Yorkville Hotels

If we may be so bold: First-time visitors to Toronto should stay in Yorkville, a central, very walkable neighborhood known for some of the best shopping in the city (the famous department store Holt Renfrew is a few blocks away). It’s also home to the Hazelton, a high-end boutique hotel with seventy-seven rooms designed by superstar local design firm Yabu Pushelberg. The overall look is minimal, streamlined, modern, and big (even the smallest rooms are the size of most other hotels' suites). And don’t go looking for color—almost the entire place is in shades of gray, white, and black. Our favorite part—aside from our own goop MRKT in the lobby—is the indoor lap pool, perfect for a swim before a steam and deep-tissue massage at the spa.

Bursting with old-world charm but stocked with modern luxuries, each of the twenty-eight suites is spacious and beautifully appointed, and you’ll also find—interestingly—a musical instrument in each one. For a real treat book into the Windsor, replete with a baby grand piano, fireplaces in the bedroom (plus one in the bathroom), and a beautiful lounge area furnished with an antique writing desk. Other amenities include a fifteen-seat screening room, a gym, and a saltwater pool and spa. The Courtyard café does a great brunch.

In the heart of Toronto’s downtown district Yorkville, the fifty-five-story property has incredible city views from every floor. The rooms are fittingly luxe and modern, done up in a tonal grey palette. Chef Daniel Boulud’s on-site French brasserie-style restaurant is an added bonus for the weary traveler who doesn't want to venture out for a good meal.