Meet a Toronto hotel with an ideal location

 

Toronto is one of the biggest cities in North America, with an urban population of well over 3 million and a metropolitan area with more than 7 million residents.

So if you want to check out highlights like the CN Tower, St Lawrence Market and [Ice] Hockey Hall of Fame then you will want to stay where the action is: the downtown city core within walking distance of Union Station.

You certainly don't want to find yourself staying in the Toronto equivalent of Blacktown or Werribee and spending half your time commuting.    

Let me introduce the Novotel Downtown Centre, a superbly located medium-sized hotel that delivers on location, facilities and friendliness. There are 232 rooms over nine floors but there is still a boutique feel. 

Unlike some of its bigger, brasher American-brand rivals there is a cosmopolitan/European vibe here, with multicultural staff and a collective smile. There are some funky public areas, too. 

Sports lovers will be able to walk in just a few minutes to watch either the high-flying Toronto Blue Jays baseball team in summer, or the Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey team in winter. The Raptors basketball team and Toronto FC also call the city home.

Their venues, the Rogers Centre and the Scotiabank Arena, also host regular concerts and events. Over the few days I was in town acts included Neil Young, Oasis, Nine Inch Nails and the Jonas Brothers.

Toronto is a big city with big city attractions. It currently boasts 109 skyscrapers (with another 30 planned).

Fortunately for tourists there is a well-connected transport system with underground railway, bus and streetcar systems well linked to take you to destinations like Chinatown, the massive Eaton Centre shopping complex and the waterfront.

The Novotel is in a great location for foodies - with the renowned St Lawrence Market just a two-minute stroll away. From maple syrup and Canadian bacon to cheeses from around the world, to fresh fruit and vegetables, this is one of the great gourmet destinations. Take away, or dine in, or al fresco,

I popped by for lunch one day and enjoyed a delicious clam chowder followed by a freshly made spicy calamari po' boy sandwich.

Around the corner is a legal cannabis shop, should that be your bag.  

The hotel itself offers very comfortable rooms with fridges, fast wifi and excellent showers.

The bar has a happy hour from 4-8pm with local beers and wines for $5 and reduced price cocktails (think an $8 Aperol Spritz), while on-site restaurant, Cafe Nicole Bar & Bistro, serves copious buffet breakfasts, lunches and dinners and also has an ice cream parlour on the streetside patio for an afternoon treat.



From soups and salads to fish and chips, burgers and chimichurri striploin steak, and sun-dried pesto fettuccine, the menu showcases popular favourites.

Next to the reception desk there is a 24-hour mini market selling everything from toiletries and travel adaptors to sandwiches, crisps and ice cream, as well as a wide range of drinks, should you need a canned cocktail at 3am.

There is a well-equipped fitness centre (which I studiously avoided) and an indoor swimming pool and sauna; and you are in a safe area to go for a run or jog.

Rooms have huge TVs, wireless charging clock radios, pillow top mattress, fridge, coffee maker and  kettle, in-room safe and complimentary water.

Across the road from the Novotel you'll find a number of eating and drinking options, including The Old Spaghetti Factory, Scotland Yard, a  busy and friendly English-style pub, an Indian restaurant and a craft brewery. All well within staggering distance to your room.

A fun place to stay. Room prices vary seasonally. See https://novoteltorontocentre.com/ 

# The writer was a guest of Novotel Toronto Centre.

He flew with Qatar Airways from Melbourne to Toronto with one stop in Doha. Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Airline’ for the ninth time at the 2025 World Airline Awards. Qatar flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to Doha, with global onward connections. Starlink wifi is free on Starlink-equipped aircraft), gate-to-gate. See https://www.qatarairways.com/en-au/homepage.html? 

JW Marriott hotel brand makes its New Zealand debut

Auckland is very much a place on the move, and New Zealand's largest city this week welcomed JW Marriott Auckland - the Marriott brand's first property in the country. 

