The Yorkville Royal Sonesta Hotel, in the heart of Toronto’s vibrant Yorkville neighbourhood, is a luxury urban oasis and the perfect base to explore one of Canada’s greatest cities. Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, situated along Lake Ontario’s north-western shore, is Canada’s most populous city and one of North America’s most vibrant.
Over the years, the city has developed into a North American tech hub, as well as being an international centre for business and finance. Toronto is also renowned for its sports, arts and culture. The city is awash with museums, restaurants, theatre, shopping and sports and you could spend an entire holiday just roaming the city. However, it is also a great base from which to set off and explore some of the other great attractions of the wider Ontario surrounding area.
Only a few hours out of Toronto and you can experience the spectacle of the famous Niagara Falls, the largest of the three waterfalls, the Horseshoe Falls connecting the province of Ontario with New York state in America. Travel in the other direction and you can find yourself in the wilderness of the beautiful Algonquin National Park.
Hotel
The Royal Sonesta is a collection of unique and memorable hotels in some of the world’s most exciting destinations. The hotels are characterised by striking design, relaxed, but attentive service and authentic local touches. The Yorkville Royal Sonesta is the group’s offering in Toronto.
The Yorkville Royal Sonesta is found directly opposite Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum on Bloor Street West, just a few steps away from the stores of Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci and Van Cleef and Arpels. Step through the doors under its glass dome entrance and enter your luxury haven within the bustling city.
Room
We stayed in a studio suite with two queen beds and the spacious room featured a bay window with sofa area. The rooms are fresh and contemporary, minimalist in style, but welcoming. The bathroom was bright and light, marble clad with a huge walk-in shower, while plush towels, slippers and robes are laid out ready for you to embrace relaxation. All the usual room amenities you would expect of a hotel of this nature from mini bar to Nespresso coffee maker were included, and my wife and I we were travelling with our two young boys, making it a great room for a family.
Food and drink
The hotel’s restaurant, The Signature, provides breakfast, lunch and dinner and is an elegant, light and bright restaurant setting on the ground floor with friendly and attentive service. The culinary team is led by chef Christopher Perera and a focus is placed on the finest quality fresh Canadian ingredients, expect delicious food here.
Breakfast here is a great place to start your day in Toronto. Light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and fresh fruit and berries satisfied our two boys, with avocado toast and eggs benedict hitting the spot for myself and my wife. For dinner, you can start with the likes of pan seared scallops or dusted calamari, followed by rack of lamb, market fish of the day or wild forest mushrooms. After dinner, the hotel’s Proof Bar and Patio serves great cocktails.
To do
The hotel has a heated indoor rooftop pool where guests can enjoy great views over the city skyline. It also has a state-of-the-art fitness centre, meaning there are no excuses for not keeping in shape during your Toronto stay.
Toronto is a hub of art and culture, with an extensive array of galleries, museums and performance venues worth visiting, like the Royal Ontario Museum, which can be found opposite the hotel. It is the largest and most visited museum in Canada and its diverse exhibitions will capture your attention for hours. For high-end shopping, the hotel is close to the boutiques of the likes of Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
The hotel is only a couple of miles from the iconic CN Tower, which provides outstanding views from its observation decks. For the brave, visit the Lower Observation Level and view the city below through the glass floor. For the even more adventurous, 116 storeys up, you can walk along the outside edge of the CN Tower’s main pod, secured only by a harness. The ‘EdgeWalk’ has become a renowned attraction in Toronto.
Take in a baseball match and watch the legendary Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, although tickets are highly sought-after and so can be hard to secure. The Toronto Raptors basketball team and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the city’s ice hockey team, both play at the Scotiabank Arena.
For evening entertainment, secure tickets to the stunning performances of the National Ballet of Canada or the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
There’s no need to leave Toronto, with so much to keep you entertained, but if you decide you want to venture further afield, a must see attraction as a day trip from Toronto is the Niagara Falls. For some outdoor adventure, visit the Ferris Provincial Park or Lake Muskoka, both a few hours from the city and providing an outdoor retreat for hiking, fishing or camping.
In a nutshell
Toronto is one of the world’s most exciting cities. The Yorkville Royal Sonesta is perfectly positioned in the heart of the city and provides a relaxed luxury home, whether you are visiting for business or pleasure.
Factbox
Double rooms at the Yorkville Royal Sonesta Hotel start at CAD $379 per night.
Address: 220 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1T8
Phone: (+1) 416 960 5200
Website: sonesta.com
Photography courtesy of The Yorkville Royal Sonesta.
