A pair of luxury hotels in Toronto and New York City are the newest properties to receive the AAA Diamond Program’s highest designation. The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto and Waldorf Astoria in New York City have earned AAA Five Diamonds for their stunning surroundings, thoughtful amenities, and unparalleled service, the Canadian Automobile Association and the American Automobile Association announced. I haven’t been to the recently renovated Waldorf in Manhattan, but I’ve stayed at the Hazelton Hotel in Toronto’s trendy Yorkville district a couple of times, and dined there on several occasions. It’s an elegant property that definitely worthy of Five-Diamond Read more
luxury hotels
A record 28.2 million visitors came to Toronto in 2025, generating a record $9.1 billion in spending. Destination Toronto figures released today (Jan. 28) show overnight visits rose two per cent over last year despite a softening U.S. market. Large entertainment events such as concerts and sporting events like the Toronto Blue Jays helped the city set its new record, officials said. The $9.1 billion in direct spending exceeded the previous year’s record by four per cent, reinforcing tourism’s role as one of the city’s most important export sectors. Toronto is the most visited city in Canada. Domestic visitation remained Read more
Hilton Hotels is constantly adding new properties, and fixing up existing ones. Here are some highlights for the next few months. The debut of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand in Japan and Costa Rica, with Waldorf Astoria Osaka and Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique opening in April A new all-inclusive resort inspired by the Taino culture, Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, will open in June in the Dominican Republic Hilton’s first luxury hotel in the heart of Paris will arrive with Sax Paris, LXR Hotels & Resorts this spring I’m also excited about Read more
Forbes Travel has released its list of the top hotels around the world. It’s a big world, and it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, and I’m based in Toronto, so I’m going to only mention Canadian properties and those in the Caribbean. Toronto claimed four of the five-star hotels in Canada, which surprised me a little. But there are plenty of four-star properties in Montreal and Vancouver, not to mention one each in Banff and Halifax. For the Caribbean, luxury destinations such as the Cayman Islands and Anguilla dominate the five-star list. FIVE-STAR HOTELS IN CANADA Four Seasons, Toronto (haven’t Read more
PRINCEVILLE, KAUAI – I almost thought I was in the wrong place. My wife and I recently pulled up in front of 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on the lush north shore of Kaua’i. I stayed at the property eight years ago when it was a St. Regis hotel. I have a pretty good memory for places and hotels, but this didn’t look remotely familiar. As it turns out, there’ s a very good reason for that. The former hotel, which featured a pretty, enclosed lobby with a nice Hawaiian feel, was purchased by Starwood Capital in 2018 for USD$225 millon. Read more
