In Depth: The Luxe Life
words by Cindy Sosroutomo
With spending back up – way up – Toronto entices with extravagant offerings on land, up high and in the water.
It wasn’t so long ago that the global economy was in the crapper. On everyone’s lips was the dreaded ‘R’ word and we threw it around as easily as we would ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. “Looking to get a raise? Sorry, we’re in a Recession.” “Buying a new car? I would if it wasn’t for this Recession.” We were inundated daily with images of downward arrows and stern-faced economists warning about the Next Big Crash. And not surprisingly everyone lost their minds, stockpiling cellars with canned goods and filling up gas tanks with Canola oil.
But as with all cyclical things the economy shifted for the better, not great by any means but also not as dire as George W left it. Slowly but surely, consumers got back on the bandwagon and started shopping again, their mindsets changing from guilt-ridden remorse to one of hope for a brighter tomorrow and a brand new handbag. I, myself, found myself lingering longer in shops, barely batting an eye when charging those to-die-for leather boots to my card. And as a self-proclaimed penny-pincher, you know things are on the up-and-up when someone like me is throwing caution to the wind.
“Growth in developed markets will remain sluggish going forward and we are seeing some slowdown in key emerging markets, but we’re far better off now than in 2008 and 2009 when global growth and trade collapsed,” says Devin Kinasz, former Economist for Scotiabank. “Obviously the luxury market got hit hard during the height of the recession since luxury items can easily be cut from spending when times are uncertain. But with growth in Europe, Japan and the U.S. slowly starting to come back and the financial sector continuing to strengthen, so will demand for luxury products and high-end getaways.”
Extravagance, so it seems, has re-entered our collective psyche, and lucky for us Toronto has a number of ways to entertain such thoughts. Though our city falls a bit short when compared to such lavish cities as Dubai and New York, Torontonians still have an abundance of choice when it comes to high-end accoutrements, many of which can be enjoyed in just one short weekend. So whether you’re looking to entertain out-of-town guests, impress a date or simply book a staycation with all the fixins, the city’s top luxury offerings are here for the taking. And with the green light on spending and gala season in full swing, there’s certainly no time to waste.
For The Sleep Deprived
There is no greater pleasure than sleeping in a really, really good bed, of which there is no shortage of in downtown Toronto. High on the list is The Ritz-Carlton (ritzcarlton.com), a brand so synonymous with luxury that just the name alone does wonders in adding to the city’s prestige. The 267-room property has seen its fair share of traffic since its 2011 grand opening, welcoming a certain level of elite that will have you rubbing elbows with big-name celebrities and influential big-wigs. In fact, while taking photos for a friend’s wedding in the hotel’s impressive lobby this past summer, I ran into none other than Mr. Brian Mulroney. That’s right, Ben’s dad.
But that’s pretty much the norm here at The Ritz, which boasts Toronto’s largest luxury ballroom and a decadent saltwater pool that will make you think you’re floating in the Dead Sea. For those who believed everything their mothers told them while growing up and now consider themselves legitimate rock stars, select nothing less than the 2,415 square-foot Ritz-Carlton Suite, priced at a paltry $6,000 a night. You’ll giggle like a schoolgirl over its drop-dead gorgeous dining room, fitness area and walk-in closet the size of High Park. And no, you’re not imagining things – the floor really is heated.
Even more baller is the Shangri-La Suite at the Shangri-La Hotel (Shangri-la.com/toronto). For $10,000 per night, you better believe this over-the-top, two-bedroom luxury pad is every rap video come to life. First, there’s a pantry with a private butler’s entrance. On top of that, there’s a marble-clad bathroom and exclusive Bvlgari bath products. And just to push you over the edge (though hopefully not literally) is an expansive private balcony that offers incomparable views of our beautiful city. From this high up, it’s easy to believe your mother was right all along – you are special, goddammit.
For The Pampered Princess
Toronto is home to a bevy of ultra-luxe spas, all of which have made it their mission to make you feel like a million bucks. If you want to venture beyond your hotel (though why would you with deep-soaker tubs and floors warm enough to sleep on), make your way to Stillwater Spa (parktoronto.hyatt.com) at the Park Hyatt Toronto hotel for what promises to be a mind-blowing hour or two in your day. The 90-minute, TIFF-inspired Red Carpet Rescue Wrap is particularly astounding, not for its price ($235) but rather for the way it tones the skin and slims down any unsightly lumps and bumps. Even more indulgent is the two-hour Bora Bora Body Restore treatment, which at a cool $300 promises to essentially transport you to Polynesia (in that case, $300 is quite the bargain). With elements that include red algae and a potent anti-oxidant beet sugar scrub, this head-to-toe experience will have you sinking deep into a state of pure bliss.
