Review: The Hazelton Hotel Toronto

Where do we find ourselves on entering the Hazelton Hotel?
The leafy, boutique-lined streets of the upscale Yorkville neighborhood provide the natural backdrop for this plush boutique hotel, the only Leading Hotels of the World member hotel in Toronto, which is marked by a brick-and-white façade and rounded entrance. Inside, a contemporary lobby is bedecked in polished metals, ostrich leather, and amber lighting.

Nice. What’s the crowd like?
Seasoned jet-setters, low-key celebrities, and discreet VIPs.

After checking in, what will we find in our rooms?
Thanks to their ample square footage (575 square feet and up) and nine-foot ceilings, the 62 rooms and 15 suites feel more like apartments than hotel rooms. That is, if your apartment was stocked with a laptop recharging-equipped safe, a 47-inch HDTV, a Phillips audio docking system, lovely French doors leading out to a Juliet balcony or small terrace, a rainfall shower, and L’Occitane products. Suites take things to another level with extra bedrooms and seating areas, 10-seat dining tables, media rooms, and touch-screen remotes that control the sound and lighting.

Anything special here?
Wifi is free, and pets are welcome.

What are our food options? And, most importantly, can we get it delivered to our room?
Executive chef (and Top Chef Canada judge) Mark McEwan oversees the One at The Hazelton Hotel, a striking restaurant designed by Yabu Pushelberg. The menu here focuses on refined North American cuisine, and the candle-lit patio also is a particularly photogenic spot to see and been seen. The restaurant also does room service and private events.

We're on vacation, after all. What does self-care look like at the Hazelton?
The spa, which uses products from Valmont, a Swiss luxury line, has a large steam rooms and a stunning mosaic-tiled lap pool; there's also a decent-sized fitness center. Kids are given their own amenities and tote-size robes.

Bottom line: worth it, and why?
For discreet luxury that makes you feel like a member of a private club, few spots top the Hazelton.