Check In/Check Out : Hotel Review: Thompson Toronto

An outpost of cool, with staff members who look like models and a clientele that’s not far behind, and with sleek rooms from about 250 Canadian dollars. BASICS In New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the boutique Thompson chain has a reputation as a style mecca, and the first hotel outside the United States is no different. The aesthetic at the 102-room Thompson Toronto, opened in June 2010, is retro-modern, and the rooftop pool is a party spot in its own right, complete with bouncers and guest lists. The hotel has a branch of Scarpetta, the New York chef Scott Conant’s modern Italian restaurant; a lobby bar that serves cocktails with ingredients like elderflower and Campari; and a 40-seat screening room (sure to get some use during the Toronto International Film Festival). Construction has begun on an adjacent Thompson residence tower. LOCATION The happening spots in Toronto are along King Street West and Queen Street West, and the Thompson sits within the vicinity of both, as well as close to Chinatown and the attractions of the waterfront. Because its street is not a main thoroughfare, 打ç*�网赚 and because it faces a small park, it feels a bit more like an outpost than the bustling Drake Hotel, another hip destination on Queen Street West, but this may change as the area around the Thompson fills out; a skating rink is planned for the park. Cabs and trolleys were easy to come by around the corner. THE ROOM With chocolate wood floors and contemporary slate 网赚论å�› gray and red décor, the rooms look a bit like a Chinese lacquer box or an Asian fusion restaurant. They’re spacious and bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows, some of which offer expansive views. Bedding is extravagantly fluffy. When our Internet service, which was 10 a day (now 15), went out in one room, the staff made sure to comp us when we moved to another room. THE BATHROOM No tub, but a rain shower with a half-door, in a room separate from the toilet. A washroom with a long marble-topped sink and dark wood cabinets separates the two. All the standard toiletries are provided, though the many lighting switches sometimes proved confusing. AMENITIES Rooftop, rooftop, rooftop. The wraparound patio here has spectacular views of downtown Toronto, the CN Tower with its needle and Lake Ontario. The heated infinity pool is surrounded by striped banquettes and lounges, which are quickly claimed by an array of seemingly airbrushed men and women. The gym, too, is well appointed, with a yoga room and a big deck. A diner-style restaurant, the Counter, is open 24 hours, serving breakfast, burgers and poutine to the pre- and post-party crowd. ROOM SERVICE A bow-tied waiter displayed surprising formality as he delivered my breakfast, 23 minutes after I’d placed the order; staff members here are not slackers. Room service is available 24 hours a day, with menus that run the gamut from muffalettas to mac ’n’ cheese with cured pancetta and truffle oil. The St. Lawrence breakfast, with eggs and Canadian bacon (called peameal bacon in Canada), gave a nice local twist. BOTTOM LINE The Thompson is a sleek, modern hotel with a cosmopolitan appeal, particularly Nike Dunk Low CL Audemars Piguet {duplicate} Watches Brand Admired ... for those whose trip includes a bit of see-and-be-seen. With rooms starting at 250 Canadian dollars, about the same in U.S. dollars, it’s an easy way to buy into the jet set. Thompson Toronto, 550 Wellington Street West; (416) 640-7778; thompsonhotels.com.