelon, the shrimp and the crispy Argentenian red shrimp served with kimchi grits, and tom yum buerre blanc. The 90 day aged rib eye from Oliffe butchers is served with bok choy, radish, soy pickled mushroom, and Asian chimichurri. It is great to share with a group and well worth the indulgence.

4. R&D
This brand new restaurant on Spadina from Masterchef Canada winner, Eric Chong and his mentor, Alvin Leung, is breathing new life for experimentation in the old Strada 241.You’ll be hungry after a short walk from our properties such as the Icon, 300 Front St. and the Element. The Peking duck and lobster chow mein were some of the twists on Chong’s dishes he made for the competition show and getting rave reviews.

What are your favourite new restaurants and places to eat in Toronto? What are your favourite places near your DelSuites home away from home?

Business Travel, Community Events, Customer Service Experience, Downtown Toronto Condos, Family Vacations in Toronto, Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

Advantages to Living in a Furnished Condo

June 12, 2015

Moving into a new place or city can elicit both emotions of excitement and anxiety, especially if it is unfurnished. There can be an additional consideration given to decorating your own place. This transition can be fraught with feeling overwhelmed, especially if you are relocating to Toronto or if you have been displaced from your home due to a fire or flood. The advantage of staying with DelSuites is that our apartments and townhomes are furnished in modern decor as with an efficient and practical layout. Here are a few more advantages of living in a furnished condo and what you can expect from our award-winning services:

1. No worries. Having a furnished rental means you are relieved of the worries associated with furnishing. No moving. No worrying about decor or dimensions. No moving costs or having to figure out who will help you move. From airport pick up and drop off to taking care of your family needs, Delsuites makes you feel at home, stress free!

2. Everything is set up for you. Delsuites furnished suites are all designed with modern decor. Everything is set up according to the dimensions of the apartment. This way, if you’re not of a design mindset, we’ve hired the experts to make sure where you live is comfortable, easy, stylishing and relaxed. You also don’t have to worry about buying anything else because it’s already been done! (Not to mention that your bed is already made for you!)

3. Housekeeping included. One of the big advantages of living in a furnished condo is that if you are busy and on the go, whether you’re an executive or traveling for leisure, is our housekeeping services. Once a week, at a scheduled time, your apartment will be cleaned and tidy. Another bonus is that you don’t have to do your laundry anywhere either. It’s ensuite!

4. Ease of Meeting Neighbours. Since you are located in a property with various amenities like a fitness centre, outdoor deck and swimming pool, or party/billiards room, it is quite easy to encounter and befriend your neighbours. Many of our clients may be in similar situations such as relocation or displacement so it will be easier to bond over these shared situations.

5. All Inclusive Rates. Delsuites has all-inclusive rates so you’ll also get other amenities included in your rental including 24/hour security, an exercise/party room, and with many properties, an outdoor pool or lounge (not to mention being located in central and accessible locations, as per our above points).

Do you like living in a furnished condo, or rental? Why?

Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Relocation, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

5 Benefits of Travelling Light While on Business

June 3, 2015

As the cost of travelling continues to rise (especially in air-travel), it becomes more essential to pack light and smart, especially if you are on a business trip and on-the-go. Whether you are staying with us for a short-term stay in our furnished apartments in Toronto, we’ve come up with five benefits of why travelling light will help you.

1. Travelling Light Saves You Time and Money When you only have one carry-on, you don’t have to pay the $25 + checked baggage fee nor do you have to wait at baggage claim for your carry-on (which reduces your time to transfer in destination). At check-in, you can also reduce your time in long lines by pre-checking your boarding pass and entering in your info at a kiosk rather than waiting to get your baggage tagged.

2. Lost Luggage Worries are Gone When you only have one bag or carry-on, you don’t have to worry about it getting lost, delayed, damaged (or worse, stolen). According to the L.A. Times, The total number of bags that were lost, delayed or damaged by airlines around the world were 22 million in 2013 (a 17% reduction from 2012 but there is still a long way to go).

