5 Toronto Hotels Travel Advisors Should Know About

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and, with a population of 6.6 million, one of the most multi-culturally diverse cities on the planet.  There are many award-winning luxury hotels to choose from for a stay in Toronto, whether you’re traveling for a conference, vacation, or business meeting. Consider these 5 hotels for your next booking.

1 Hotel Toronto
Sophisticated travelers and sustainability aficionados will savor 1 Hotel’s homage to nature. Outside the hotel, an elaborate rock garden with indigenous trees and shrubs lines the Wellington Street West Exterior. 1 Hotel sits mere steps from Toronto’s youthful and lively King Street West scene. A seasonal herb and vegetable greenhouse with an apiary just to the east of the building supplies the hotel’s restaurants with fresh produce and honey. Guests can drop in and enjoy the plantings any time of year.

Nature abounds at the hotel. The lobby is filled with natural wood décor and a living green wall. Although the entrance is spacious, sculptures, plants, and hand-crafted furniture give a welcoming embrace to visitors. 1 Hotel is an oasis of calm and green. Sip a cup of tea in the lobby or conduct a business meeting.  In the evening, gather around the bar that’s adorned with an ornate floral display that changes with the seasons. It’s the perfect spot for cocktails.  

The 91 guest rooms and 21 suites are nature-inspired with a color scheme of neutral cottons, organic-cotton bed linens, accented by colorful throw pillows and rugs. Rooms are filled with live greenery with a minimum of three plants. Filtered water taps and jumbo toiletries eliminate single-use plastics. Yoga mats and natural-cotton bathrobes are standard in every room, but if you’re looking for a more intense workout, the Fieldhouse, a well-fitted basement-level gym is available.

The hotel opened Casa Madera, a restaurant and live-music venue, in late 2022, offering Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine. In addition, next to the hotel’s rooftop pool is Harriet’s Bar, which serves small plates and cocktails. On the ground level facing Bathurst Street 1 Kitchen offers dining all day, with creative breakfasts, lunches, and dinners all sourced locally. 

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville
This much anticipated newest hotel kid on the Toronto scene. Opened in February 2023, and situated near major shopping areas of Yorkville and Yonge/Bloor corridor, this is Canopy by Hilton’s first outpost in Canada, brought to you by Easton’s Group of Hotels and The Gupta Group. 

Upon entering the hotel your senses are pleasantly stimulated by modern designs and pops of color.  

The second-floor lobby features well-appointed check-in desks, a colorful lounge area, furniture with curved edges, impressive local art, and an open retail boutique with product offerings from local businesses. There are free orange-colored bikes available for touring the city.  

For dining the stylish Dia restaurant, features a décor of vibrant greens, gold, and greys, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The restaurant offers seasonal dishes, and an extensive wine list and is a gathering place for locals and guests. Coming soon is Virtu Café & Provisions, the hotel’s all-day café.  

184-room rooms are welcoming Canopy Hilton guests. Each room has multiple digital panels, which control lighting, shades, and calls for service. You won’t find plastic bottles in the rooms. Instead, there are reusable glasses and filtered water. A modern fitness center incorporates local street art and an indoor swimming pool is available to guests to maintain their fitness regime. 

King Blue Hotel 
The King Blue Hotel is housed in the historic six-story Westinghouse building located in the heart of the Entertainment District on King Street West. The hotel is close to major Toronto sporting and tourist attractions.  It is popular with business and leisure travelers.  

The lobby’s check-in counters are manned by friendly staff. The vibe is slightly corporate, and around the corner, there is a modern coffee bar with a seating area that is perfect for meetings. There is no on-site restaurant or bar, but considering the location, every type of eatery is just steps away. 

There are 118 guestrooms, including seven suites all with a modern sleek appeal. The rooms are comfortable but a tad under-decorated. The color schemes are various shades of tasteful black and brown with leather accents on the furniture. The bathrooms offer Gilchrest and Soames toiletries and tiled walk-in rain showers.  

What’s surprising about this hotel is the stunning banquet hall with massive sparkling chandeliers on the 6th floor. It seats up to 250 guests, perfect for weddings, corporate meetings, and other celebratory events. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of downtown Toronto.  

In terms of amenities, an indoor swimming pool on the seventh floor is open to next-door condo tenants and hotel guests alike. In addition, there is a well-equipped gym available for those looking to stay in shape.  

Valet parking, always a necessity in Toronto, is available for a fee. 

Park Hyatt Toronto
As you enter the Park Hyatt Toronto a stunning work of art greets you. It’s not a painting but a tapestry by Canadian artist Shannon Bool. It sets the stage for the redesigned Park Hyatt Toronto’s understated elegance. Located on the corner of affluent Avenue and Bloor corridor, it’s taken four years for the hotel to complete renovations, which finished in 2021. The hotel fully re-opened in 2022. 

The renovation has introduced art and sculptures throughout the airy, spacious hotel. A ground-floor atrium joins the two towers. 

Instead of a conventional lobby a Living Room space in the atrium, facing Avenue Road, is available for guests to relax. On the other side of the atrium, separated by art installations in glass displays, is the elegant open-concept Joni Restaurant with its chic space and stunning black enclosed fireplace.  

The restaurant features an inspiring tasting menu and a la carte items. Joni is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. On the 17th-floor rooftop, the Writer’s Room bar is an ode to Canada’s Literary history. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of the city from every table including the coveted balcony. The Writer’s Room menu features a la carte selections along with small plates to nibble and a curated cocktail list. 

The guest rooms and suites wholly redesigned by Studio Munge, have an art deco feel with soft browns and light-colored wood furniture. Overall the rooms resemble a luxury condo with a workspace, quality linens and towels, bathrooms with rain showers, and Le Labo toiletries. The furniture is curved and sinuous with no sharp corners. 

A fully equipped gym is located in the residential tower and the famous Stillwater Spa with its fabulous services is on the lower levels. Stillwater also went through a massive refurbishment as well.

Shangri-la Hotel Toronto
As you walk through the doors of Shangri-la Toronto the first impression is “east meets west”. The lobby is posh and vibrant, adorned with orchids, and filled with stylish guests holding meetings, enjoying afternoon tea, or sipping drinks. It’s a fun spot to people-watch and in the evenings; live music fills the lobby with a different theme every night. Adjoining the lobby is the Asian-inspired Bosk restaurant. The dining menu and cocktails reflect the ever-changing Toronto events calendar. During the annual Toronto International Film Festival cocktails and Afternoon Tea are an ode to the movies.

There are 202 spacious rooms and suites that blend modern luxury with traditional Asian décor. With floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable beds, and fluffy robes, each room is an oasis in the center of the city. In addition, each room is equipped with iPads to control the lights, blinds and to connect with the front desk.  

On the fifth floor, a fully equipped 24/7 gym is available for guest use. The real treasure lies in the Miraj Hamman Spa with Turkish bathing rituals and stunning middle-eastern and Turkish design.