The St. Regis Toronto: The Vibe
There’s always something happening at the St Regis. Stroll past its front door valet and revolving doors at the corner of Bay and Adelaide on any given day and you’re bound to find something to stare at.
Beyond the luxury cars and the who’s who making their rounds, the lobby hums with a laid-back energy — people are just happy to be there. I mean, who wouldn't? It's absolutely stunning with grand fresh flower displays and floors so shiny you can check your teeth in them. Plus, the whole place smells really good (a signature St. Regis scent). As you're checking in, peek past the gleaming dual-purpose partition to the Astor Lounge, the swanky lobby bar beyond the polished reception desks.
Every day at 6 p.m. in the lounge, the friendly staff host a champagne sabrage, which is the most over-the-top and brilliant way to open a bottle of bubbles. Cheers to the good life.
The St. Regis Toronto: The Rooms
Head upstairs to your spacious room overlooking the heart of downtown, where heated bathroom floors, a rainfall shower and deep soaker tub await.
Around half of the St. Regis’s 258 rooms are suites with separate living areas, but even if you stick to one of the basic room categories, you'll be far from slumming it. At 550 square feet, rooms at the St. Regis are among the largest standard rooms in the city. Decor continues the opulent aesthetic found in the common areas, with plush fabrics and crystal accents.
Touch panels control the lights, curtains, your mood — kidding, but they are a lot of fun and very Batcave vibes. Bonus: the touch panels are so easy to use you won't have to put down your glass of complimentary champagne, maybe ever.
The St. Regis Toronto: What else
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated elevator opens up to a gold-and-silver-plated hallway that has the entrance to the spa and fitness centre on one end, and the bold rooftop restaurant, Louix Louis, on the other. This may be the only place in the city where you'll see fluffy robes and slippers next to suit jackets and stilettos and no one bats an eye.
The wellness centre and Louix Louis are multi-levels of extravagance — both with impressive menus and signature specials. If Louix Louis were a person, they would live for drama and be dripping in gold at all times. And I say let 'em.
The glamorous dining room is all about more, more, more. Want whisky? Here's a two-story Grand Bar with floor-to-ceiling shelves glowing with 500 amber bottles. Why have a slice of cake, when you can have 13 layers of glossy Guayaquil Ganache and hazelnut-chocolate buttercream. Artwork? Look up at the hand-painted 60-foot ceiling mural that spans the entire restaurant.
Meanwhile, at the spa, get in some laps at the heated infinity-edge lap pool, which feels like you're swimming in the sky. Or, relax in the infrared saunas and steam rooms. You deserve it.
Rooms from $680 a night, marriott.com
The St. Regis Toronto, 325 Bay St.
