The Hazelton Hotel

Character and identity

Set on Yorkville Avenue amid Toronto's densest concentration of galleries, boutiques and cafés, The Hazelton presents a brick-and-white façade and a rounded porte cochère that opens into a contemporary lobby of polished metals, ostrich leather and amber lighting, with a clear nod to vintage Hollywood glamour. The 77 rooms and suites (62 rooms, 15 suites) run generously large from 575 square feet up, with nine-foot ceilings and Juliet balconies. One Restaurant, designed by Yabu Pushelberg under chef Michael Hawryluk, anchors the dining. A Valmont spa, mosaic-tiled saltwater lap pool, 25-seat private cinema and Clefs d'Or concierge round out a service register built on discretion.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this place apart is the private-club register: a small property where staff know your name, the cinema gets quietly booked during TIFF, and the spa and apartment-sized rooms reward staying in. Worth booking if you want Yorkville on your doorstep without a corporate hotel feel. Spring for a suite for the media room and dining table, and time a visit around patio season at One.