Checking In: One King West, Toronto

Toronto (1)
This was my first time staying in Toronto on this trip and it did not disappoint. When I checked into One King West, at first I thought I was walking into a bank .. when I walked into the front doors I immediately saw the high chandeliers that led to another door and then when I walked into the second set of doors, I saw a vault down below. Truth be told, the hotel used to be a bank! And that is a cool feature you will see throughout the hotel.

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Entrance to the hotel – source

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Lobby Area – source

Located in the concrete jungle of the financial district, the towering skyscrapers leave remnants of New YorK throughout the streets.
When I arrived in my room the hotel was so gracious to have donuts, champagne and flowers delivered for me. I have such a sweet tooth and they were so delicious. The flowers were also incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed them during my stay. If you decide to stay here, I would ask to get these as an add on <3
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During my stay I stayed in the Vista Suite. It is a 2 bedroom suite on the 35th floor with sweeping views of the city including the CN Tower and the lake. When you first walk in,  light greets you immediately. You open the door into a hallway where rooms branch off of it and it ends in the living area with large windows towering over the city.  The suite had an amazing amount of natural light in each room so you could see the city from almost every angle. I loved that the suite had a full kitchen with a Viking Range, stove, dishwasher, and plenty of dishes. There was also a dining room that I could eat at and/or host guests in my room.

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King bedroom

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Sitting area in Master bedroom

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Bathroom

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Views during the sunset

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Dinging Room

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Desk area

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Kitchen

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Kitchen views

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Work desk at night

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Second Bathroom

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TV area

One of my favorite features of the suite was laying in bed and seeing the sunrise and concrete jungle. The king size bed was so comfortable I did not want to get up!

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Bed views

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The Vista Suite is very modern with simplistic touches throughout. I loved the art, the vessel sinks in the bathrooms and red leather in the living room. There was this luxury rock star vibe. IMG_2209
Other features of the suite:

  • 2.5 bathrooms
  • living room
  • work area with desk
  • 47″ TV
  • WiFi
  • Cappuccino maker
  • Plenty of places to charge electronics
  • Toiletries included in the suite
  • Washer and Dryer
  • An amazing amount of storage
  • Fridge

Dining:
The hotel has great options for dining that include a daily buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Teller’s Bar and Lounge, and in-room dining.
Each morning I had the buffet breakfast that had many options of pastries, breads, fruits, meats, yogurts, and cereals. I would also get fresh juice and coffee. I love breakfast foods and they do a great breakfast.

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Breakfast at the hotel

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Dinner is the real show stopper! I would recommend the french onion soup and the braised short ribs. Don’t forget dessert – the apple crumble was to die for.
I thought all the food at the hotel was delicious – it was carefully prepared and the presentation was also very nice.

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French Onion Soup

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Braised Shorts ribs

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Cheesecake

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Apple Crumble

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Caesar Salad

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Butter Chicken

PATH – Toronto’s Downtown Pedestrian Walkway
One King West is connected to PATH which is an underground shopping, entertainment and work space. Easy access to 27 kilometers worth off things right below the ground.
Weddings:
The hotel is a stunner for weddings and in my opinion, and a great location for a destination wedding. I had a destination wedding myself and I loved it! I think the location of the hotel and the ability to host all your guests in the location is fabulous.
The grand banking hall is a luxurious space and even retains some of the old touches from when the hotel was a bank – including the deposit slip tables. The room also includes the longest bar in North America with a length of 100 feet.

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Grand Banking Hall

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Chairman’s Boardroom

Wedding - Vault

Epic photos with the old banking vault

Chairman’s Board Room:
This room was once used for the bank’s board of directors but now it can be rented out for events. Covered in original oak paneling and with a fireplace, this would be the perfect place for a meeting, wedding, cocktail hour – the options are endless. IMG_1881
Fifteen Hundred:
The newest and most modern room available to rent. Located on the 15th floor and has a wrap around deck with views of the area.

