Amy Adejokun
Section editor
The Soho Metropolitan Hotel is located between the Entertainment district and the Art district of Toronto and is a popular hotel for a wide-ranging clientele, from Jude Law to the average family on holiday. For us, the hotel was a good all-rounder, but didn't make it in our top 10 due to its lacking atmosphere and need for a bit of a refurbishment to freshen up the rooms.
The Soho Metropolitan - © Julien Ferret / EASYVOYAGE
The Soho Metropolitan - © Julien Ferret / EASYVOYAGE
The hotel is located on Bluejays, a fairly quiet main road perpendicular to Queen Street and a short walk away from the city's main attractions and sites.
The hotel has 92 rooms, placing it in the 'boutique' hotel category, although it doesn't feel much like a boutique due to its lack of personalised service and attention de detail in its décor. The hotel has 18 suites, a three-floor Penthouse suite, or the 'Jude Law' suite, as he once stayed here during the TIFF (Tribeca International Film Festival), and the rest of the rooms are conventional rooms.
All rooms have an 80sq ft walk-in wardrobe, marble bathrooms with heated floors and Molten Brown amenities. Otherwise they all have the usual mod-cons like a mini-bar, in-room safe, large flat-screen television with DVD player, Frette linens, and remote controlled drapes.
The décor tends to vary very little from room to room, which are all painted in neutral tones and dressed with a couple of black and white photographs hanging in frames. Otherwise the rooms seemed extremely bland to us and in need of a bit of a makeover as some had worn cream carpets and suedette furniture. The spacious bathrooms with separate bath tub and free-standing showers were the highlight of the rooms here.
Open in 2003, the hotel has been well-maintained, although it could do with a fresh lick of paint. The hotel feels quite small and intimate, despite its small shopping centre-like lobby from which stems the restaurant and all-day deli. The hotel has an Asian background, hence the theme in the restaurant, which serves Asian fusion cuisine. Guests also have the choice of grabbing a bite to eat at the café/deli open for lunch and brunch. There is no spa onsite, although the hotel does work with Daniel, the hair dresser's on the same block, which also has a couple of massage rooms. The hotel does however have a good size indoor lap pool and good size gym set against floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in plenty of light. During the warmer months, there is also a large terrace where guests are welcome o sunbathe on sunloungers if the area isn't being used for an event. For guests on business, there is Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel.
There are two outlets altogether onsite: Senses Café, the all-day deli, and the Senses restaurant adjoined to the lobby. Both are of a good standard and are casual enough to hang out in jeans and a t-shirt. Vincent Leung, the Senses chef, marks the restaurant's cuisine with his 'East meets West' fusion style, reflecting the hotel's Chinese ownership. The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 6:00pm-10:00pm. The décor of the restaurant is pleasant enough, with Asian touches like the silk cushions and red and black features.
The Senses bar-lounge is open every day from 4:00pm-1am. For a quick bite to eat or if you just want to relax and read the paper, there is also the Senses deli, open for brunch and lunch every day. The bakery specialises in pastries and chocolates from Thomas Haas. Neither of the outlets are the most happening and lively of the city, but offer a practical alternative to having to venture outside if you don't feel like it. The hotel also offers 24-hour room service.
The Soho Metropolitan has an Asian background, its owner from Hong-Kong, which is denoted in small touches of the décor of the restaurant. The Soho Met's sister hotel, The Metropolitan, is located in Downtown Toronto.
massage, beauty salon, sauna, hammam, keep fit, spa, Turkish bath, wellness
gym, golf, mountain bike, water-polo, fitness, sports
One of the top luxury hotels in Toronto, The Fairmont Royal York is second to none. Host to three generations of the British Royal Family, it's not hard to see why this landmark hotel would be the Queen's first choice. A historical hotel that first opened in 1929, it is still very much still the centre of Downtown Toronto, despite its traditional interiors and rooms. The perfect place to stay if you're looking to be treated like royalty right in the centre of Toronto. The only downside for us, was the lack of intimacy in the hotel lobby and its restaurants - the hotel, despite its sophisticated decor and facilities, is buzzing with activity, which makes it feel more like the train station it was made to look like rather than an exclusive haven.
