The Ritz-Carlton Toronto

Though we hesitate to wade into any regional rivalries, we’re comfortable declaring that Toronto is Canada’s biggest, busiest, most cosmopolitan city. It’s only fitting, then, that its top-end luxury hotels should be absolutely first-rate. Among the usual suspects when it comes to this sort of thing is Ritz-Carlton, but the Ritz-Carlton Toronto is an unusual one — the design is rather more modern than you’ll find in more typical examples of this venerable luxury brand, while the top-flight service and faultless comforts you expect are all exactly as they ought to be.

Rooms and suites are lavish yet tasteful, in keeping with the brand’s reputation, with impressive views through full-length windows and a mix of traditional and modern luxuries, from marble bathrooms to in-mirror HD televisions. There’s a Clarins spa that’s the equal of any in town, while both TOCA (the fine-dining Italian restaurant) and the DEQ Terrace & Lounge are hot tickets for locals and hotel guests alike.

The location, right at the heart of Toronto’s city center, places its guests scant minutes from the convention center and some of the city’s finest cultural destinations, while the local hockey, basketball, and baseball teams play within easy walking distance as well. This is good news for tourists, of course, but it’s also good business — a hotel like the Ritz-Carlton draws a fair proportion of its clientele from the performance and athletics worlds, which means you never know who you’ll spot in the lobby....