TORONTO NEVER SMELT SO GOOD...MEN-ONLY HOTEL FLOORS?

Now that summer is officially here (notwithstanding yesterday's thunderboomers and the rain), Tourism Toronto is having a little fun in its quest to boost the number of local visitors.

A special summertime campaign was launched today, with special offers that include hotel and entertainment options at bargain rates.

A series of newspaper ads will appear starting Thursday, with the first one cheekily stating that "Toronto Never Smelt So Good.'

 "Everyone knows about the garbage strike so we thought we'd be a little self-deprecating," said spokesman Andrew Weir. "We're trying to have a little bit of fun."

"It's been a tough time but we've still got several weeks of summer and we think we're going to have a good month" with special events like Caribana just finishing and with things like this weekend's Taste of the Danforth, the upcoming Rogers Cup Tennis Championship and other festivities.

One option for visitors is the Best of Toronto package, including one night hotel accomodation, a top-priced ticket to a Mirvish Productions theatre performance such as The Sound of Music or The Harder They Come (always liked that movie, myself, and the soundtrack is spectacular but I haven't seen the play) and a three-course dinner at one of 14 restaurants. You also get an admission to one of three atrractions: the CN Tower, the Ontario Science Centre or a Toronto Tours city bus tour, all for $149 per person. Call 1-800-461-3333 for information.

Other offers can be found at www.SeeTorontoNow.com/summer or by calling 1-877-848-3999.

NO WOMEN, PLEASE, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE FUN

Read an interesting item at USA Today travel about a hotel in Hong Kong where they have a men-only floor. The rooms come complete with video games, DVD's ("Nights in Rodanthe?" Don't think so), Wii (never tried it) and golf practice games (Now, that's a GREAT idea) and other stuff, including magazines of interest to men such as golf and race-cars but not, ahem, more interesting stuff.

Not sure I'd wanna do that, personally. Wii would be fun, but I tend to like Sleepless in Seattle a lot more than Die Hard. I've never actually seen a Die Hard movie, to tell you the truth; I just hate violence. And I don't want to be on a floor with just guys. Maybe away from guys who snore or play loud music or arrive drunk at their room at 4 a.m. and fumble with the key, sure, but guys in general aren't particularly annoying.

I think I'd prefer a women-only floor but that could lead to some heavy-duty explaining on the home front, so perhaps not. When I was at university (granted, it was UCLA, where they just banned the annual panty run through campus), I deliberately avoided the men-only floor and opted for co-ed. It was quiet and civilized, and the girls even used our shower stalls; alas, not ever while I was in them.