3. Easy Navigation Within Big Cities In a large metropolis like Toronto, you can easily get to the airport via public transport. If you have a bigger bag or more than one bag, however, it will be a more difficult to navigate on a crowded bus or subway. Travelling light enables you to walk through busy train stations, airports, and downtown streets with ease. In many train stations, you also have to take the stairs, which is a simpler task than with a heavy bag or more than one bag/suitcase. Luckily, we do have complimentary airport transportation services as part of our services if you chose to stay with us.

4. You Pack the Essentials Packing light forces you to decide which items are necessary for your trip in addition to simplifying your daily routine of figuring out what to wear each day. If you are traveling on business, choose neutrals to build a base. For instance a crisp white shirt which you can easily iron in your suite, a suit, and a black pair of shoes. You can tuck socks into your shoes to save room when packing and keep your toiletry kit to one simple bag either in the corner of your bag or in an easy to find-pocket of your luggage. (Remember: any liquids in your carry-on can be no more than 100 ml.) Packing smarter also enables you to find your things more quickly. A messenger back or lap-top bag is also efficient when you have to take it out during the customs and security check.

5. Flexibility If your flight or trip gets cancelled or delayed, you don’t have to worry about where your luggage is located. You also don’t have to worry about being able to navigate somewhere nearby because you packed light. For a business traveller, you can immediately take your belongings with you if you have to go straight to the office.

Packing light enables efficiency, cost-savings and flexibility. Do you pack light? What are your favourite benefits of packing light?

Business Travel, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Relocation

5 Misconceptions About Short-Term Condo Rentals Toronto

May 20, 2015

As property development and construction in Toronto has increased so has the need for Short-Term Housing and Condominium Rentals. This concept is still relatively new and thus, there can be many misconceptions. We wanted to clear up the misconceptions and myths of short-term condo rentals Toronto and stays for a better understanding of the industry.

1. Short-Term Condo Rentals Toronto Minimum Stays
Though “short-term” can mean for less than a week or two in our lexicon, DelSuites minimum stay for their short-term stays are 30 nights. This may sound like a hefty amount for some but if you need a place to stay while you are settling in the city or on business, this minimum day stay will assure you you’ll have a place to call home away from home. Unlike a hotel, you can get to know your neighbours and you never have to move in and out in that 30 day period – lugging around your luggage if you are travelling to and from Toronto. You retain possession of the suite and can leave your luggage at home for the entire 30 nights.

2. Short-Term Condo Rentals Toronto are not Furnished
DelSuites apartments are always fully furnished in modern furnishings and decor. Not only do you have your basic amenities but you also get the extras like kitchen appliances, plates, utensils, cleaning supplies, and more. You even have a start up supply of laundry and dish detergent for your en-suite laundry. As opposed to looking for a new apartment in the city and dealing with buying your own furniture or the hassle of a laundromat, DelSuites has you covered.

3. Short-Term Condo Rentals Toronto Don’t Come With the Extras
Though this may be true for some short-term condo rental companies, DelSuites has plenty of amenities. Concierge to help you with any of your needs? Check. Fitness Facilities? Check. Complimentary Wifi and Cable? Check. Grocery services from Real Food Toronto? Check. Airport Pick-up or Drop-Off Service? Check. Welcome Gift for every Child to help settle them in? Check. We’ve taken care of all of the details so you can arrive safe and relaxed.

4. Short Term Rentals are Not Clean or Well Maintained
We have a cleaning staff that come in once a week to ensure that your apartment or suite is spick and span. Unlike hotel cleaning staff when you don’t know when they’ll be coming on a daily basis, our staff are appointed a specific day to come in to clean from 9am to 5pm and can even work around your schedule.

5. Short Term Rental Costs
Though furnished apartments may seem costly for a short-term stay, when you factor in the costs (housekeeping, free wifi, laundry, a fully stocked kitchen, etc.), the costs can turn out to be less than staying in a hotel. Hotel rooms are usually just that – a room – so if you were to get a suite, a furnished apartment is better value. If you are in the midst of a relocation, DelSuites is a one-stop shop and less cost than a consultant.

Have you ever stayed in a short-term rental? What was your experience and are these misconceptions true? What have you found to be misconceptions about short-term condominium rentals? Discuss! And if you ever have any questions, please contact us at 416.296.8838 or email us at info@delsuites.com

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