Not to be outdone is Elmwood Spa (elmwoodspa.com), a permanent fixture on Toronto’s luxe landscape. With two restaurants, a juice bar, an incredible 34 treatment rooms and its signature water therapies, this urban retreat means business when it comes to your health and well being. For a taste of what Thailand is best known for, try the Royal Siam Massage, priced at $210 and lasting for a sumptuous 105 minutes. A lemongrass and ginger footbath is followed by a deeply therapeutic, Thai-inspired massage that incorporates steamed herbal compresses and rhythmic movements. In other words, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
If facials are more your thing, The Hazelton Health Club & Spa (hazeltonhotel.com) has the mother of all treatments with its 150-minute Elixir des Glaciers (it scores extra points for being French). Priced at $495, this luxury facial uses a scientific formula (glacial spring water + essential plant extracts + primitive collagen + highly polymerized DNA) to achieve skin repair at the most basic cellular level. And if what they say is true, that you get what you pay for, then you’ll leave looking less like your regular ol’ self and more like ScarJo on her very best day.
For The Ultimate Foodie
With the onslaught of food shows and run-of-the-mill culinary blogs in recent years, dining out has become more than just a simple pastime – for Torontonians, it’s become a full-blown obsession. Our humble abode has evolved from a mish-mash of mediocre gastro pubs and mom ‘n pop shops to a highly sophisticated smattering of chic eateries akin to what you’d find in New York City and L.A. At the top of the list is Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto (kaiseki.ca), which specializes in Kaiseki, an elevated style of cooking and food preparation that’s regarded in Japan as a viable art form. Owner/Chef Masaki Hashimoto arrived in Toronto 30 years ago after training in Kyoto and Tokyo, becoming one of the few Kaiseki chefs to leave Japan for ‘the new world’. Their loss is definitely our gain, for Hashimoto’s incomparable eight-course dinner will leave you absolutely stunned – and sated. Priced at $300 per person, this dining experience – and it really is an experience – will have you sampling such delicate dishes as grilled Wagyu strip loin and sea urchin roe. And as the icing on the cake, you’ll finish with a complimentary tea ceremony in a tatami-floored room.
Other high-end establishments that will leave a lasting impression include Scaramouche
(scaramoucherestaurant.com), which has a wicked filet mignon and Venison Chop au Poivre, and Opus Restaurant
(opusrestaurant.com), whose Champagne-poached fluke adds a celebratory feel to any occasion. Don’t forget about Mark McEwan’s Bymark (bymark.mcewangroup.ca) and its miso black cod, Toca (tocarestaurant.ca) and its suckling pig terrine, and Jacobs & Co. (jacobssteakhouse.com), whose melt-in-your-mouth porterhouse can make any vegan seriously reconsider his life choices.
For The Toy Junkie
If you’re going balls out for just one weekend, there’s no way you should pass on the chance to play with a high-end toy or two. Leave the bicycles and Vespas to the hipsters on Queen and instead go for a high-powered, head-turning luxury sports car that makes the boldest of statements.
Exotic Car Tours (exoticcartour.ca) offers luxury rentals by the hour and half-hour. It’s a blip in time, really, but there’s no reason why high rollers can’t block off an entire afternoon to run errands in a Ferrari 360 F1 ($399/hr) or Lamborghini Murcielago, the most expensive vehicle in its fleet at $499/hr. Imagine picking up your laundry in a lambo? Or pulling up in front of your favourite sushi joint in a sexy Lotus Exige? Heads will turn, no doubt, and singles will find nothing works better than a beast of a car to improve their value on the dating scene (a shallow notion, I admit, but one that will get you far in life).
If your luxury preferences are better suited on water, Delphia Charters (delphiacharters.com) offers sunset cruises straight out of a Hamptons’ catalogue. Romantic day trips to Niagara or short excursions to Toronto Island are sure-fire ways to impress a date, escape the daily grind or, at the very least, channel the look and feel of a J. Crew ad. Weekend charter rates of a sailboat or catamaran start at $2,300; for a full week you’re looking at $3,200 and up. Chump change, I say, to feel like you’re King of the World.
And if that weren’t enough to float your boat, remember that scene in the opening credits of Donald Trump’s Apprentice where he exits a private helicopter in slow motion? Well, all that (minus the floppy hair) is possible in real life thanks to Four Seasons Aviation (fourseasonsaviation.com). This privately owned helicopter company offers CEOs, execs and everyday big spenders the chance to get from Point A to Point B in high style via their very own chartered chopper. The company promises to “fly day or night, year-round” and can operate from several landing areas in the GTA, including Downsview Airport, The Polson Pier Helipad and Eagles Nest Golf Course in Vaughan. Now if that’s not ballin’, I don’t know what is.
Related Posts
« The brand made for bums starting to act like one OVER/UNDER: Betting in Toronto makes perfect sense »
