The St. Regis Toronto

Champagne at Five, Thirty-One Floors Above Bay Street

Every evening at five o'clock, in the Astor Lounge, someone takes a sabre to the neck of a Champagne bottle. It is a St. Regis ritual, a nod to the brand's New York origins and to Caroline Astor's Gilded Age salons, and in Toronto it marks the moment the Financial District switches from work to play. The hotel occupies the lower floors of a 65-storey tower on Bay Street, with 258 rooms and suites, nearly half of them suites, and a 31st floor given over entirely to dining, the spa and the pool. It is a theatrical luxury address, and it plays the part with conviction.

Why It Works

We selected the St. Regis because it offers something Toronto's other luxury hotels do not quite match: sheer room size combined with a truly personal service model. Standard rooms start at around 550 square feet and suites at 750, which is generous by any big-city standard. St. Regis butlers are on call 24 hours a day to unpack, press, arrange coffee or tea from Toronto roasters Pilot Coffee and Sloane Tea, or simply solve problems. Add a two-storey spa and a saltwater infinity pool high above the street, and the case makes itself.

Why This Location

The address, 325 Bay Street, sits at the heart of the Financial District, a short walk from Union Station and the connections to Pearson airport by the UP Express. The CN Tower, Rogers Centre and Scotiabank Arena are all within walking distance, so a Blue Jays game or a Leafs night needs no taxi. The Toronto International Film Festival's home on King Street West is a few blocks away, as is the theatre and restaurant strip of the Entertainment District. Nathan Phillips Square and City Hall are just to the north. Valet parking is available for guests arriving by car.

Fast Facts

• Price: Luxury (€€€€)

• Vibe: Grand, ceremonial, polished, big-city glamour

• Rooms: 258, nearly half suites; rooms from about 550 square feet, suites from 750, two penthouse suites on the 30th floor

• Best For: Celebrations and anniversaries, families who need connecting space, business travellers who value service

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The evening Champagne sabrage in the Astor Lounge, the daily signal that the working day is over

• Dining: LOUIX LOUIS on the 31st floor, restaurant and bar with its Midnight Supper tradition; the Astor Lounge; in-room dining

• Amenities: 24-hour St. Regis Butler Service, two-storey spa and fitness centre, infinity-edge saltwater pool and whirlpool, connecting family rooms, pet-friendly, valet parking

• Attractions: Union Station, CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena, TIFF Lightbox, Nathan Phillips Square

LOUIX LOUIS and the Midnight Supper

Up on the 31st floor, LOUIX LOUIS is the hotel's showpiece restaurant and bar, a glamorous room with sweeping views over the downtown towers. It carries forward the St. Regis tradition of the Midnight Supper, an homage to the late-night gatherings Caroline Astor hosted after the opera in New York. Come for dinner, stay for a nightcap at the bar, and you will understand why the room has become one of the city's special-occasion addresses.

A Spa and Pool Above the Financial District

Across from LOUIX LOUIS is the entrance to the two-storey spa and fitness centre, where the infinity-edge saltwater pool and whirlpool look out across the city. It is one of the few hotel pools in Toronto with this kind of elevation, and on a winter afternoon, with snow falling past the windows, it is hard to think of a better place to be. The fitness centre is on the same level, so a morning workout comes with a skyline.

Good to Know Before You Book

Families will appreciate the connecting rooms, which can combine into more than 1,400 square feet, and babysitting can be arranged. Pets are welcome. Some premium offers include preferred seating for the evening sabrage, a detail worth asking about if you are marking an occasion. On Leafs and Raptors nights the district fills quickly, so book early.