Welcome Back: The New Four Seasons Hotel Toronto Soars as the Canadian Brand's New Flagship

TORONTO, Oct. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the city where it all began, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts now comes full circle with the opening of its new flagship in Toronto, Canada.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121005/CG87497)

"This is a proud moment for everyone at Four Seasons at the new Hotel, at our corporate offices, and certainly at all our locations around the world," says Katie Taylor, president and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "The future is here now, in this new flagship, and in the thousands of employees around the world committed to raising the bar for luxury hospitality."

The new Four Seasons Hotel Toronto rises above its prime Yorkville Avenue address at the corner of Bay Street. Sweeping into the drive (heated for Canadian winters, of course) past Claude Cormier's visionary roseless rose garden, guests circle the grand fountain designed exclusively for this space. Alighting on a 12-colour mosaic with a floral overlay from the etched glass canopy above, the urban "carpet" is the creation of Cormier and Hotel interior designer Yabu Pushelberg, inspired by the Persian rugs popular in the Victorian era as a nod to Yorkville's more traditional architecture.

Inside, a dandelion motif carries visitors through a series of grand spaces and dimensional screens, with the most striking installation at the reception desk and centrepiece table by artist Alissa Coe. Rich book-matched wood panelling, hand-painted walls, precision-cut stone floors and bespoke carpet inlays form a gallery for more than 1,700 works commissioned from Canadian artists displayed throughout the Hotel. The collection expresses contemporary Canadian culture subtly through the art of Attila Richard Lukacs, Daniel Hutchinson and others in paintings, ceramics, wood installations and sculptures.

The property, owned by HRH Prince Al Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company, was designed by architectsAlliance, and built by Menkes Construction Ltd with interior design by Yabu Pushelberg.

State of the Art: Four Seasons Guest Rooms, Suites and Residences

Four Seasons continues its tradition of leading-edge hospitality with recent introductions including the 15-Minute Room Service menu, complimentary in-room wireless internet, WiFi in hotel cars and a dedicated Guest Experience Manager, responsible for making sure every stay is memorable. Before guests lay their heads down on their signature Four Seasons bed in one of the 259 rooms and suites at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, they might pull up an ergonomically-designed chair to an oversized des with ample outlets close at hand, and grab a cuppa from the in-room Nespresso machine. Or, they might use one of the iPads provided in every room to order room service, book a Spa treatment or shop online.

In the guest bathrooms, indulgence is the order of the day with the signature Vicolo Fiori scent by Etro of Milan toiletries, custom-made fast-filling bathtubs, silent-close toilet seats, and tv screens hidden in mirrors.

"Over the years, the desire to actually live at Four Seasons was often heard from our guests," says Regional Director of Residences Valerie Faivre. "For a lucky few, that wish is coming true at the adjacent Four Seasons Private Residences built by Menkes Construction Ltd. and designed by Canadian star Brian Gluckstein, with full access to all our Hotel amenities and services."

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Welcome Back: The New Four Seasons Hotel Toronto Soars as the Canadian Brand's New Flagship