Oh, Canada! Inside the new Toronto hotel everyone’s talking about

Words: Agatha Zarzycki

RIU Plaza Toronto many only have opened in September, but it is already being widely lauded as an urban-chic holiday hotspot. Surrounded by art, music, theatre, sports and nightlife, the skyscraper hotel sits front and centre in the city’s main-character energy, just steps from Toronto’s vibrant entertainment district. But the list of reasons to check in extends far beyond its outstanding location. From sublime skyline views to design echoing its 18th-century neighbours, and a breakfast buffet of epic proportions, here’s why you should visit before everyone else does.

Entertainment enchantment

Set in the buzzing Entertainment District, RIU Plaza Toronto is within walking distance of the city’s highlight reel, namely the needle-like CN tower (named after its original owner, the Canadian National Railway) shooting upwards 550m, its main pod flaring out like a flying saucer suspended in the sky; Rogers Centre, the world’s first stadium with a retractable roof, hosting Blue Jays baseball games from March among other electrifying events year-round (think Taylor Swift’s Eras tour); and the illuminated TIFF Lightbox, home to the Toronto International Film Festival.

Playgoers will feel right at home, too, with Toronto’s best theatres around the corner (literally), such as Royal Alexandra Theatre – North America’s oldest operating theatre dating back to 1907 and an exceptional example of Beaux Arts architecture – and the more modern 2,000-seater Princess of Wales Theatre, which puts on spectacular musical productions. This year’s big hitters include Some Like It Hot (10 February–15 March), based on the classic Billy Wilder film, and Tony Award-winning comedy Shucked (3 March–5 April).

Post-production, head to King Street West and adjacent areas for every bar under the moon, from A-grade cocktails at Latin-inspired Baro to WVRST’s local craft beer (there are 24 draught lines). Needing a break from the urban bustle? Roundhouse Park is a 15-minute walk and features a railway museum, early- to mid-20th-century industrial architecture and a miniature railway.

Heritage meets highline design

Standing out and fitting in is not only possible, but, as RIU Plaza Toronto demonstrates, also desirable. Set in a 23-storey skyscraper, its exterior façade combines a brick base nodding to neighbouring 18th-century buildings with a sleek glass tower that delivers unobstructed sights of the Toronto skyline. West of the hotel in the King-Spadina area you’ll find the oldest surviving group of row houses, time travelling back to the late Victorian period. Their ‘bay and gable’ style features brick corbels, two-storey bay windows and ‘fish-scale’ shingles in the gables.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s interiors are all about elegant innovation. Paired with neutral shades and matte chrome finishes, the use of light and dark tones amplify sunlight, while stylish, soundproof rooms look over the excitement of the city but offer total calm. It’s a masterful layering of moods and eras, of honouring the neighbourhood’s historic fabric while making room for modern comforts.

Breakfast bliss and a bijou bar

Walk into the RIU Plaza Toronto and the first thing to catch your eye is its classy and compact lobby bar. Here, an array of cosmopolitan light snacks and a sophisticated, sociable atmosphere make the perfect setting for people watching. But the real looker is the (extremely generous) buffet breakfast on the second-floor restaurant, serving hot and cold Canadian specialities and all-round favourites, such as freshly baked pastries, local cheeses and the highly revered Canadian smoked salmon. (Don’t worry – you can work it all off at the 24/7 gym.)

The hotel is also a 25-minute walk from St Lawrence Market, famous for Toronto’s signature peameal bacon sandwich (cured pork loin rolled in cornmeal). Or, for a truly special meal, three of Toronto’s Michelin-starred spots are also nearby: Alo serves modern French fare, Restaurant 20 Victoria is all about the seafood, and DaNico fuses Italian tradition with modern techniques and Asian influences. Hungry for more? The hotel’s 24-hour concierge is at your service for recommendations aplenty.

Book your holiday

All holidays with British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected and include a generous checked baggage allowance and a 24-hour holiday helpline. Secure your holiday at RIU Plaza Toronto with a low deposit and enjoy flexible payments until you fly.*

*Full balance due seven weeks before departure. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply. See ba.com/deposits.