Sustainable, stylish and supremely tasty.
I was lucky enough to spend a night at the 1 Hotel Toronto a week or so ago, and it was even better than I remembered it.
The experience begins the minute you step into the warm, woodsy lobby of the hotel, which features more than 3,000 plants that provide a fresh, green relief from the bustling city. I find most North American hotels are somewhat lacking in the service department. But the greeting we got from the hotel valet and the front desk staff was as inviting and hospitable as you’d find in a five-star hotel in Singapore or Hong Kong, where I think great service may have been invented.
Friendly, more-than-you-might-expect service doesn’t cost a hotel a dime (okay, maybe some staff training), but it sets the tone for an entire stay. If you’re greeted by welcoming staff when you check in, you’re going to feel better about a room, even if it’s fairly standard, than you would if you’re given cursory or perfunctory by-the-numbers service.
With that in mind, my wife opened the door to our sixth-floor city view room with our wooden key (more on that in a minute) and were delighted. Rooms at 1 Hotel Toronto feature natural wood and small plants scattered about (there are more than 3,300 at the hotel in total). Our king-bed room had wooden block end tables, a wooden bed frame, a wooden head board and exposed wood slats on part of one wall. The plants added to the natural feel.
A room at the 1 Hotel Toronto. Brendan Barre/1 Hotel Toronto Photo
Our room had two very comfy chairs and a big-screen TV for watching the World Series (alas, a Blue Jays loss) and a leather ottoman, as well as plenty of desk space and a mini-bar stocked with high-end, local products.
The bathroom had one of the more powerful rain showers I’ve experienced in a big city hotel of late, as well as lovely Bamford bath products.
1 Hotels around the world pride themselves on strict environmental concepts, and the Toronto version is no exception. Tables and coasters and other bits of wood (including a stand in our shower for shampoo and soap) are fashioned out of local trees that had to be taken down. Some pieces show the type of tree it was and where it had been growing.
The hotel provides clean, filtered water throughout the building, and glassware in the rooms is made from recycled glass.
The mirror in the lobby bar, called Flora Lounge, is surrounded by more plants than you’d see in a jungle scene out of Jurassic Park, and there’s also a fine cocktail menu.
The Flora Lounge at the 1 Hotel Toronto. Brendan Barre/1 Hotel Toronto Photo
My wife and I dined at the hotel’s 1 Kitchen restaurant a few years ago and had a fine meal, including a terrific Green Goddess salad.
I had a nice meal at 1 Kitchen a few years ago, including a fine “Greenest Goddess Salad.” This time we stopped in for breakfast before heading home, enjoying a nice smoothie, good coffee lattes and a fine, flaky croissant.
This time we had dinner at the onsite Case Madera restaurant, a Mexican/Mediterranean spot with gorgeous lighting, and yes, plenty of plants scattered about.
The octopus croquetas with potato, beef bacon and morita chili aioli were to die for, and the fresh ceviche was lovely. We had excellent duck carnitas tacos that could’ve used a bit more spice, as well as fabulous, moist pacific cod, heirloom carrots in yogurt and scrumptious truffle potatoes. The key lime pie at dessert came in what looked like a blue egg but was quite tasty, while the brown butter tarta was rich and decadent, not to mention pleasing to the eye.
We also enjoyed tremendous cocktails; a Casa Margarita and a Solstice with Blanco Tequila, passion fruit, tri-pepper juice, lemon and Grand Marnier, which was set on fire and doused with cinnamon near our table for a great show.
The brown butter tarta at Casa Madera restaurant at 1 Hotel Toronto. Jim Byers Photo
We didn’t visit this time, but the rooftop pool and bar at 1 Hotel Toronto is one of the best in North America, with fine city and Lake Ontario views and a stylish bar called Harriet’s.
MORE ENVIRONMENTAL GOODIES
1 Hotel Toronto showcases reclaimed timber, native plants, board-formed concrete, driftwood, and local marble
On a previous tour, I was told they don’t use tablecloths in the convention/meeting rooms as they’d have to be washed and bleached. Instead, they go with an au naturel look.
Hotel ironing boards are made from natural plant fiber waste and stand on bamboo legs.
One nice program I haven’t seen in many other hotels is a feature where you can donate clothes or other goods you find you don’t need.
1 Hotels properties have partnered with the Foodprint Group to develop and implement a True Zero Waste program across all of their F&B outlets and their total operations. The hotel website says the program is “designed to eliminate waste across the property and allow 1 Hotels to lead the hotel industry forward in its approach to materials sustainability.”
OTHER AMENITIES
The gym, called the Field House, is open 24/7. It features state-of-the-art weight training and cardio equipment, including Peloton bikes for personalized experiences.
Farm-fresh fruits are available daily for guests and members of the Toronto community.
The rooftop pool at 1 Hotel Toronto. Jim Byers Photo
The Maple Ballroom is nearly 3,000 square feet and is the hotel’s largest event space.
The 1 Hotel Garden Pavilion is a lovely spot on the east side of the property that supplies all kitchens with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables also serves as a unique event space. It’s an outdoor venue that can seat up to 40 guests.
Need a car? 1 Hotel Toronto has a fully electric Audi Q6 e-tron that guests can enjoy via their house car service. The vehicle 8savailable daily on a first-come, first-served basis.
THE LOCATION
1 Hotel Toronto is located at Wellington and Bathurst Streets, just west of the downtown core. It’s an easy walk to great shops and the city’s Entertainment District, as well as the Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays game or a concert. The Well offers great shopping and dining just a few feet east of the hotel.
JUST THE FACTS
1 Hotel Toronto is a pet-friendly operation.
The hotel has 91 guestrooms and 21 suites in a variety of sizes, ranging from 377 to 2000 square feet.
All rooms feature 50-inch HD Smart TVs.
All rooms have a yoga mat and foam rollers.
