Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Thompson T-Dot

There's been a great deal of press lately about the stylish new Thompson Toronto, including a small scandal surrounding celebrity chef Scott Content's Huffington Post blog being "condescending" towards Toronto's restaurant scene. Oh well.

I wrote about the Thompson in my January 28th, 2010 enewsletter: "Twenty-Ten - So Far, So Good?" (reprinted below)


How are those New Year’s Resolutions holding up? I’ve been on a bit of an “Out With The Old, In With The New” kick, but when it comes to hotels I embrace both the old, traditional “Grande Dames”, as well as the newest and most trendy offerings.

FAIRMONT CHATEAU MONTEBELLO
A visit to the “largest log cabin in the world” just before Christmas afforded the experience of seeing the venerable Fairmont Chateau Montebello decked out in her finest festive “bling”. There were lights, candles and garlands everywhere, and the huge Christmas tree in the lobby was dwarfed only by the four-sided stone fireplace which is both the heart, hearth, of this historic property. How historic? The Chateau land dates back to a 17th century siegneurial estate - something I vaguely remember learning about in Grade Five Social Studies – and its 65,000 acres houses not only the hotel, but a private nature reserve and a collection of five-star chalets. The resort itself offers a little over 200 guestrooms and a wide range of activities, including curling (a first for me!). Its new conference centre – with 5000 square feet of meeting space - blends seamlessly with the existing facilities. www.fairmont.com/montebello

THOMPSON TORONTO – OPENING SPRING 2010
A new luxury boutique hotel is coming to Toronto! The Thompson Toronto will open its doors at 550 Wellington St. West with 102 guestrooms, a 3000+ square foot ballroom, boardroom for 25 people, and a variety of dining and entertainment options: from upscale Italian and Sushi restaurants to a 24-hour diner and stylish lobby bar (can’t wait to see the hand-painted, three dimensional mural of Toronto's skyline!). The hotel’s 16th floor will feature a rooftop pool, cabanas, and year-round lounge with fireplace and bar. There are currently nine hotels in the prestigious Thompson collection, including the Roosevelt in Los Angeles and 60 Thompson in New York; this will be the group’s first location outside the U.S. http://www.thompsonhotels.com/

***Update: The Thompson Toronto started welcoming guests in June, and the much-anticipated Scarpetta is *almost* open (there was snag with the liquor licence last weekend)***

LOOK UP, WAY UP….
With the opening of the Buri Khalifa in Dubai earlier this month, Toronto’s own CN Tower was forced to relinquish its 31-year old claim to being the world’s tallest free-standing structure. Nevermind. The Tower still offers some unique event facilities, including 360 Restaurant (with its award-winning wine “cellar” – located at 351 meters/1151 ft.), the more casual and versatile Horizons on the Look Out Level – also with spectacular views - as well as meeting rooms and the 144-seat Maple Leaf Cinema at ground level. http://www.cntower.ca/

***Update: I actually visited the tower this week with a friend from out-of-town. What fun to play tourist and take pictures of ourselves on the glass floor! We saw Porter flights taking off from the newly expanded Island Airport, and the redesigned AGO looks pretty cool from that vantage point.***

Julie Epplett, CMP
Global Account Manager
ConferenceDirect®

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