Facelifts are not an uncommon sight in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood – the ritzy area is known to attract the not-so-young and beautiful. Alas, little fixes here and there can improve one’s appearance only so much and sometimes one decides that a complete overhaul is necessary.
Such was the case with the Four Seasons Toronto, a hotel whose image has long been associated with elegance but whose façade was looking a little tired in recent years. And so, in 2012, management decided to vacate its former premises on Avenue Road in favour of a new, $500 million, 55-storey global flagship property, located at the corner of Yorkville and Bay. As a result, the Four Seasons Toronto has taken a whole new lease on life.
The hotel’s interior, done by the renowned design team of Yabu Pushelberg, is geometric with the occasional curved furnishings and installation artwork to soften the lines (most striking is the dandelion motif installation by Alissa Coe hanging over the reception area). Guest rooms feel almost residential, particularly with their hardwood floors. The suites at the old location seem almost dowdy in comparison; the new ones are bright and clean with all of the modern amenities.
There are a number of new attractions to lure not only hotel guests, but local residents as well. The hotel’s buzzy lounge, the d-bar is to the new Four Seasons what the Avenue Bar used to be to the former location. This is where you can sip high-end cocktails made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and where you’ll see ladies with better balance than me sashay down an imaginary runway in their stilettos.
There is also the highly-acclaimed Café Boulud. With other locations in Palm Beach and New York City, Chef Daniel Boulud’s reputation precedes him. Spacious but made cool with its pop art and reclaimed wood pieces, the restaurant serves French cuisine with a contemporary flair. Having been there a couple of times now, I’ve sampled the Chop Chop Salad, the Roasted Beet Salad, a Salmon entrée, and the Lemon-Saffron Linguini, all of which were very tasty. And every one of these meals (and those of my companions) has concluded with the Café’s near-legendary dessert, the Grapefruit Givré. This beauty is made of a frozen half-grapefruit shell filled with grapefruit segments and sorbet, topped with Turkish delight, a hot sesame cracker and a fluffy layer of halva. A Twitter search using the #grapefruitgivre hashtag will reveal at least a few hits at any given time, a modern testament to the dessert’s popularity if there ever was one.
Then there is the Spa at the Four Seasons. If I had to choose only one feature of the new Four Seasons to spotlight, it would be the spa. The facility is massive, boasting 17 treatment rooms, two steam rooms, saunas, a salon, several manicure/pedicure stations, and an 889 Yoga Studio outlet (available to guests as well as owners of the property’s private residences). There is also a well-appointed fitness facility and a large indoor pool (admittedly, some may miss the outdoor pool option during the summer season that the former location offered). Grandiose it is, but the atmosphere is inviting and cozy, everything an urban day spa should be.
Ambiance aside, the spa treatments are top-notch too. I tried the Gold Plumping Facial which lasted a very relaxing 90 minutes. Using products from Hungary’s Omorovicza skincare line, the treatment began with a lactic-acid peel to even skin tone, followed by an anti-inflammatory gold serum to heal micro damage, and concluded with organic oats and wheat hydrates, and a thin layer of gold shimmer oil on the face, arms and hands.
Since its launch, the new Four Seasons Toronto has received a number of accolades, having been named to Condé Nast Traveler 2013 Hot List and Travel and Leisure’s 2013 It List. The Four Seasons Hotel chain also recently won a “Smitty” (T+L’s Social Media in Travel and Tourism Awards) for Best Facebook and Twitter Chats, proving that with some hard work and the right attitude, even timeworn brands can remain current.
Lunch and Spa Treatments were provided courtesy of Four Seasons Toronto. Photos by author.
