The Pan Pacific Hotel is one of Toronto's best destinations for when you're looking for a hotel to stay in that's at the northern end of the city.

Formerly known as the Westin Prince Hotel, the hotel has been located near the intersection of York Mills and Don Mills since 1974. The hotel was sold and rebranded as the Pan Pacific Hotel a few years ago.

Under the new ownership the hotel has kept its original charm while updating and modernizing its amenities.

One of those amenities is the ballroom.

Pan Pacific hosts a lot of events such as wedding and corporate functions and this ballroom is the best place here for a party. It can accommodate up to 700 people.

Another is Seasons Restaurant at the Pan Pacific.

Its Executive Chef Matthew Varner, originally from Nova Scotia, has been working in restaurants since the age of 15 and has spent every year since then dedicating his work life to food including the last three years at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Among the items on the restaurant's menu is a Lemon Tarragon Salmon comprised of seared Ocean Wise salmon with white wine braised leeks, honey mushrooms, crispy smashed potato, and a lemon tarragon butter sauce. 

Outside, a beautiful patch of grass enclosed by large trees sits on the hotel property. It function as both a space for events as well as a place for hotel guests to get fresh air.

Traveling with a furry friend? There's also a small dog park and the hotel provides 6 pet-friendly rooms with direct access to an enclosed space exclusively for dogs.

Nearby there's also an outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts. The hotel offers various packages such as a two-night stay package that includes four hours of court time and a welcome gift among other things.

The pool is a large one by Toronto standards. It comes with a number of adjustable lounge chairs, and the temperature was perfectly acceptable during my visit. 

For the winter months, the indoor gym will definitely be more useful. It has a standard range of equipment including treadmills and exercise machines. 

And the rooms? The Pan Pacific has 405 modern and spacious rooms that break down as follows:

• 245 Deluxe Rooms - 355 sq ft. 
• 6 Pet-friendly Rooms - 355 sq ft. 
• 24 Deluxe Rooms with Balcony - 355 sq ft. 
• 116 Premier King Room - 355 sq ft. 
• 10 Junior and Deluxe Suites - 506-592 sq ft. 
• 4 Execuitve Suites - 710 sq ft. 

The rooms can range anywhere from $250 a night to $800 a night, or perhaps even more when Taylor Swift is in town for her concerts.

Each room offers the usual modern amenities, floor to ceiling windows, a comfortable mattress and bedding, work desk, bedside reading lights, daily housekeping service, bottled water, coffee station, and high speed internet access.

I stayed in the Junior King suite. Inside was a closet, King bed, TV, multiple seating areas, and a bathroom with two sinks, bathtub and shower. 

Also included with the room was a private balcony. 

The Pan Pacific Hotel is enclosed by the Don River Ravine and the property feels well taken care of. My patio offered a beautiful view and was a peaceful escape from what I'm used to downtown.

At night, you don't need to travel far for a drink or a good time. The hotel's 900 Lounge serves up tasty cocktails including tennis-themed drinks like the Honey Deuce Classic and the Honey Deuce Martini ($16.50 each).For those unfamiliar with Toronto, note that the Pan Pacific Hotel is about an hour public transit commute from the downtown core, or 20 minute drive if there's no traffic.

The Pan Pacific Hotel Toronto is located at 900 York Mills Drive.