Marriott Bonvoy, part of the Marriott Hotels Worldwide portfolio of 30 fantastic hotel brands, today announced the grand opening of W Toronto.
The hotel is a testament to Toronto’s illustrious art scene, cultural diversity, and history of non-conformity, standing 11 stories tall in the vibrant Yorkville neighborhood.
W Toronto is destined to breathe new life and sophistication into the city’s premium lifestyle leisure industry. As a result, residents and tourists alike can now find a new playground while still being able to connect.
About 5 hours away is the Mont-Tremblant area which is also a popular vacation destination.
A Culture Clash of Design
W Toronto, designed by Sid Lee’s worldwide creative firm, is a collision of the city’s biophilia, artificial city grid, and brutalist architecture.
The contrast starts with the outside, where the brutalist architecture has been brought to life by warm, LED lighting that illuminates the night sky and a sparkling, opaque orange lift to take guests to the rooftop bar and restaurant.
The hotel’s journey begins on the 6th Floor, where the Welcome Desk and Living Room (the W brand’s signature lobby/lounge) are saturated in crimson, amethyst, and topaz hues – with curving lines and soft furnishings evocative of Toronto’s late 1960s and early 1970s counterculture movement.
The focal point of the 5,000-square-foot space is a communal “fire” pit surrounded by amber lighting, which offers panoramic views of the city. There are also more intimate spaces such as The Private Room and an indoor cabaret club with sweeping views of downtown Los Angeles.
Two hundred fifty-four hotel rooms are available at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, including 30 Extreme Wow (Presidential) Suites.
Guest rooms feature theater-inspired pendant lights framed by a stage-inspired sapphire velvet curtain that may be opened and closed to offer privacy or displayed open to add drama.
The restaurant features a bespoke design and boasts an unusual, artistic decor that pays homage to the city’s vibrant music scene. The interior is complemented with artwork from Toronto-based artists, including plant-themed wallpaper and mushroom-shaped accent lights.
W Toronto Art and Sound Suite
W Toronto is the first W Sound Suite in Canada, with the brand’s original recording studio experience.
W Toronto’s W Sound Suite, located in the far reaches of the hotel, is equipped with top-of-the-line equipment where professional and amateur musicians, podcasters, and other creatives may take inspiration from the city and resort scene.
Toronto’s reputation as a center for multidisciplinary creative excellence stems from its psychedelic rock of the 1960s and today’s hip-hop to street art in Graffiti Alley. W Toronto pays homage to this cannon with an original collection that begins with the W Monument on Bloor Street.
Sid Lee’s Mushroom is a psychedelic masterpiece that combines natural crystal rock patterns and the vivid color palette of psychedelia to represent biophilia and hippie culture. The adventure continues with three murals by Mikael B., a Dutch-born artist.
“Below the Surface” is a fascinating depiction of submarine volcanic eruptions; “Hidden Gem,” at Lift Level G, inspired by Salvador Dalí, Jackson Pollock, and Peter Saul with a variety of colors and geometric shapes; and “Clear Vision,” an abstract color experiment in the meeting and event space are among the many attractions.
W Toronto Dining and Coffee Scene
Executive Chef Keith Pears is the creative culinary leader at W Toronto, which has a well-known reputation in the field.
His unrivaled CV, including B.C. Chef of the Year, Gold Medal Plates, Bocuse d’Or National Selection, and a spot on Chopped Canada adds A-list star power to W Toronto’s three distinct beverage and culinary destinations, leading them on a journey from morning until late at night.
The story begins in PUBLIC SCHOOL, the rebellious, ground-floor coffee shop with a kitchen and bar driven by barista culture during the day, and new school tonics, elixirs, and low or no alcoholic beverages at night.
The unpretentious, plant-centric cuisine is available across two stories. It is accentuated by inviting the late 1960s/early 1970s furniture in a soothing earth color palette as well as “Toronto Gush,” an original mural by Costa Rican-born artist Alan Ganev inspired by Toronto’s Graffiti Alley.
The Living Room, designed to resemble a living room in Toronto’s most diverse city, pays homage to the city’s status as the world’s most multicultural metropolis.
The Meatless Monday-inspired menu at Gubby’s Grill includes “Toronto Tapas” – light, shareable bites that represent the city’s many neighborhoods – such as Barbacoa Tacos (Kensington Market) and Jerk Chicken Skewers (Little Jamaica).
The Living Room drink menu focuses on “sparkling,” with Champagne, rare bottles, and a Perlini corking system for one-of-a-kind flight experiences, as well as sparkling beverages like the Celery Sour and Green Goddess Bloody Mary.
SKYLIGHT, the hotel’s rooftop bar, and restaurant cast a spell on the city’s late-night scene with enticing curated cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine as the sun sets.
The provocative and artistic Yorkville hippie revolution is celebrated at this indoor-outdoor boho paradise overlooking Toronto’s iconic Bloor Street.
SKYLIGHT’s central area is based on a traditional bazaar-style market, with a nightly D.J. booth and performance stage. The Loft (for semi-private events), The Den (an intimate seating area), and The Terrace (with birdcage-style seats) are among the other facilities available.
The variety of mezze, salads, and freshly prepared maneesh is complemented by a seafood tower with oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail, escabeche, tuna, scallop crudos, king crab legs, lobster tail meat.
Skylight’s cocktail menu is Vermouth and Amaro-centric, with a range of premium curated drinks, seasonal spritzes, and adult slushes.
Business Reinvented
W Toronto is the ideal location for conducting business or celebrating a milestone, with five event spaces covering 4,679 square feet.
The 1,980-square-foot Modern Courtyard (left) has a green roof and more casual furniture. The expertly decorated interior of the Industry (top right), which has a botanical-inspired wallpaper patterned with elliptical lighting that evokes floral seedlings, may be divided into three intimate areas.
The Glass Studio, Strategy 1 and 2, and Studios 1 and 2 in the Living Room are more laid-back working environment settings.
W Toronto’s 3,300-square-foot FIT gym is the ideal location for guests to focus and recharge before or on the big presentation or wedding day.
