A Look Inside: W Toronto (PHOTOS)

The highly anticipated W Toronto has finally opened its doors.

Located in Yorkville, the 11-storey, 254-room luxury hotel will bring new energy and sophistication to the city’s hospitality scene.

“From its street art scene and ongoing musical legacy, Toronto is a natural fit for W Hotels,” said Benoit Racle, Vice President, Brand Management, W Hotels Worldwide.

“Our unassuming, playful interpretation of luxury is poised to make W Toronto a regular stop for those living and working in Toronto as well as the perfect place for an out-of-town guest to revel in the city like a local.”

Designed by creative agency Sid Lee, W Toronto is a physical juxtaposition of the city’s love of nature and its brutalist architecture.

The brutalist façade of the building’s exterior has been transformed through warm, LED lighting, including a glowing exterior lift that carries guests to the rooftop bar and restaurant.

The Welcome Desk and Living Room — the W brand’s signature lobby/lounge combination — are located on the sixth floor. Outfitted with velvet furniture and curved lines, the jewel-toned lobby conjures memories of Toronto’s counterculture movement.

The 5,000-square-foot space also features a faux fire pit, a circular amber-lit bar, and access to The Yard, an outdoor terrace surrounded by a three-story atrium of guest room windows. The area is intended to create a “voyeuristic tension between public and private.”

Stay

Of W Toronto’s 254 guest rooms, 30 are suites. There are two Presidential Suites – known as Extreme Wow in the W Brand.

The rooms’ design draws inspiration from Toronto’s theatre district: beds are flanked by stage-inspired pendant lights and situated in front of a sapphire velvet curtain that can be automatically drawn open or shut.

Other touches include dressing room-style vanity mirrors and curved banquettes. Floral wallpaper and mushroom-shaped accent lights are a nod to nature, while record-like tables honour Toronto’s musical legacy.

Another musical mention can be found in Double Queen Rooms – each contains a piece of wall art that reads “Not everything has to mean something. Some things just are,” a quote from Canadian writer and musician Charles de Lint.

Play

Should a visiting musician (or podcaster) find themselves struck with inspiration, they can make use of Canada’s first W Sounds Suite. The professionally equipped recording studio is hidden behind an unassuming, one-way tinted window off the Living Room.

W Toronto’s five distinct event spaces are ideal for any business meeting or private celebration.

Industry features botanical-inspired wallpaper and elliptical lighting, and, at 1,980 square feet, can be divided into three intimate spaces. Studios 1 and 2 and Strategy 1 and 2 offer more casual settings in which to get work done.

The hotel’s 3,300-square-foot Fit gym is the perfect place to focus and recharge before a big presentation or event.

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Eat

W Toronto features three distinct food and beverage venues, taking guests and visitors on a journey from early morning to late night. At the helm is Executive Chef Keith Pears, whose impressive resume includes B.C. Chef of the Year and Bocuse d’Or National Selection.

Ground-floor PUBLIC SCHOOL is a barista-driven coffee house by day and a low or no alcohol bar by night. The plant-forward menu is accentuated by the soothing earth tones of the décor.

The aforementioned Living Room is ideal for a solo coffee, casual working lunch, after-work cocktail, or late-night revelry. The menu pays homage to the city’s multiculturalism, with “Toronto Tapas” — light, shareable bites representing the city’s diverse neighbourhoods.

Barbacoa Tacos are a nod to Kensington Market, Jerk Chicken Skewers represent Little Jamaica, and Fogo Island Cod Cheeks honour Little India.

“Sparkling” is the theme of the Living Room’s beverage program. Champagne, rare bottles, and a Perlini corking system allow for bubbly by the glass, sparkling cocktails like the Celery Sour and the Green Goddess Bloody Mary, as well as unique flights. There’s also a Moet vending machine.

Skylight, W Toronto’s rooftop bar and restaurant, is where you’re drawn as the sun sets.

Featuring indoor-outdoor seating, the boho oasis overlooks Bloor Street with the intention of celebrating “the provocative and artistic spirit of the ’60s Yorkville hippie revolution.”

Skylight’s bazaar-inspired main room will host a nightly DJ booth and performance stage. With intimate seating, The Den is the perfect people-watching nook. The Terrace features birdcage-style seating. And the Loft can host semi-private events.

The Mediterranean-inspired menu includes familial-style mezze, salatas, and freshly made maneesh served with tagines. A highlight is the statement-making Seafood Tower, which includes oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail, escabeche, tuna and scallop crudos, king crab legs, lobster, and caviar.

Skylight’s cocktail menu is centred on Vermouth and Amaro, with a selection of upscale curated cocktails, seasonal spritzes, and adult slushes.

“W Toronto is a microcosm of the people, culture, and history of this incredible city,” said Craig Reaume, General Manager, W Toronto.

“From the intentional design of each guest room and the authentically diverse menus to the music and vibe of each public space, W Toronto offers a long overdue alternative to the luxury hotel scene. We cannot wait to welcome guests time and again.”