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Fifteen Hundred

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Outside deck area

Nearby Attractions:

  • CN Tower (18 minutes walk)
  • Ripley’s Aquarium (18 minutes walk and next door to CN Tower)
  • Distillery District (22 minutes walk)
  • Kensington Market (14 minute drive)
  • Graffiti Alley (8 minute drive)

 
Fun Stuff:
The hotel has had scenes from the hit show ‘Suits’ filmed in their location and they are also building a set for a pilot show for CBS right now inside the hotel (I can’t tell you where) but the show is called Perfect Citizen and it will be a legal drama.
Overall Stay:
Loved my stay in Toronto at One King West! I didn’t feel like I had enough time to see the city and can’t wait to go back. The staff was very gracious, the hotel was beautiful, food delicious, and it couldn’t have gone better.
Additional Information:

  • Address: 1 King Street West Toronto Ontario, M5H 1A1 Canada
  • Phone: 416-548-8100
  • Toronto Pearson International Airport is about 30-45 minutes away depending on traffic
  • Cab fare is about $52 Canadian each way from the airport
  • Steps from the King Sbway Station
  • Check-in is 3:00pm and check out is 11:00am
  • Located in the Financial District
  • In room dining hours are from 5:00pm-600am
  • Canada is cold – check weather and bring proper clothing
  • Rooftop gym available
  • Valet and self parking available for a fee
  • Limousine service to/from the airport can be arranged ahead of your visit (1-866-470-5464)
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18 Comments

  1. March 20, 2017 / 4:38 pm

    I love great hotels with space and where I can feel comfortable while I am on holiday. I think this would be an excellent choice of a place to stay in Toronto,

    • March 20, 2017 / 8:53 pm

      You would definitely feel comfortable and at home here. Thanks for reading

  2. March 20, 2017 / 6:55 pm

    Looks comfortable and welcoming. My kids would love the donuts that they left, nice touch

  3. March 20, 2017 / 7:30 pm

    Wow, this hotel is so luxurious! I love it when buildings are repurposed and a bank turned hotel sounds like a the perfect transformation. I’ve never been to a hotel that gifted flowers. Such a lovely welcoming 🙂

    • March 20, 2017 / 8:54 pm

      I think they left the flowers for me as a welcome gift but I do not think it is standard practice for guests. It is something that can be arranged in advance of your arrival though. I do however love the bank feature of the hotel

  4. March 20, 2017 / 8:33 pm

    Whoa, what a perfect place to stay! It looks so luxurious and the views are just beautiful. How nice it is that they left you some champagne and donuts as a welcome, very hospitable! And that food.. OMG I’m getting hungry now..

    • March 20, 2017 / 8:54 pm

      haha im hungry again looking at them and its been a week :p – the food was fantastic

  5. March 20, 2017 / 8:35 pm

    Somehow I’ve never been in One King West, even though I’m always checking out their suites because they sell for such a low price. It’d be nice to have a place connected to the PATH with so many amenities in the building. Somehow I don’t think a suite in a hotel would be the best real estate investment, even if they’re really affordable.
    That area stands in for NYC all the time for film shoots. Sometimes I’ll pop out of a building and have a moment of confusion about what city I’m in, since they’ll have fake MTA subway entrances and yellow cabs.
    When you come back to Toronto, you should fly Porter. I’m not sure if they have a lounge in DC, but it’s so much easier to land at the island airport than to go into Pearson, although the UP makes the experience a lot nicer. I used to commute between NYC and TO and Porter makes it a breeze.

    • March 20, 2017 / 8:58 pm

      That is so cool you live in the area! I loved the financial district. I could totally see myself living in the hotel and calling it home. I feel like where I live in the D.C. area its much more crowded and the prices are comparable. More space there though and I do love the amenities.
      I will check into Porter – I had a deal with my credit card to fly Air Canada and it was out of DCA – so I flew into Pearson.
      I was reading about all the mistakes for the show Suits where you can see Canadian things in the backdrop like flags and such – I think that is so neat that shows are filmed there and its so like New York.

  6. March 20, 2017 / 9:55 pm

    Looks like a fabulous place to stay! That view is incredible and I would really love the natural light if I was going to have to work from the room. Plus, that outdoor deck area would make the best spot for a late night beer!

  7. March 21, 2017 / 4:31 am

    Thanks for sharing this beautiful hotel! If I am ever in Toronto…

  8. March 21, 2017 / 10:25 am

    What a beautiful hotel. And it’s interesting that it used to be a bank. Love the donuts too.

  9. March 22, 2017 / 5:01 pm

    I’m looking forward to stay here tomorrow night. Thanks for the fabulous sneak peek!

  10. March 27, 2017 / 3:38 am

    Fantastic hotel – but what caught my attention was your shoes! So cute!

  11. May 22, 2017 / 7:04 pm

    I am ready to pack my bags after reading about your experience here. The hotel is stunning and just look at those amazing perks! I’ve been dying to explore Toronto but I would be just as happy staying in that suite, gazing at the skyline while enjoying those delicious donuts and beautiful flowers. Thanks for sharing!

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