When visiting leafy Toronto, Yorkville is one area to consider basing yourself, with its high-end boutique shops, world-class museums and fine dining, it’s an area popular with locals and tourists alike. There is also distinct energy from the University of Toronto community situated around the area and the boutique Kimpton Saint George hotel is one of the top options in this part of town, being right on the edge of Yorkville.
Hotel
In keeping with the local surroundings, the hotel is designed more like a community than a strict, no-nonsense hotel. The reception area is more of a living room with a cosy fireplace, an abundance of natural wood and daylight. You are offered complimentary coffee, tea and flavoured water along with lazy couch seating perfect for catching up on your holiday reads. In the restaurant area, you can find board games and dart boards, so guests are not inclined to hide away in their hotel bedrooms.
The hotel was formerly a Holiday Inn but they’ve splashed the cash to revamp the hotel into a hip and trendy destination. You just have to observe the giant owl mural commissioned by the hotel on its exterior wall, it’s created by Jerry Rugg aka BirdO, the Banksy of the Toronto art scene. Most of the bespoke furniture, lighting, artwork and objects have been handcrafted in the local community to support the artistic talents of Toronto.
The designers of the hotel have embraced the concept of layered identities whereby the design of the hotel isn’t fixated on one era or style but it gives that feeling of items and changes added onto over time. It’s much like what you would expect in your living room.
Room
The rooms have a chic, minimalist design with muted tones highlighted by polished brass accents and the occasional splash of quirky art pieces from local artists. It is relatively spacious with rooms starting at 290 square feet. They have all the requisite multimedia ports which are essential these days at all modern hotels and the higher-floor rooms have raised ceilings.
Ideally, you would want a room with views of Casa Loma or Bloor Street. Luxury Frette bedding ensures you’ll get a sumptuous night’s sleep to combat any travelling fatigue, while Wi-Fi is super-fast in all parts of the room. They also have convenient and stylish Bluetooth speakers if you want to put your favourite songs from your phone onto their system.
The bathroom could be slightly larger, but well-marbled amenities add a touch of sophistication along with the Atelier Bloem amenities – you’ll see exotic options like oolong tea shampoo and geranium conditioner. There is a yoga mat in the closet which is an appreciative touch given how hard it is to find time to exercise when you are visiting an urban metropolis.
Food and drink
The on-site dining option is The Fortunate Fox, a relaxed gastropub that is as welcoming for breakfast as it is for a nightcap. Breakfast is as expected and cooked to order, whether it’s your choice of eggs with potatoes, bacon or accompanied by a fruit bowl. The North American fascination with sports TV is endless, so expect wall-to-wall sports even during breakfast time.
The elegantly presented curved bar area with soothing greenery is hard to resist whether or not you are a sports fan. This is made all the harder by the lengthy list of beer options along with classic and contemporary cocktails. Their nightly hosted wine hour from 5-6pm with complimentary wine to try is legendary, while the all-day menu is filled with comforting classics like Detroit-style pizzas and fish and chips. They even offer a roast beef dinner on Sundays as well as live music on Fridays.
To do
Museums are a major attraction in this area with the iconic Bata Shoe Museum just opposite the hotel (you can book a hotel plus museum package as well). They have the most mind-boggling collection of shoes imaginable which would put Imelda Marcos to shame and the quirky exterior of the museum is meant to represent that of a shoebox.
The Royal Ontario Museum is also a short walk from the hotel and somewhere you could easily spend the whole day immersing yourself in. They have the most incredible collection of dinosaur skeletons including their centrepiece, Gordo, which is the largest genuine fossil dinosaur skeleton mounted in Canada.
Finally, no visit to Toronto is complete without visiting Casa Loma. The hauntingly beautiful mansion and gardens have a unique Gothic revival style that brings a morbid fascination to all visitors and it is unsurprising that they frequently host escape room experiences in their towers along with Halloween adventures.
In a nutshell
If you are looking for a friendly, welcoming boutique hotel in the mid-town area which is well-connected to museums and high-end boutique shops, Kimpton Saint George Hotel is the one you should consider.
Factbox
Address: 280 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1V8, Canada
Phone: +1 416-968-0010
Email: info@kimptonsaintgeorge.com
Website: kimptonsaintgeorge.com
