As one of the fastest growing cities in North America, it’s hard to ascertain which area is the best to stay in when you make a hotel booking in Toronto. Thankfully, if you go with a trusted, quality brand like The Ritz-Carlton, you know you will be minutes away from all the major sites and attractions of this dynamic city.
Hotel
The hotel cannot be more conveniently located in town minutes away from the iconic CN Tower. It is a mere three-minute stroll to the Roy Thomson Hall if you want to catch the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena and Toronto Harbourfront are all within 15 minutes of the hotel.
This is a luxury hotel that has an even greater clientele demographic from your business traveller to leisure seekers to even presidents. The statement, crystal chandelier sets the scene for a refined stay as you enter the hotel and you’ll spot some of the 400 plus pieces of original Canadian artwork that have been commissioned specifically for the hotel.
There are bronze maple leaf art pieces dotted throughout the hotel depicting the various types of maple leaves from different regions. And a glass installation consisting of 259 hand-blown glass discs suspended below a skylight in their spa relaxation area was designed by renowned Canadian artist, Jeff Goodman.
Room
Space is never an issue here, as they offer among the largest rooms and suites in Toronto. You are either offered a city skyline view or the Lake Ontario view. Rooms are decorated in muted style, evoking understated glamour from a golden Hollywood era.
The plush bathrooms are particularly impressive, decorated with Portuguese Estremoz marble walls and flooring. They offer double vanities with well-sized lighted vanity mirrors and also offer Asprey bath amenities. The sophisticated Japanese-style toilet is a dream with a heat function, auto-flushing and a massage function. What more could you ask for?
It is worth upgrading to a club-level room or suite as this allows you exclusive access to The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge. You can also check in and check out from the lounge, there is a dedicated concierge for arranging those tricky to obtain concert or sport event tickets, and you get two pieces of complimentary garment pressing per day.
Food and drink
This is arguably the strongest area of the hotel. With The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge access, you get five culinary servings per day from 7am to 10pm. You can try premium spirits as well as local wines from the Niagara Falls region, while the type of hors d’oeuvres on offer include pork belly baos and heritage tomato tartlets.
Epoch bar and kitchen terrace include an ever-popular heated patio surrounded by greenery. They have a distinct traditional British dining and pub culture vibe and you can even order a classic afternoon tea each day with decadent pastries and freshly made sandwiches. Whilst their Italian restaurant, TOCA is sheer heaven for cheese and pasta lovers including the only cheese cave in a Canadian hotel.
To do
Inside the hotel a 23,000 sq. ft. spa with 16 treatment rooms and an aroma-infused heated, vitality pool is also a strong reason why they have so many loyal repeat customers. Spa My Blend by Clarins is all about customised treatments based on your skin type. With couples massage rooms and signature Champagne manicures, there is every reason you might just want to stay at the hotel all day.
Should you choose to venture out, however, there are countless activities on offer, especially at the multiple arenas and concert halls mentioned earlier. The star attraction is the CN Tower. Built-in 1973, it was the world’s tallest freestanding structure until 2007. You get stupendous, uninterrupted views of Toronto from their observation level and for those brave souls, they offer an edge-walk experience. You get to walk 116 storeys above Toronto with nothing but a harness. That is something for the bucket list. They also offer a dining experience at their rotating 360 restaurant.
In a nutshell
If you want to experience the dynamism of one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, there is no better location to start your adventures than at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto where you are at the heart of the action. The hotel offers five-star refinement along with relaxed convenience.
Factbox
The Ritz-Carlton offers rooms from CAD 724 per night based on double occupancy.
Address: 181 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3G7, Canada
Phone: +1 416-585-2500
Email: toronto.frontdesk@ritzcarlton.com
Website: ritzcarlton.com
Photography courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
