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Toronto in Eight Quirky Local Museums

June 29, 2022

Toronto local museums photo by Jeff Smith on Unsplash

Local museums can be the best part of a trip abroad: an afternoon of culture you can’t find anywhere else. Fun, affordable, and frequently family-friendly, they’re a great way to find the more laid-back and local side of a city.

If you’re an art-lover, history buff, doing it for the ‘Gram, or just like getting a little culture while you get your steps in, here are some of Toronto’s best lesser-known museums.

Mackenzie House

It’s not everywhere that a city’s first mayor was also its most famous—and failed—revolutionary. Tucked between hospitals, hotels, and high-rises, Mackenzie House—William Lyon Mackenzie’s original 1858 townhouse—is a downtown shrine to Victorian Toronto.

Come for practical tips on daily 1800s life, stay for the political scandals and century-old spicy opinions. Features: a working 180-year-old printing press you can try yourself. 82 Bond Street.

Market Gallery at St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Market is one of Toronto’s most famous foodie attractions. But it’s also home to a lesser-known local history museum and gallery on the second floor—a space that held Toronto’s first City Hall and was lost behind boarded-up doors until the 1970s. (Yes, you can lose an entire City Hall.)

The Market Gallery hosts rotating exhibits from the City’s fine art collection and notes on the historic architecture. Start with a little culture, end it with a sandwich. 2nd Floor, St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front Street East.

The Myseum of Toronto

One of the quirkiest museums Toronto’s got, Myseum is a year-round, city-wide project produced and hosted all around the city. The result? Something that’s part art collective, part distributed historical museum, made of crowdsourced collections and digital walking tours.

While most of their past exhibits are available online, new ones are mounted annually in locations around the city–usually starting in April.

Spadina House

The closest thing to Toronto’s version of Downton Abbey! Spadina House shows off early 1900s Toronto in a sprawling, elegant hilltop mansion—complete with servants’ quarters and evolving architectural décor.

The five-acre grounds, though, are a feature all by themselves, including gardens and a heritage apple orchard that hosts everything from events to autumn cider festivals. Features: Close enough to Casa Loma to make a day of it. 285 Spadina Road.

The Textile Museum of Canada

A favourite of costumers and fashionistas alike, The Textile Museum takes a subject that feels niche—the art and history of fabric—and makes it fascinating. Behind an anonymous side-street door lurks five floors of textile history, modern art, event space, and programs—complete with a gift shop.

With collections that start local and stretch to Peru, China, and Serbia, there’s something for everyone, even if they’re not an enthusiastic crafter. 55 Centre Avenue.

The Toronto Railway Museum

Model railroad fans unite! And—regular railroad fans too. The Toronto Railway Museum packs historical trains, a train-driving simulator, and lots of information into an indoor-outdoor exhibit space. There’s a steady collection of artifacts inside: maps, tools, dishes, and uniforms used by conductors past.

While small, it’s conveniently tucked away right beside the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and Ripley’s Aquarium on the waterfront—so there are lots of options for a full day out. Features: A mini-train ride. Because nobody says no to tiny train rides. 255 Bremner Boulevard.

The Bata Shoe Museum

While this attraction has a little more profile than the rest, it’s not every day that a city devotes a whole museum to—shoes. Open since 1995, The Bata Shoe Museum grew from the private collection of shoe company executive Sonja Bata: a trove of rare and traditional footwear from around the world.

The result? A fascinating mix of modern couture, ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Italian artifacts, history, and celebrity kicks. And a sometimes surprising social insight into how they’re all connected. Features: Enough glitter for your fashionista friends, and enough depth for an anthropologist. 327 Bloor Street West.

Riverdale Farm

Sometimes you just need to have a cow. Or some goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and horses.

Riverdale Farm is the destination for downtowners who really just need something fluffy to pet. Part working farm, part historic Victorian site for learning about rural life, the farm dates back to 1849. Features: tobogganing hills, hiking trails, a wading pool, picnic areas, and year-round crafts. And the best part for families: admission is always free. 201 Winchester Street.

