From the time you step foot into the luxurious InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel , you are immediately transformed into a world of ultra chic. You are surrounded by sleek designs, from the time you check in until the end of your stay. The comfort and amenities the InterContinental Hotel provides makes it very hard to leave. The magnificent lobby and the grandeur of this hotel is spectacular. The beautiful artwork of a tempered glass mural by the internationally renewed artist Stuart Reid is a sight to behold.

The graciousness’ of Ms. Susan Bailey, Director of Sales, made an immediate impression on our staff as they were whisked away to the eighth floor to Club InterContinental, a Hotel within the Hotel. The beautiful elevators with buttons radiating in light blue color as you pressed for your designated floor was so serene. We stepped out onto the eighth floor and again were surrounded by beautiful light wooded floors with a modern design rug that made you feel at home. The eighth floor concierge Jack Kerekian immediately sought to the staff’s every need. A member of the staff was suffering from jet lag and Jack came to the rescue with a jet lag recovery kit that contained pure aromatherapy products.

Upon entering your room, you walked onto the foyers, light wood colored floors. As you ventured further into the room you embarked upon a plush rug, surrounded by warm shades of browns, rust, and mustard colored furniture throughout the space. The King sized bed was adorned with beautiful white sheets, topped with a down duvet, a plush white robe was artfully laid at the foot of the bed, large body hugging pillows laid against a huge chocolate headboard that backed to the light colored walls. The grandeur of the bed beckons you to jump in and take a luxurious nap. The room featured a fantastic view of the CN Tower, you could almost touch it.

Entrance to your bath is through a wooden door with frosted glass, your surrounded by a beautiful marble shower. A circular silver curtain rod is dressed with taupe colored ultra suede shower curtains. On the marble top counter sits an array of toiletries along with a lucky bamboo plant. The sink counter is topped with a silver framed mirror that corresponds with the chocolate lower cabinets framed with silver handles, towels are rolled and placed on open shelving below. A wicker basket sits on the floor to dispose your towels into. Everything is tastefully and artfully placed.

For your music pleasure you are surrounded by state-of-the art Bose sound system, with a CD and DVD player. One can not forget about the mini bar, which is very well supplied.

When you stay at Club International not only will you sleep like a King or Queen, you will eat like one as well. In the eighth floor lounge, each morning you will enjoy an extensive continental breakfast. In the afternoon various selections of loose-leaf teas in silk bags are served along with fresh fruit, scones and muffins. In the evening, there are light hors d’oeuvres along with evening cocktails and sweets. Yes, by now you are completely indulged!

The Intercontinental Toronto Center is very high tech and very much in touch with today’s travelers. The hotel offers free high speed Internet cable access in each of its 586 rooms. If you need to bring along your laptop, no worry’s here, as the hotel is fully equipped for high-speed wireless communications.

“Technology is a huge point of difference for us,” says Steve Brinn, Director Of Marketing for the InterContinental Toronto Center. “Our goal is to provide the greatest arsenal of technological tools for today’s business traveler, and even to have some equipment beyond anyone’s expectations.”

What more could you want? The InterContinental Toronto Center offers superior and luxurious rooms, spectacular views, lovely ambience, total comfort, and too many amenities to list. You will be blown away! The motto of the InterContinental is “We Care, We Act, We Know What It Takes”. From the glow on our staff faces and the joy in their hearts, we say “well done”

Our staff also had the pleasure of dining at a very sophisticated and elegant restaurant. The Azure Restaurant located within the InterContinental Toronto Centre in Canada is a showplace indeed. As you enter the open atrium restaurant you are surrounded with beautiful colors of seascape and sky, beautiful hews of blues and hints of warm browns. Stark white linen adorn the dining tables. The restaurant decor creates an ambience of a tropical paradise surrounded by cool clear blue waters. The lavished and graceful curves of silver handlebars lined various areas of the restaurant entrance walkway. The sleek brown leather seating was rich in color and comfortable to the body. Guests are left breathless at the sight of the beautiful art display by renowned artist Stuart Reid. Reid’s artwork entitled “Liquid Veil” a 9-foot by 18-foot work created from layers of acid-etched, mouth-blown glass, seemingly dances in a veil of liquid glass above the Azure Restaurant central bar area, an eye catcher of itself.

Our scenic journey continued as we were escorted to our table to experience the progressive Canadian cuisine offered at the Azure Restaurant.

The restaurant was participating in the Summerlicious tasting menu, an event that consist of various restaurants participation throughout Toronto where selective three course dinner menus along with wine pairings, are created all for one price.

For our tasting pleasure we selected from the Summer Tasting Menu our first course, Soup of Fresh Peas and Forest Mushrooms with double smoked bacon and Parmesan tuile. Our staff was amazed with the sumptuous flavor of this soup. You could taste every delicate flavor enhanced throughout the soup with every spoonful. The wine paring was a 2003 Cusumano Angimbe Insolia/Chardonnay.

The next course was Rare Seared Caribbean Yellow Fin Tuna. The tuna was served with a radish salad, with a touch of basil oil and lemon vinaigrette. The wine pairing for this dish was a 2000 Anthologie Sauvignon Blanc.

For our main course we chose the Roasted Striped Bass and DuPuy Lentils. This was served with Provencal vegetables and a red wine sauce was selected.

Chef Jonaton Lome specially prepared our dessert of choice for us, served with an ice wine. Their desserts are a perfect ending to a great evening of dining.

Compliments to Lome, for his superb dining creations. Thanks to Sommelier Tonci Jurcevic and restaurant manager Richard-Martin Pregent for their generous and warm hospitality. This premiere dining experience is one that any guest of the InterContinental Toronto Centre or any restaurant patron will be surely pleased to partake in. Azure Restaurant's fabulous atmosphere, unique décor and extensive cocktails and dining selections are a must when visiting Toronto.

When in Toronto, make it a point to visit The InterContinental Toronto Centre or visit their website to make reservations at www.torontocentre.intercontinental.com. You may also contact the hotel directly by calling
(416) 597-1400