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One of our favourite hotels in the city, the Thompson is fully deserving of the hype as well as its title as a top-end hotel with a pretentious edge. Located on a quiet backstreet just off Bluejays, it's one of those hotels that you are unlikely to just stumble across, but is fully worth the detour for the restaurant, even if you're not staying here. With stunning open plan interiors and an ultra-exclusive roof-top bar complete with the city's only outdoor (heated) infinity-edged pool, it's is enough to keep you coming back for more every time you visit the city. A contemporary and stylish pocket for arty trendy types wanting an exclusive hang-out away from the hustle and bustle.
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The Templar tops our Toronto hotel hot list hands down and without hesitation. An incredible feat of a hotel packed with design features, you'll have a hard time finding something on par. Its nondescript façade may not be much of a giveaway, but bit by bit as you explore the hotel, you will soon understand why it is that this top-notch design boutique hotel is our number one. Ideal for a trendy clientele who is fond of gadgets and who likes being surprised at every turn. Nowhere else will you see so much effort being put into every single detail, and nowhere else will you be able to sit at the chef's table in the kitchen at 3:00am and order - well, whatever your imagination can rustle up! Want to know more? So did we.
The Drake Hotel, despite its slightly snooty atmosphere, is one of our favourite hotels in Toronto. Small, intimate and completely art mad, you'll have a hard time finding something like it in the rest of the world, let alone in Toronto. There are so many quirky details incorporated in one space that it's hard to know where to begin! It's a hotel that people love to hate because it's got everything just right - but let us reassure you: it's all true. The Drake is one of those hotels that has something for everyone, be in an outdoor space, live music, an incredible flair for art, cosy rooms or friendly staff, the Drake has it all. Located right in the centre of Toronto's art-hub on Queen Street West, this is a great base to explore the rest of the city from, especially for guests who like to do something different every evening without having to go too far afield. The hype that surrounds this hotel is absolutely and completely justified - it is rare that we give hotels a 10/10, but The Drake deserves top marks. Congratulations to the Drake team for getting it spot on!
Le Germain on Mercer Street, not to be confused with Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, was without doubt one of our favourite hotels in Toronto as it is an all-round good-value luxury five star hotel. With a subtle business atmosphere and a strong French identity, Le Germain is very distinct from other hotels in the city. Comfortable, very well appointed and thought-out, the hotel is also suitable for leisure guests. Its location, at the heart of the Entertainment district, means that it is within walking distance of most attractions in the area without being right in the middle of the hustle and bustle. A perfect choice for professionals who are used to staying at luxury hotels and for couples looking for a simple yet high standard hotel.
The stately and classic Trump Toronto is one more in the line of Mr. Trump's splendidly luxurious hotels. Recently opened, the opulent hotel's champagne and caviar colour scheme is cosy and slick. Everyone here is treated like a VIP, which is what Trump hotels pride themselves on to distinguish themselves from other five star hotels. Located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, in the Financial District, the hotel is likely to attract more of a business clientele, but for the rest of the family, the rooms are a pleasure to stay at for a long weekend.
A monumental hotel in size, where guests don't go amiss for anything at all, be it a diverse range of restaurants or wellbeing facilities, everything is right here on site. Located in Downtown Toronto just opposite the Tribeca Film Festival screening venue, the Ritz Carlton is a great choice if you want to be within walking distance of most of the city's attraction and hustle and bustle. The hotel itself has a traditional Ritz-Carlton feel in its large daunting all-marble lobby and high ceilings, but as always, the service is up to scratch, leaving guests with an overall pleasant experience.
Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, not to be confused with the second Le Germain hotel in the city, Le Germain on Mercer Street, is the more contemporary of the two, although in terms of design the two are quite close. The focus here is on aesthetics and the atmosphere is a little livelier than at the Mercer Street hotel, although the staff is still as friendly and efficient. The advantage of the Maple Leaf hotel is its location. Right next to Union Station, the main train station, and in the midst of the financial district, business types might prefer to stay here rather than on Mercer Street. It is also a few minutes' walk from the Air Canada Centre. We liked this property's sleek and young ambience and would recommend it to couples looking for a high-standard no fuss place to stay.