The authentic Toronto neighbourhood experience deserves a Toronto neighbourhood stay. Call DelSuites at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can open Toronto up for you to discover.

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Toronto Entertainment, toronto toursim, Vacation Travel

DelSuites Gets You In the Action for Toronto Pride Month

May 24, 2022

Toronto Pride hotel photo by Rosemary Ketchum on Pexels.

Toronto Pride is back! After two years of distanced activities and shifting online, festivals are back on in the City of Toronto, and Pride 2022 is going to be bigger, better, and more glamorous than ever.

Toronto is home to one of the biggest Pride Months in North America—and one of the most diverse. There are events, parties, and celebrations of all things queer from the flag-raising on June 1^st to the full festival weekend on June 24-26.

If you’re gearing up to get the most out of Pride Month, here’s how DelSuites helps you really enjoy the party.

Stay as close to the action as you want

Some people like to be right in the centre of things. And some—don’t. Staying with DelSuites gives you the choice to get as much quiet—or as much excitement—as you want. With locations scattered through downtown Toronto, you can stay a heartbeat from the party—or a dozen walkable blocks away, for quieter nights.

While the main festival’s one weekend, our theatre district buildings put you in a prime location for major Pride Month events, like Cabana Pool Bar’s massive drag pool party and a full-day party on the Toronto Islands.

And since a DelSuites furnished rental has a minimum of 30 nights, it’s the ideal home base to take in both Pride events and enjoy Toronto’s lakefront neighbourhoods, great food, good vibes, and summer fun.

Go big for Toronto Pride

One thing a DelSuites Pride Month rental gives you is room to spread your wings. Our private, fully-furnished rental suites include everything—and we mean everything—you need to set up for Pride Month.

Your space comes with a full ensuite laundry, multiple bathrooms, and a fully stocked kitchen with pots, pans, dishes, cutlery, and more. Our regular housekeeping service and our linens and towels service keep your space smelling flower fresh. Wide, sunny balconies let you soak up some sun—or have romantic evening drinks.

Your suite lets you access all of our buildings’ common amenities: you can keep up your workout routine, have a swim, or host a big rooftop brunch for all your friends.

If you’re driving to Pride, our units have secure, assigned indoor parking spaces so you can park stress-free—and explore beyond Toronto city limits.

And if you’re putting in remote hours at work, we’ve got reliable wifi internet and North American long-distance calling included. Luxurious living rooms and full cable packages let you get comfortable with a movie when it’s time for a night in.

Stay together and save

Pride’s better when we do it together—and more people can make it to the party when your stay costs less.

Our two- and three-bedroom suites open Pride Month up for everyone who wants to be there. Multiple spacious bedrooms and bathrooms help you split space with friends—and keep enough privacy to stay friends afterwards.

If you are on a budget, our full kitchens give you the option of eating in, not just in restaurants—or treating each other to a home-cooked breakfast.

And with many of our units featuring pullout couches, you’ve got a safe space for someone to spend the night if it’s too late to get home.

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However your Pride looks, we want to make it a month to remember. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can host you for Toronto Pride.

Downtown Toronto, Toronto Condos

Returning to the Office Flexibly with Furnished Rentals

April 5, 2022

Returning to the office photo by Cadeau Maestro from Pexels

Spring is here, and Torontonians are returning to the office—at least for a few days a week. With Ontario’s COVID mandates loosening, companies that worked remotely for the past two years are calling their teams back into downtown offices.

It’s created a dilemma for the hundreds of Torontonians who traded a hectic life downtown for more space in smaller towns or suburbs—enough that some are seeking second homes downtown or signing year-long micro-condo leases to be close to work again.

But before you jump into a major financial commitment: a furnished condo rental can help you balance today’s work expectations and the long-term plans you’ve been making.

Here’s why long-term furnished rentals are the perfect solution for navigating the transition back to office work: stress-free, affordably, and in style.

