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| Shangri-La Toronto’s Shangri-La Suite on the 17th floor is its most impressive with distinct Asian furnishing, Japanese lattice screens and pewter marble. |
We trekked northward in May to check out the all-new Shangri-La Toronto; here’s our report.
The spacious lobby is the epicenter of activity at the hotel; it’s a classic environment complete with afternoon tea service and cocktails. As the evening sets in, the social elite throng Shangri-La to listen to live music, sip cocktails or sit by the central fireplace.
We checked into a One Bedroom Deluxe Suite. The 820-square-foot room has a living area with a guest bathroom and a separate master bedroom with its own en suite bathroom. Our favorite touches to the room were the deep whirlpool tub in the bathroom and the floor-to-ceiling windows, which washed the guest room in gorgeous spring sunlight. Another cool touch? The in-room iPad, through which guests can book spa treatments, arrange for a car service and order room service. We didn’t hesitate to order a glass of Prosecco and a plate of sushi to enjoy after our soak in the tub.
For room inquiries, reach out to Director of Sales and Marketing Alex Filiatrault ([email protected]).
The gem at the hotel is its Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris. This is a spa experience unlike most in North America, as it is focused around Middle Eastern traditions. We tried the Hammam & Gommage experience, which is a steam and body exfoliation. After steaming in high intensity mist for about 20 minutes, we were taken to a low mist steam chamber where we lay on Jerusalem gold marble and experienced a full body exfoliation with eucalyptus-infused black Moroccan soap. Our skin positively glowed. Following the treatment we were escorted to the relaxation room (think chic Moroccan harem with canopied beds and throw pillows), where we were treated to tea, grapes and baklava.
To book a spa treatment, reach out to Director, Spa Operations Daryll Naidu (647-253-5771).
Following your treatment, keep the relaxation flowing at the pool. The hotel’s 65-foot pool sits under a glass roof with a chandelier and candle-lit wall. We loved lounging in our poolside cabana, each with its own flat-screen TV.
In the evening, we suggest heading down to restaurant Bosk to sit at the bar and have a cocktail before dinner. Bartender Mathieu was on hand to make sure we tried the local libation: a Bloody Caesar (think Bloody Mary but with clam-infused tomato juice).
Our dinner at Bosk was so sinfully delicious that we felt guilty eating anything the following day. Shangri-La Toronto does dinner in style—with a cart of international bubblies that they wheel out before your meal so you can choose a celebratory drink. While we were there, the restaurant was serving its Winter menu, and has since switched to its Spring and Summer menu, but diners must order the Nova Scotia Scallops with avocado, hon-shimiji mushrooms and crunchy rice, followed by the Brome Lake Duck Leg Confit, with yellow peach, vanilla glaze parsnip and sweet onion.
Note: Lovers of the New York institution Momofuku will be delighted to see a Toronto outpost of Noodle Bar adjacent to the Shangri-La. David Chang has expanded his enterprise north and is serving up delicious bowls of piping hot noodles and succulent pork buns to a Toronto crowd.
If travelers want to personalize their stay, reach out to Chief Concierge Robin Elliot ([email protected]). Having never been to Toronto before, we were set up on a private walking tour of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market and Distillery District. We were taken around by Bruce Bell of Bruce Bell Tours. Bell is as knowledgeable as he is entertaining and is a local celebrity in Toronto. Our two-hour tour seemed to fly by and we could have kept going for more. We happened to be in town for the Doors Open Toronto, a free annual weekend festival that opens more than 100 architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings in the city. Bell’s tour also takes visitors through Cork Town, which was once the Irish slum of the 19th century. Today it is one of the most coveted real estate sections in the city. Note: When visiting the St. Lawrence Market, be sure to stop by Carousel Bakery and order a peameal bacon sandwich, a signature Toronto dish. The locals love it.
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| The one bedroom deluxe suite boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, washing the guest room in gorgeous spring sunlight. |
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| Miraj Hammam Spa By Caudalie Paris has nine treatment rooms, focused around Middle Eastern traditions. |