A new “eco luxury oasis” is set to be planted in the heart of downtown Toronto. Scheduled to open Aug. 4, 1 Hotel Toronto is the first location in Canada for the award-winning, nature-focused 1 Hotels brand founded by Barry Sternlicht, CEO and Chairman of Starwood Capital Group.
For those familiar with the Toronto hotel scene, the property is set to replace the well-known Thompson Hotel, located at 550 Wellington St., at Bathurst Street, in the King West neighbourhood, just a short walk from Rogers Centre and the lower downtown core.
Reservations are now open for the hotel, which will have 112 guest rooms including 21 suites, offering city and skyline views. Guests will be connected to the natural environment through a light and airy design, featuring sustainably sourced wood furnishings and a property-wide water filtration system.
The “mission-driven” hotel will also have an on-site organic composter that can reduce 12,000 pounds of organic waste to under 1,000 pounds of compost per month, ultimately avoiding landfills and used to feed over 2,500 plant varietals on property and in local parks.
Additionally, 1 Hotel will be host to a “Bee Hotel,” designed to attract native bees and pollinators by building a habitat uniquely designed for their nesting preferences.
Other amenities include heated floors, in-room plants, organic cotton linens, yoga mats, and signature organic bath products.
1 Hotel Toronto will also offer five dining and entertainment concepts, each has its own atmosphere, but connected through their use of fresh local ingredients:
• 1 Kitchen Toronto is the property’s indoor and outdoor casual all-day restaurant boasting a menu that features cold-pressed juices, plant-based dishes, and sustainably harvested fish and proteins, all sourced from within a 50-km. radius.
• Flora, the hotel’s lobby bar, is richly designed lounge located in the heart of the hotel with a cozy fireplace, private and communal spaces, and lush garden environment.
• 1 Hotel Garden Pavilion is the onsite organic garden, growing over 40 fruits and vegetables alongside 12 herbs with seating up to 40 people.
• Casa Madera, the first location in Canada from famed restauranteurs The Madera Group, welcomes patrons into an immersive indoor and outdoor dining experience with chef-driven selections that celebrate the culinary traditions of Mexico and the Mediterranean while DJs play alongside talented performance artists. Casa Madera’s cocktail program also includes an extensive non-alcoholic and low-proof selection.
• Harriet’s Toronto will be the city’s newest rooftop hotspot featuring an open concept sushi bar, expertly made cocktails, and tailored poolside bottle service rituals. With low-key live music and nightly DJs, the intimate gathering place is designed to be a go-to for the afterwork set and local tastemakers.
Developed by Mohari Hospitality (founded by Toronto-raised Mark Scheinberg), the design was developed in collaboration with SH Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, and famed architect and designer David Rockwell.
Says 1 Hotels’ CEO Sternlicht, “As a world-class city with globally respected sustainability programs, Toronto is an exceptional new base for 1 Hotels. Protecting the one planet is why we are called 1 Hotels, and this mantra fuels the spirit of each property. It is my hope that every guest visiting 1 Hotel Toronto feels encouraged to maintain that appreciation for the preservation of our planet long after their stay.”
1 Hotels was founded in 2015 based on the philosophy that “those who travel the world should also care about it. It is, after all, 1 world.” Currently the brand operates hotels in Miami South Beach, Manhattan’s Central Park and Brooklyn, NY; West Hollywood, Ca., and Sanya, China. In addition to Toronto, properties under development include Nashville, Hanalei Bay, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, London, San Francisco, Mission Bay and Melbourne.