Stay flexible in a changing work world

Mandates may be lifting, but public health officials have warned us that COVID isn’t over—and today’s reopening plans can change in a heartbeat.

It’s not just another COVID wave that could change things. While some companies may want teams back in the office, they’re facing real resistance: 25% of Canadians solved huge life problems with remote work, and aren’t ready to give it up.

So while returning to the office is the reality now, many companies are using this spring as a testing period for new work situations. Hybrid work, most analysts agree, is the future; it’s just a question of what that balance will look like—and no one has the answer yet.

While companies—and the job market—figure out the mix that works for everyone, it’s worthwhile to be flexible and think long-term. While it’s tempting to commit to a separate downtown lease or buy a second property, it might be premature. One job change, policy change, or COVID spike can see you saddled with an expensive second lease—or worse, having rented your own home to tenants for a long year.

A long-term furnished rental apartment is a chance to stay comfortable, but stay flexible. With locations in the heart of not just downtown’s business district, but the tech haven of Markham Centre and the up-and-coming Scarborough business district, we’re close to where you work.

With stays that start at 30 nights—and discounts for longer—we’re a more agile, responsive way to figure out how hybrid work actually fits in your life. Our flexible stays let you extend your stay as long as you need, or work out the right check-out date if your circumstances change. And if you find yourself needing space in a hurry, our online booking portal can have you walking through the door in as little as a few days.

Spend less on a second home

A second home in the city—whether you buy or rent it—comes with a second set of expenses. Even a few days a week living somewhere new means a lot of purchases: a new bed, furniture, kitchen supplies, towels, sheets, and appliances like coffee makers, lamps, and televisions.

With everything more expensive, backordered, and harder to find (thanks, supply chain!) the startup costs can get into five figures. And they’re not purchases it’s wise to make with cheap stopgaps: skimp on a good mattress, and you pay with your back.

That doesn’t even address the cost of a second internet hookup, utilities, and secondary home insurance—which is an absolute must.

A fully furnished long-term rental wipes out those expenses before you even start. Our all-inclusive rates cover must-have items as big as furniture, as everyday as kitchen supplies, and as small as toiletpaper and laundry detergent. Extras like biweekly cleaning, linen service, and a premium cable TV package mean you won’t just save money on setup—you’ll experience a little bit of luxury.

Most importantly, our fully furnished suites guarantee what your new space and surroundings are high-quality—from your couch to your frying pan. Even if you’re only there two or three nights a week, you’ll get to feel at home during every single one.

Get some space—and keep your quality of life

It’s tempting to go smaller in the city to afford a split lifestyle—after all, many of us are used to doing more with less or compromising to get the job done. But how we live has a real effect on us: our mindset, our mood, and our motivation. And living small can quickly get oppressive.

An affordable micro-condo can be what realtor Mila Sheina called, in the Toronto Star, “the size of an office pod, with a toilet.” It’s harder to entertain friends, harder to separate work and life on those days you’re stuck indoors, and harder to stretch out for your hobbies and interests.

DelSuites units make sure to be spacious: from comfortable one-bedroom units to grand, family-sized three-bedrooms that you can share or split with friends. However you use them, we make sure you’ve got the room to thrive—and the option to do so without real estate bidding wars or breaking the bank.

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Whether you’re setting up for hybrid work, trying out a new job, or finding your way into Toronto, we can make returning to the office comfortable, flexible, and affordable. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can make your work and life really balance.

Downtown Toronto, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto: Your Summer Vacation Destination

March 15, 2022

Toronto Summer Vacation photo by Scott Webb from Pexels.

If you’re like us, after two years of COVID restrictions, you’re starving for a good summer vacation: sun, socializing, and absolutely nothing to think about but having fun. A hard winter’s making this summer’s travel plans extra sweet—and also making everyone want to make those plans memorable.

If you’re putting together that dream vacation now, here are four reasons to do it in Toronto.

