I have always been curious about the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto. Not much seems to be available on the internet about the hotel from trusted sources. As such, on a recent trip to Toronto, I decided to give this hotel a try. I booked a Yorkville suite at a special industry rate directly through the hotel. It is a very small, boutique hotel with only 28 suites, located in a small side street off Bloor Street, in downtown Toronto. I hope you enjoy the report that follows.

Check In

I arrived by taxi in the late afternoon to find there was no doorman stationed at the hotel. I carried my own luggage and let myself into the hotel. I did notice, however, that St. Thomas Street felt very quaint and you almost did not feel like you were in the heart of a major city, until you looked up and saw the skyscrapers beyond. Once through the double doors, you find yourself in a compact lobby with the bar to your right and a beautiful tea salon to the left. The overall feel is very clubby, like a gentleman's club. Once at the front desk, the hotel's well oiled machinery becomes evident. Check-in was very quick and the hotel butler was soon on-hand to show me to my suite.

Room

My Yorkville suite was on the 2nd floor and was about 600sq ft. As you enter the suite, there is an entry vestibule with a small closet and a butler's closet where you can place your drycleaning/laundry/shoe shine and where the butler can access it without disturbing your privacy. Beyond that was a small living room with a 3 person sofa, a work desk, one side chair, and long, narrow ottoman that served as a coffee table or additional seating if necessary. Sliding doors separated the living room from the bedroom, where there was a king size bed which allowed for a wonderful night's rest and made it VERY difficult to wake up in the morning (I woke up after 9 snoozes on my iPhone alarm). From the bedroom was the only bathroom which featured a separate stall shower, jacuzzi bath, and a single vanity. The toiletries were Molton Brown. The suite featured an in-room stereo system which could pipe through music of your choice throughout the suite and a fully dimmable lighting system. The decor was very contemporary featuring neutral tones which lead to a very comfortable and relaxing haven in the city. Wifi is complimentary.

Service

The butler is a central point of contact during the stay. The butler handles all room service requests, delivers and sets up the table for room service, handles all special requests, and even completes the turn down of your suite at bedtime. The front desk staff also serve as concierge and I did not see any concierge on duty. The butler was fairly quick in responding to needs (unlike the St. Regis) and was very helpful throughout the stay.

Dining

Continental breakfast is included for all guests in the hotel restaurant PRIME (in the case you couldn't guess, it's a steakhouse). The continental breakfasts consists of coffee or tea, choice of juice, and selections from the restaurants pastry platter (stay away from the croissants!!). The decor of Prime is like a classic English pub, so some may find it a little dark. Service is a little scattered but the prices are reasonable. Should you wish to eat more than the continental breakfast, you can purchase hot items at additional charge. 3 eggs, hashbrowns and toast are $12 and a side of sausages is $4.

The hotel is flexible to allow you to order food from the restaurant, bar, or through the in-room dining menu ensuite. Since I was entertaining some friends, I ordered from the bar menu, which was overwhelmingly skewed towards fried foods and had very few lighter, healthier options. In this respect, the Rooftop Bar at the Park Hyatt is far superior.

The tea salon is a gorgeous, light filled room with a beautiful crystal chandelier. The tea service is very popular at this hotel and often books up weeks in advance. I would like to try their tea next time.

Spa

The hotel has a beautiful spa and a salt water indoor pool on the 4th floor. Spa treatments are typically expensive for a major city, but from the comments I overheard in the restaurant, they seem worth the cost.

Pool

The pool area is gorgeous, featuring a dry sauna and a fireplace.

Overall

I would not recommend this hotel for families, but I think it is a perfect retreat for couples. The hotel does host functions quite often, so noise can be an issue on the 2nd floor suites. It is a very private sanctuary in a bustling city and it is no wonder that it is so popular with A-list celebrities during the Toronto Film Festival. Aside from the curiosity of the missing doorman, service was good throughout and I enjoyed my stay immensely. This is a hotel that I would certainly return to and can heartily recommend to others. P.S. Sorry -- forgot my camera at home so I was unable to take any photos!!