There are more than a few bed and breakfasts in the city, but Banting House truly offers something special. Not the same generic decor that greets you at every motel, or the same metal buffet platter full of scrambled eggs next to little prefabricated plastic jelly dispensers.

Built in 1899, Banting House is as much alive with character inside its walls as outside. Its charm begins even before you're greeted with a smile at the front door. The massive property is surrounded by trees and lush greenery that's an island paradise, secluded from the noise, stress and hustle and bustle of the big city. You sometimes forget you're right in the middle of downtown Toronto!

Our bed breakfast Toronto accommodation is just steps from Shopping, Theatre, Dining, Bars, Clubbing, Art and History. And when you return from a day of business, sightseeing or a night on the town, our guests feel like they're returning home for the evening. No drab, cold, endless lobbies and hallways to drag your tired feet through on the way to your room. You'll never be confined to a tiny boxy room.

Instead you can enjoy the rooms on the main floor, living room, dining room and kitchen, and our brand new guest office. Now that the weather is nice you can sit outside on our patio or back porch, take a stroll through the gardens or grill up a steak!

Then, in the morning wake up to the inviting aroma of freshly baked bread, and come downstairs for a home cooked breakfast, made to order! Relax and read the paper with a cup of coffee or tea before you start your day. And when you return, you won't be returning to your hotel room, but home.
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Mama recently gave birth to four little bundles of fun at our bed & breakfast in Toronto!

Having taken up residence in a four-story tall Oak in the back yard, if you look high in the tree you'll see them all playing and scurrying in the branches as kids will do. Not to worry though, in the past couple years Mama and her little ones have never rummaged anywhere on the property looking for food (only the neighbours!)

This little family has become permanent guests at our bed and breakfast and always bring a smile to our human clientele!

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Just down the street from Banting House Toronto Bed and Breakfast is one of the crown jewels of the city’s public open space system. The park itself was established in 1858 when local politician George William Allan gave a five-acre parcel of land to the Toronto Horticultural Society. Allan then sold the city of Toronto five adjacent acres in the mid-1860’s with the proviso that the space continue to be available to the public without charge.

An iron and glass pavilion was built in 1879, hosting concerts, performances, conventions, and flower shows. The addition of a fountain and ornate iron fence in the late 1880’s turned the area into a landmark. Although the original pavilion was destroyed by fire, the Palm House greenhouse was soon constructed and remains today as one of the six present-day greenhouses located at Allan Gardens.

The University of Toronto relocated its Botany greenhouses to the Conservatory in 2004, providing new life to the park. The addition created an area devoted to developing the love of gardening in children. With 16,000 square feet of enclosed botanical space, the garden is home to plants from around the world.

Taking their places alongside the original Palm House, the five connected greenhouses each have their own themes. The Arid House features an array of cacti, and the Tropical Landscape House contains specimens from tropic climates such as the Madagascar tropical pine. There are two more areas devoted to tropicals, as well as a Cool Temperature House.

Toronto B&B Banting House is conveniently located for a visit to Allan Gardens. Many of our guests like to visit the Conservatory in the springtime when seasonal bulbs are in full bloom. One visitor has this to say about Allan Gardens:

If you are a botanist at heart - or training - you will find a lot to like here. The Victorian-era building, with later greenhouse additions, has a broad variety of plants, some of which we had never seen before. We visited in late July, and many plants were blooming. The buildings are in the middle of a large park that has numerous benches for sitting.

The beauty of Allan Gardens almost rivals that of our Toronto Bed and Breakfast. At the Conservatory, you will find plants such as bromeliads, orchids, caladiums, amaryllis, ferns, and ivy. The park outside the Conservatory features over 250 trees in a variety of species.

Future planned improvements to the park include a children’s garden and play area, South Garden Terrace, Artists’ Gardens, and a new Fountain Terrace. One welcome recent addition was an off-leash dog park completed in the early fall of 2008. (See box.)

When you visit our Toronto B&B, plan to take the time to visit the greenhouses. It is open weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm. And you can’t beat the price! True to George Allan’s original wishes, both the park and the conservatory remain free of charge.

Bistro 990 Restaurant

Located less than 1 mile from our Toronto bed and breakfast, Bistro 990 is a fabulous restaurant, serving as the watering hole for the rich and famous during the Toronto Film Festival each year. The Bistro’s website boasts a list of celebrities who have visited, including Marlon Brando, Kate Winslet, Billy Bob Thornton, Nicolas Cage, Liam Neeson, Renee Zellweger, and Jeff Glodblum. Manager Fernando Temudo oversees the operation, assuring top shelf service even to mere celebrity-watchers.

The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner, with hours of noon to 3 pm Monday through Friday, and 5:30 pm to 11 pm Monday through Saturday. Sunday and holiday hours are 5:30 pm to 10 pm. The average main dish costs $30 at dinner and $19 for lunch. Attire is casual. The Bistro offers a patio for summer dining, and the whole place is wheelchair accessible.

In addition to individual dining, the Bistro offers several areas that can be booked for private parties. The boardroom seats up to 64 people, or can hold up to 150 people for a stand-up reception. The boardroom, bar, and mezzanine can be booked to seat up to 100 people. For smaller parties, the bar and salon area seat 28 people, while the mezzanine seats 24.

Hors d’oeuvres for both lunch and dinner include tiger shrimp, calamari, goat cheese, and crab cakes. Diners have four salad choices at either meal. Sur le pouce items include linguini with Portobello mushrooms, sundried tomato broth, and walnuts, as well as risotto with shaved parmesan. At lunch, omelettes, flat iron steaks and sautéed salmon burgers are also available.

Fish entrees include Pacific halibut, grilled Atlantic salmon and sesame-crusted tuna. The Bistro’s menu carries a wide variety of meat entrees, including the house specialty: thinly sliced Black Angus striploin. Other selections include seared trout, pan-seared snapper, chicken breast, and fresh wild game. If you prefer, steak tartare and fresh oysters on the half shell are always available.

A separate menu of cheeses with wine suggestions is maintained for the discriminating palate. Selections include tournevent naturel, bleu benadictin, and le baluchon.

The desserts are always to die for! Whether you choose baked Alaska, sticky toffee pudding, or the maple pecan tart, you will return to our Toronto B&B, Banting House, with your appetite sated and your sweet tooth satisfied.