JW Marriott is part of Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of over 30 hotel brands, and has unveiled the new JW Marriott Auckland in the heart of downtown Auckland. 

JW Marriott Auckland Executive Suite

JW Marriott Auckland was designed by renowned Singaporean architecture firm O37 and draws on New Zealand's art, culture, and natural beauty. 

Reflecting the shifting beauty of each season, the design weaves together contrasting textures: raw and polished, rough and smooth. 

This vision comes to life in Watersplash, a bespoke sculptural hand-blown chandelier by Lasvit, inspired by the rivers and lakes of New Zealand. 

"JW Marriott embraces the belief that a connection to the natural environment is an important part of nourishing one's soul," says Jason Nuell, area vice president for Marriott International.

" JW Marriott Auckland embodies the brand's commitment to providing a haven where guests can focus on feeling whole in mind, body, and spirit. It is a destination where both locals and international travelers can experience a blend of modern luxury and exceptional hospitality in the heart of the city to pause, recharge, and reconnect."

The hotel has 271 guest rooms and 15 suites along with and all guest rooms come complete with yoga mats and risers, enhanced by an in-room program of wellness and workout routines (sounds scary!)

The Wellness Centre includes a 14-metre-long heated indoor pool with panoramic harbour views and views of the centre of Auckland.

The hotel's elegant lobby bar, Forum, offers barista-crafted coffee and small bites and then transforms into a bar at night. 

The signature restaurant, Trivet, has head chef Wallace Mua showcasing flavours from different Polynesian cuisines. 

In September, the hotel plans to launch a contemporary teppan house celebrating impressive Japanese-inspired dishes.

"I am honoured to bring the JW Marriott vision of luxury and well-being to life in this vibrant city," says GM Girish Talreja. 

"Our goal is to create an exceptional guest experience and provide a sanctuary where guests can relax, recharge, and create lasting memories."

For reservations and more information, please see: www.jwmarriottauckland.com

Tough times for global wine and spirits giant

Times are tough in the drinks business right around the world. 

Global wine and spirits giant Moët Hennessy will cut more than 10% of its global workforce as part of a major restructuring effort in a bid to counter falling demand and rising costs, the Financial Times reported in London..

The newspaper says the wine and spirits arm of luxury giant LVMH currently employs around 9,400 people. Chief executive Jean-Jacques Guiony told staff earlier this month that an estimated 1,200 roles would be eliminated, bringing the division back to its 2019 staffing levels.

Revenues at Paris-based Moët Hennessy have fallen to 2019 levels, Guiony said, yet operating costs have jumped 35% over the same period. 

“This was an organisation that was built for a much larger size of business,” he said in an internal video. 

“People realise … that this [rebuilding sales] is not going to happen anytime soon.”

The cuts will largely be achieved through natural attrition and by reassigning staff to other areas of the business. Moët Hennessy has already implemented a hiring freeze. 

Deputy CEO Alexandre Arnault, who joined the division alongside Guiony in February, told staff that this crisis was unusual in scope. 

“Usually at LVMH when wines and spirits are not going well, fashion is doing well or some [other part of the business] is performing differently. Right now things are not going extremely well,” he said.

In a statement, a Moët Hennessy spokesperson confirmed the planned cuts. 

“While Moët Hennessy’s business has returned to its 2019 level, Moët Hennessy announced its intention to adjust its organisation and gradually return to its 2019 staffing levels, primarily by managing its natural turnover and not filling vacant positions,” it said.

Guiony reassured staff that the current downturn was part of a cycle. 

“Things are bad but they will become better,” he said, though he warned that US tariffs added another layer of uncertainty to the company’s outlook.

The company's wine and spirit brands include Krug, Hennessy, Dom Perignon, Moët et Chandon, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ardbeg, Belvedere Vodka, Chateau d'Yquem, Ruinart and Cloudy Bay and Glenmorangie.