We’re super vaccinated

Let’s get the big question out of the way, because right now, practicalities count: Toronto has one of the highest urban vaccination rates in the world. Over 90% of eligible Torontonians have rolled up their sleeves for at least one shot, and public health measures like mask-wearing generally happen without a fuss.

Whatever COVID safety means to you, knowing you’re around people who take it seriously—and cheerfully—makes having fun much easier. And a Toronto summer vacation is one where that much easier to have a genuinely good time.

A Toronto summer vacation is a simple trip

And now: getting there. No matter where you visit from, Toronto’s one of the easier travel destinations to reach.

Pearson International Airport fields flights from over 180 destinations, and the Union-Pearson Express train makes regular trips directly downtown. For more regional visitors, the smaller, downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport brings in regular flights from over 20 North American cities.

Toronto’s also reachable by train: on VIA Rail inside Canada, and Amtrak from New York State. And for an affordable, scenic trip, Megabus routes go to and from Toronto from Ontario, Quebec, New York City, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

While you’re here, it’s even simpler to get around: Toronto is one of the most walkable cities in the world. With regular pedestrians-only areas and the underground PATH network ready to help out when it’s rainy or cold, it’s an easy city to do on your own two feet.

If you’re heading a little farther afield—or just want to put your feet up—a web of streetcars, subways, buses, and LRTs connects every bit of the city, from the core to the suburbs.

And if you’d rather put those feet on pedals, the growing network of separated bike lanes—complete with BikeShare rental program—lets you speed through the city with ease.

An international vacation in one place

In a time when it’s easier to deep-dive in one place than plan multi-city tours, Toronto puts the whole world in walking distance. It’s been called the most diverse city in the world, with 117 languages regularly spoken and people from 230 countries calling the city home.

Wherever you’re from, you’ll be able to feel at home and discover something entirely new—usually in the same afternoon.

The dining scene is the most obvious place Toronto’s diversity shows—a United Nations of amazing restaurants that runs regular Lunar New Year celebrations and Eid-al-Fitr feasts. But those community roots run much deeper, to networks of bookstores, film festivals, classes, and what feels like ten national festivals every weekend.

It’s a city almost custom-built for sampling, befriending, and discovery, and a great way to see a little of the world without hours of travel—and at a fraction of the price.

That deep dive gets even easier with a DelSuites Toronto short-term rental. With year-round discounts on longer-term stays, a stay in a DelSuites furnished apartment makes discovering Toronto even more comfortable and affordable.

It is impossible to get bored

You have to work very hard to get bored in a Toronto summer. High culture, low culture, or subculture—whatever you love, there’s a way to enjoy it here.

For those looking for a touch of class, Toronto is home major galleries and museums, championship sports teams, several symphony orchestras, Canada’s national ballet, and the nation’s biggest opera company. There’s enough fine dining—award-winning or up-and-coming—to keep you full for days.

When you’re feeling cozy and local, there’s LGBTQIA+ theatre, movies outside in the park on a picnic blanket, and tiny neighbourhood zoos. Hundred-year-old diners, dumpling shops, and lunch counters stand ready to feed you for under twenty bucks.

And if it’s time to get away from it all, the parklike, green Toronto Islands are just a ten-minute ferry ride from downtown. You can spend the day on one of the city’s warm, sandy Blue Flag beaches, take a boat ride on the lake, or hike the Don Valley to get close to lush, thick nature.

A Toronto vacation is the kind you can spend changing it up, or changing your mind: hiking one day, and luxuriating in the spa tomorrow. All you have to do is start walking. There’s something out there for you: even if it’s only Sunday afternoon at the coffeeshop, petting the dogs.

Make your Toronto summer vacation memorable

After all the last year’s had to hold for us, we all deserve a vacation that’s unique. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can help you discover summer in Toronto—whether you’d like to spend it chowing down everything the town has to offer, or relaxing peacefully in the sunshine.

Downtown Toronto, Lifestyle talk

Setting Your Furnished Rental Up for Spring

March 8, 2022

Furnished rental spring cleaning Photo by Tatiana from Pexels.

