Let's face it, leaving your home nowadays is a big freakin' deal, so why not make it worth your while with a staycation at one of the best Toronto hotels. From boutique boudoirs like The Annex and The Drake Hotel to luxury towers like the Shangri-La and the Ritz-Carlton, there's something special about staying in a hotel, even if you live just down the street.
Forget work from home when you can work from hotel, everything is just so much better when you're in a plushy hotel robe and dialling room service or takeout and delivery for your desk lunch. Even better, order Toronto's best sushi or a bottled cocktail right to your room — we won't tell the boss. These Toronto hotels know a thing or two about stylish and elegant stays that will make you want to move in for good and fall in love with the city all over again.
There's always a place in the city to rest your head when the day is done, good luck choosing which Toronto hotel will make the cut. Better yet, why not try them all... You'll have tiny shampoo bottles for life.
Toronto's best hotels: 12 to book for a city staycation
The Shangri-La Hotel
188 University Ave.
A two-minute walk from Osgoode subway station, this upscale hotel in the middle of downtown Toronto boasts sleek and contemporary design, while maintaining a warm and welcoming feel. The lobby lounge looks like it could be a set of the latest Bond movie and with a rotating selection of vintage Hollywood costumes and gowns on display, it's definitely got slinky A list vibes.
Looks aside, the service and attention to detail is impeccable here. What's more, the rooms are some of the biggest in the city and combine modern luxury with traditional Asian décor. If you can bear to pry your eyes away the views of the city, you'll notice elegant earth-tones, calming bamboo and heated marble floors. Oh, and don't skip on the afternoon tea service or the 9,000-square-foot wellness facility on the fifth floor with a 64-foot pool and a spa.
The Ritz-Carlton
181 Wellington St. W.
The Ritz-Carlton is the kind of place whose reputation precedes and exceeds all expectations — you just know a stay here is going to be an absolute treat. And how could it not with the city's largest luxury spa, a saltwater indoor pool and those dreamy handcrafted Italian 400 thread count bed sheets. The attention to detail and level of hospitality that comes with a staycation at this iconic five-star hotel will leave you scrambling to pick up your jaw that's been dropped on the sparkling floor.
Kimpton Saint George Hotel
280 Bloor St. W.
Sandwiched between posh Yorkville and the spunky Annex, the Kimpton Saint George is a stylish hotel that strikes a fine balance between homey and eclectic. From the moment you walk through the rounded doorway, you’ll feel as though you were transported to a retreat somewhere far, far away.
The small but perfectly formed space was designed by Mason Studio and has a laid-back aesthetic, with wood and marble accents, sultry dark blues and greys paired with rich pops of colour and local art. In the lobby enjoy complimentary tea and coffee to kick-start your morning and a wine hour in the evenings. There's also custom designed bikes available for guests.
The Anndore House
15 Charles St. E.
Do you ever walk into a place and just want to change your life’s entire design aesthetic? Well, The Anndore House has that kind of effect. The 10-story boutique hotel near Yonge and Bloor is inspired by the building’s storied (and once kind of shady) past. It first opened in the 1950s as a residence and hotel where some of the city’s most famous and infamous slept… Or didn’t, if you catch our drift.
The rooms are designed to look like an industrial loft with a retro style that stays true to its creative and quirky history, while exposed brick walls and brass-accented bathrooms add a modern element for a hipster home-away-from-home feel.
Bisha Hotel
80 Blue Jays Way
This King West tower, complete with three restaurants, is all about in-your-face extravagance. Throughout the hotel, you'll find design choices bolder than someone sliding into your DMs. Decked out in flashy prints of pop culture icons and photos of models, each room at the Bisha Hotel is slightly different than the last — but just as glitzy.
A swirling geometric carpet, custom-made furniture, crushed velvet and other textiles can be found throughout while floor to ceiling windows and white walls brighten up the busy space. The dazzling marble bathrooms in every room come equipped with heated floors and outfitted with snazzy Byredo amenities — see what we mean about tiny toiletries?
