Asian touches, exceptional cuisine and spectacular service are touchstones of this 202-room hotel.
Design
Pulling up to the modern glass edifice, Shangri-La Toronto’s large sparkling chandeliers with tall orchids can be seen from street view. Inside, natural light fills the lobby where the sexy Italian handcrafted Fazioli piano is proudly anchored by couture dresses curated by collector William Vintage. A sleek elongated fireplace and smart paintings are cohesively displayed in a chic neutral palette of gold, grey, cream and black. Meanwhile, the premier room offers 560 square feet of space with views of Toronto’s downtown through the ceiling to floor windows, (especially lavish from the soaker tub in the marble laden bathroom).
Dining
“Bosk will be the highlight of your stay here, I go there every year for my birthday,” a guest whispers to me in the elevator and I soon discover why. Chef de cuisine Richard Singh, who has had stints at The Fat Duck and Per Se knows his flavours― at dinner, the lobster bisque is concentrated with a punchy hit of brandy and topped with a delicate pâte feuilletée, the tiny handmade Yukon gold agnolotti with chestnut and black truffle are dreamy, while the Fisherfolk Atlantic halibut with creamy pommes puree, artichoke and grapes is understated and elegant.
The following day, still enthusiastically raving about dinner the previous evening, I book high tea expecting a formulaic offering of cucumber sandwiches and strawberries and cream. Servers wearing Asian style blue willow patterned dresses, hold tiered trays of goodies tailored to guests dietary restrictions. Each bite-sized treat is formed with the utmost perfection, and created with sophistication and a level of thought that makes the experience utterly sublime (think delicate mini-lobster rolls, a luxurious take on black forest and a grapefruit infused genoise and earl grey angel cake).
Why I’d Come Back
Service is unmistakably attentive and one of the best hotel experiences in Toronto. Servers who remember your face from breakfast wave hello during afternoon tea, attendants at valet are swift and helpful. Overall, hotel staff is genuinely eager to assist guests. This is luxury defined.
This original hotel article first appeared in the Winter 2017/18 issue of City Style and Living Magazine
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