Hotel 101: Livin' large, for less
Sure, it's Canada here, but that doesn't mean we all chill out in igloos. Especially in Toronto. This thriving multicultural metropolis is home to some of the finest hotels and hotel operators in the world. Four Seasons, for example, got its start here in Toronto, more than 40 years ago. From a humble motel, it's now recognized globally as a standard in luxury stays away from home.
Guess that's my way of saying hotelling is taken very seriously here, by some of the most respected brands in the biz. You can stay very affordable here if you're on a budget, but for sheer escape, there are some outstanding rooms and views across the Toronto skyline (I'll grab a shot in the next day or two and link to it).
A stay at one of the city's grand old rooms, like the Signature Rooms at the Fairmont Royal York is ... SCHWEEET! I recently stayed there one night and it seriously gave me chills. You kick back in one of these cribs and you seriously feel like a rock star. When it was completed in 1929, the Royal York was the largest and finest hotel in the Commonwealth. Nowadays, she looks a little like your granny, standing with grandpa (Union Station across the street, where all the passenger trains join up with the subway system) surrounded on three sides by a bunch of ultramodern art snobs (all the skyscrapers of the financial district and beyond), but don't let that old-fashioned exterior fool you--there's nothing shabby if you're staying in a pimped-out Signature Room.
Two TVs. Two Bathrooms! Shower's a little small and the grab bars surrounding the tub and other parts of the john remind you just a little too much that Granny and Grandpa do stay here, but just a little while in the room and some of the other gems in the hotel and you realize Granny and Grandpa ain't no dummies! Everything--the wallpaper, the period furniture, the chandeliers, for cryin' out loud!!--transport you back to some bygone era, only without the Great Depression.
You find yourself imagining some minor royal staying in the very same room during a visit from the Queen, who has the Royal Suite available to her a few floors up. Which crooners and rock stars seduced wives, mistresses and groupies in this very room?
Almost forgot the most important part--the bed. Like a cloud!
At any rate, I managed to score a pretty sweet deal for this suite, which brings us to our first lesson--If the price (and it can be steep, as high as $440 Cdn) gives you sticker shock, call and ask what special rates you might qualify to take advantage of. This isn't specific to the Royal York, this goes for any hotel, luxury or otherwise. You may not always snag the sweet, suite, but it never hurts to ask. Sometimes, you even hit the jackpot!
My suite deal was part of someone special's birthday plans, which went something like this, and never took me more than a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
11 a.m.: Drop off overnight bag with concierge, and escort that special someone downstairs to Elizabeth Milan Spa for a few hours of pampering.
11:15 a.m.: Zip on over to Yonge and Dundas, then to the Eaton Centre to pick up a few supplies, like vino, snacks and whatnot.
Noon: Over to St. Lawrence Market to grab a few more provisions, like antipasti, fresh bread and a to-die-for cake from Dufflet (Droooooooooool!).
1 p.m.: Back to the hotel to drop off the supplies, then back downstairs to get up close and personal with the best martini I've ever met, courtesy of the Library Bar.
3 p.m.: Someone's looking awfully pampered as they come to meet me at the bar, and I'm positively glowing, thanks to my second martini.
So remember, make sure you ask about special rates, and take my word for it, a night in a Signature Room makes for a very nice gift.
