The Fairmont Royal York Toronto: The business traveller’s dream
One of the oldest and most prestigious hotels in Toronto, the Fairmont Royal York has a discreet “hotel within a hotel” complete with private check-in, executive lounge and butler services. Here’s everything you need to know.
THE HOTEL: Located across the street from the CN Tower and Union station, this landmark property opened in 1929 and is considered to be one of Canada’s grandest railway hotels. Part of French hospitality giant Accor, the Fairmont Royal York is an excellent choice for business travellers, particularly as it features the brand’s signature “Fairmont Gold” concept that functions as a kind of members’ club for higher-spending guests.
THE HOTEL WITHIN A HOTEL: Revamped four years ago, people booking Fairmont Gold rooms benefit from a “hotel within a hotel” experience, with accommodation in this category grouped together on the same floors (13-18). Rather than queue at the busy ground-floor reception desk, Gold guests can take an express lift straight up to the Fairmont Gold lounge on the 18th floor. Upon arrival they are quietly and efficiently issued with a room key, shown around the lounge, and then escorted to their room.
THE FAIRMONT GOLD ROOMS: At the Fairmont Royal York there are 106 Fairmont Gold rooms (out of 1,343 rooms in total), ranging in size from 21 sqm to 50 sqm. They were renovated in 2019 by Champalimaud Design so are still looking fresh. I was staying in a Fairmont Gold suite, which had great views of the CN Tower and a separate living room with a sofa and dining table that was useful for working. The bed was extremely comfortable (and had embroidered sheets with the hotel’s monograph). There was a bathroom with twin sinks, Le Labo Rose bathing products (I would have preferred to see refillable bottles rather than miniatures) and a shower with SkinJay aromatherapy diffusers. I was also pleased to find a kettle and a Nespresso machine.
FAIRMONT GOLD BENEFITS: Standard Fairmont Gold benefits include: free wifi, newspapers and wake-up calls; a free continental breakfast in the lounge; free afternoon canapés, evening hors d’oeuvres and desserts; daily “happy hours”; free use of a boardroom (in select locations); and a dedicated Fairmont Gold concierge who can organise restaurant and entertainment bookings, for example. The Royal York can also source personal trainers and security guards, as well as create tailored culinary programmes to people on gluten-free, vegan or paleo diets, for example.
THE LOUNGE: The Fairmont Gold lounge is airy, bright and sophisticated with glass-sided fireplaces, comfy velvet chairs, fridges stocked with cold drinks, open work areas and a curated book collection. There is also a residential-style kitchen with food laid out at various times of day, and a bar area with spirits and wine. Staff are on-hand to serve coffees and mix cocktails, and I spent a considerable amount of time here one afternoon working. There was a good array of food for breakfast including scrambled eggs and bagels.
WHAT ELSE? The hotel is well set up for events with 36 meeting and function rooms, as well as four hospitality suites and a VIP Boardroom. One of the highlights of the hotel is its array of glamorous restaurants and bars such as Clockwork Champagne and Cocktails on the ground floor, which is always buzzing and is famous for its two-sided clock installation gleaming above the shelves of drinks. Above is a dramatic timbered ceiling that is an unusually old-fashioned feature in modern Toronto. There is also the Library bar and Reign restaurant and bakery, which specialises in steaks and tasting boards.
Fairmont Gold Experience rooms start from CA$689 (£411).