Toronto, Canada
Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto
Urban Elegance
What it is
A 202-room Asian-inspired respite in a glimmering high-rise, with an indoor lap pool and Caudalie spa.
What it isn't
Vegging out. The 3,000-square-foot health club has its own yoga studio and a plethora of TechnoGym machines.
What we think
Serenity can be impossible to find in major cities—yes, even in Canada. Blessedly, the loveliness you’ll find in Shangri-La’s topnotch spa (a hammam, no less!) extends to each guest room. Every single one is streamlined yet cosseting, from the floor-to-ceiling windows to the marble bathrooms stocked with L’Occitane toiletries and soaking tubs. We love that the main on-site restaurant, Bosk, caters to all kinds of travelers; you can opt for cashew cheesecake on an almond base with their vegan menu or go full-throttle with the “dulce” cheesecake, made with an amaretti base, coffee and almond crumble and enough espresso ice cream to get you buzzed and back out on the town. And did we mention that David Chang has an outpost of Momofuku on the lobby level? Delicious, indeed.
You're here because
It may look adults-only, but the hotel is as family-friendly as they come, with free meals for tots under six, babysitters at-the-ready and loaner iPads in each room.
The Moment
Sure, you enjoy afternoon tea in stuffy tea parlors as much as the next globetrotter. But something about curling up in the Lobby Lounge, betwixt a Fazioli piano and flickering floating gas fireplace, has you thinking that actually, this is what Queen Elizabeth II would prefer (if she had a choice)—with as much free-flowing champagne as she likes, of course.
Restaurants & Bars
Bosk - Asian inspired cuisine
Lobby Lounge - Light refreshments and quality wine
Location
In the beating heart of Old Toronto, six blocks away from the Hockey Hall of Fame and three from the Art Gallery of Ontario, recently revamped by none other than Frank Gehry.