Site visit to the new Ritz-Carlton Toronto Hotel

One of the three ultra-high end hotels in the downtown core recently opened. I had a chance yesterday to go in for a sneak peek at what they had to offer.

This is the brand new Ritz-Carlton hotel in Toronto, and the first Ritz-Carlton to be opened in Canada (http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Toronto/Default.htm)

One of the things you notice as you walk towards the main entrance, is that unlike the other luxury hotels in downtown Toronto, the drop-off/pick-up area is vast and grand. What a way to make a statement, using a piece of prime real estate to show Toronto how world-class 5-star chains do it.

The grand foyer was equally as impressive. Bronze maple leaves are etched into the floor and works of art from Toronto artists are showcased throughout the the hotel. There are three sets of elevators, one for hotel guests, one for residents (who have a separate entrance), and one for event guests to reach one of the ballrooms above. Hotel staff bustle across the lobby and are extremely friendly and helpful.

As you can see from this picture, the check-in area is halfway into the lobby on the left side. Above the check-in area there is a stunning glass walkway leading from what I believe is one of the ballrooms to the Toca restaurant. Toca stands for Toronto Canada and headed by Tom Brodi, who came over from Canoe Restaurant. The restaurant uses organic foods and boasts an exceptional glass-encased cheese cave. Below the Toca restaurant is the Toca Raw bar, and is immediately on the left hand side of you as you walk in from the main entrance.

The bar is very trendy and bright, considering it’s two floors of floor to ceiling windows on both sides. There is a distinct reddish ambiance emitting from both the chandelier above, and the little lamps on the bar.

As you walk further into the hotel past the check-in counters, you will reach the Deq Lounge. It’s a more relaxing atmosphere with a terrace and view to Simcoe park and the CN Tower. There is also a separate area with couches and a fireplace for people who want a more quiet conversation.

Now I’m going to talk a little bit about the what I was there for….to learn more about what the Ritz has to offer for our clients. There are two sets of ballrooms at the Ritz-Carlton, on the 2nd and 4th floors. The main ballroom on the second floor can be accessible either by elevator or via stairs.

Here we see the cocktail area of the main Ritz-Carlton ballroom on the 2nd floor. This area is right outside the ballroom and spans from the north side to the east side of the building in an L-shape. There are mobile bar areas throughout and also a grand piano in the corner.

The Ritz-Carlton ballroom can seat 700 guests. For smaller groups, the ballroom can be partitioned into four separate areas. The chairs they provide are standard banquet size and should fit most chair covers. Walls are padded for increased acoustics. There isn’t a bridal room, however the Ritz-Carlton provides a complimentary hotel room for couples who host their reception with them, and can dually serve as a changing and makeup area for them.

Similarly, on the 4th floor, there is an L-shaped cocktail area encompassing the Wellington ballroom. As you can see from the picture above and below, the 4th floor cocktail and ballroom areas have noticably lower ceilings than the ones on the 2nd floor.

The Wellington ballroom can seat 325 guests. Like the Ritz-Carlton ballroom, it too can be partitioned into four separate rooms. In addition to the Wellington ballroom, there is also a smaller Gallery that can seat 140 guests:

That’s all I have for now. Drop me a line if you want to know more.