Hard to believe, but spring is coming to Toronto. While we’re still mired in cold weather now, the long-range weather forecast calls for sunny days and soft wind on the way. And that means it’s time for another difficult but necessary shift: moving from winter hunkering-down to spring habits.

There’s less need for a full spring cleaning in a temporary furnished rental condo. But there are still ways to get into a brighter mood—and really get to enjoy your space. Here are a few ideas on how you can set up—and enjoy—your long-term furnished rental for spring weather.

Tidy up so your building can do the work

One of the biggest advantages of condo living is that year-to-year maintenance is off your To Do list. Most condominium buildings get busy with the essentials once the warm weather hits: duct cleaning, air filter changes, carbon monoxide alarm tests, common area painting, and more. And our built-in biweekly cleaning service is ready to take care of the rest.

With a pandemic-induced maintenance backlog to work through, it’s expected that buildings are going to be busier than usual. Since you’ll have the luxury of experts coming through, make sure your panels, vents, and alarms are accessible—and your space uncluttered. It’s considerate, and it lets maintenance staff notice any issues or small repairs faster, so they can be tackled with minimum fuss.

If you’ve noticed any small issues in your unit, spring is a great time to let Guest Services know about them. We can dispatch an expert to handle it while the general seasonal maintenance happens—or see what your building can do.

Fill out your closet

Spring’s a great time to switch your closet around—bring lighter clothes and colours to the front, and send the winter wool to the back. Luckily, all our units have more than enough closet space to make the swap easy: just move those heavy sweaters one shelf upward.

If you’re on an extended stay, the winter-ready clothes you brought might not be what you need for warm spring afternoons. It’s a great time to think about switching up your wardrobe—whether that means sending some things home, and shipping some things here, or buying a few new pieces.

But beware: Toronto spring weather can be a little unpredictable, with occasional little snowfalls into early April. It’s worth being careful before you jump into a spring wardrobe with both feet.

Enjoy your outdoor spaces

It’s a little hard to feel the pull of your balcony when it’s -10 C out. But now that we’re headed into nicer days, that little piece of the outside is about to earn its keep. The balcony is one of the biggest underused stars of condominium life—whether you’re living in a condo temporarily or year-round. And it’s perfect for work, dining out, or play.

Most condo balconies have electrical wiring available—there’s at least one weather-protected plug on the wall. If you’re looking for a new remote office, it’s a simple and huge change to grab a deck chair and table and get some sun.

If you’ve got the space, you can move your exercise routine outside by setting up a yoga mat or weights. One phone playlist later, and your balcony can be your own outdoor gym.

It’s also a favourite space for gardeners, whether you’re going long-term and ambitious or just trying out a little container of lettuce and flowers. Last frost in Toronto is traditionally around mid-May, and you can get seeds from big-box stores like Canadian Tire or even delivered from local farmer’s markets.

What’s more, most condominium buildings have common outdoor areas, which are much less likely to have pandemic restrictions attached. If you’ve been itching for a little safer social time all winter long, find out your building’s rules for its green roof, terraces, barbeque area, or courtyard. They’re spaces that are usually underused by residents and just perfect for a distanced or safer outdoor get-together.

While each building has its own expectations for using common areas, booking the space with your property manager or concierge desk is a good start. Find out about damage deposits, decorating, capacity limits, and any alcohol or noise rules involved, and put together a get-together.

Get back to the patio

The City of Toronto’s restaurant patios are—we say this with love!—notorious for opening at the slightest hint of spring weather. And that’s going to be even sooner this year, as pandemic dining capacity improves.

Once it’s actually warm enough—or you just want to believe it is!—check out the patio options in your neighbourhood. Whether you’re dining out or bringing new treats back home, it’s a great way to meet up with friends, try new flavours, and be a real part of the neighbourhood.

Anything that’ll make your spring in Toronto memorable? Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how you can warm up to Toronto furnished rental living this spring.

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