The Broadview Hotel
106 Broadview Ave.
At this iconic east end hotel you’ll find the combination of modern luxury and eclectic charm that Torontonians are all about. Built in the 1890’s, the historic Broadview Hotel has been a local haunt for decades, evolving and changing with the neighbourhood.
Home to unobstructed views of the city’s skyline and Don River, the Rooftop bar is the main attraction. In warmer months, the glass façade opens up onto a sprawling terrace for an abundance of outdoor seating and in the winter time it's decked out in après ski chalet vibes.
Hotel X
111 Newfoundland Rd.
This may be a large resort-style hotel with 406 rooms, but the service and attention to detail at Hotel X make you feel like you’re the only guest. First things first: get yourself to the rooftop, pronto, where a year-round heated pool and a sky bar welcome you with panoramic views of Lake Ontario.
You’d have to stay a week to fully experience all of Hotel X’s amenities. From two indoor tennis courts overlooking the Toronto skyline to a movie theatre (sans sticky floors) and a Top Golf simulator, there’s so much room for activities without actually leaving the fully licensed premises. Yup, you can even drink in the gym. The Guerlain Spa is a special treat-du-jour. The only Canadian location of the French beauty house opened late last year and it is fancy as f -rench.
The Annex Hotel
296 Brunswick Ave.
The Annex Hotel aims to tap into the ever-thriving homestay market with its design-hotel-meets-AirBnB concept. With their minimalist yet cozy vibe, rooms look like they’ve been plucked out of an aspirational Instagram feed. It takes its name from its surrounding neighbourhood, reflecting the property’s emphasis on local experiences rather than typical hotel frills.
Set in a 100-year-old building down a quiet side street off Bloor, the Annex has a stylish, urban aesthetic. The hotel takes an “everything-you-need-nothing-you-don’t” approach to amenities, which means no phones, TVs, room service or fitness centre: Just 24 bright, loft-style rooms spread across three storeys.
Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer
30 Mercer St.
Tucked down a side street, slap bang in the middle of the Entertainment District, you might have walked past Le Germain Hotel Toronto on Mercer and never noticed it – but a trip inside is much harder to forget.
High ceilings and Zen design strokes give the lobby a modern Japanese feel, with its light wooden beams and cubic-storage wall in the uber-comfy library lounge. With rooms ranging from the classic with modern wood panelling and cozy nest vibes to the two storey apartment suite with a fully equipped kitchen, there's something for everyone at this urban oasis.
The St. Regis Toronto
325 Bay St.
The former Trump International Hotel and Tower got a glamorous makeover, transforming it into the St. Regis Toronto. Luxe decor and exceptional service are the brand’s signature elements and their Toronto hotel certainly delivers. St. Regis Toronto exudes timeless, understated elegance from head to toe.
Around half of the St. Regis’ 258 rooms are suites with separate living areas, but even if you stick to one of the basic room categories, you definitely won’t be slumming it. There's also a massive spa and fitness centre with a saltwater pool on the 31st floor.
The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St. W.
If the Drake Hotel were a person, they would be your most well-dressed, down-for-anything, always-in-the-know kind of friend. Basically, the Drake Hotel is just pure casual coolness, but without being cold or standoff-ish. Tuck into one of their gorgeously designed suites with custom furniture and artwork for a night of "good, clean fun," (the Drake’s enhanced cleaning practices and food and beverage safety efforts) or experience the whole shebang with creative packages like the Art Passport where you can take home an original art keepsake and check out late. Trust us, you won’t want to leave.
The Ivy Hotel
111 Queen St. E.
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Inspired by the luxury boutique hotels of Europe, the Ivy will make you feel like you've taken a trip across the Ocean, instead of just down the block. Located on Queen East in a restored 1850s chocolate factory, The Ivy looks like a 19th-century mansion filled with historic details and opulent modern design and lots of Great Gatsby vibes.
Each room has a working fireplace ideal for curling up with a book from the common room's personal library collection. Rooms are adorned with four-post beds, animal print, velvet chairs and pained armoires that have a hidden mini bar inside. The large bathrooms have heated limestone floors and deep soaking tubs to take the edge off 2020.
