40 / Luxury in gateway the gateway cities cities
HOW TO SELL
comfort zones After an extended unwanted hiatus not being able to travel to Canada, many travellers have cash to splash and are ready to ‘upgrade’ their next holiday, says Peter ellegard
C
anada’s leading gateway cities – Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax – really know how to lay out the red carpet for visitors looking to enjoy themselves with the type of glamorous stay that would be fitting for rock stars or royalty. And with pent-up ‘holiday money’ ready to be spent, 2022 is the perfect time to upsell top-end accommodation and experiences. But what is on offer for those looking to pimp their stay with the best money can buy?
Vancouver Fairmont Gold suites are the height of luxury for many, but at the Fairmont Pacific Rim guests can top that by staying in the property’s grand two-storey Chairman’s Suite, nicknamed the ‘Rock Star Suite’. Spread over 2,250 sq ft, it includes two living rooms, an eight-foot-long Swarovski crystal chandelier, kitchen, master bedroom featuring a fireplace and en-suite marble bathroom with hand-carved soaker tub, plus an outdoor patio that includes a private gazebo, meditation pond and fire pit, and a rooftop tented terrace with a private lift.
Clients can also be high-flyers on a backcountry helicopter and Fraser Valley wine and culinary adventure with BC Adventure Company. The experience will see them taking a private helicopter flight over mountains and lakes before landing for Champagne beside a river, followed by a chauffeured drive in a luxury vehicle through the Fraser Valley to visit two wineries. Or they can take off on a West Coast craft beer flight tour with Sky Helicopters, flying over the Coast Mountains to sample local craft beers in a forest clearing before returning to Vancouver. Other upscale Vancouver area experiences include breakfast with bears and a seaplane and whale watching tour excursion.
Toronto If size matters, Toronto’s Four Seasons Hotel weighs in with the Presidential Suite, with up to three bedrooms spanning over 3,300 sq ft, or the even larger Royal Suite, again offering up to three bedrooms and measuring 3,820 sq ft. Both offer panoramic views over the city from their top-floor corner locations.
For a cool C$16,000 per night, Royal Suite guests get fantasy granite bathrooms, a private office, private bar, dining area for eight people, multiple plasma HD TVs and 24/7 room and concierge services. The 2,900-sq-ft bi-level Penthouse Suite at the new Hotel X Toronto offers skyline city vistas and views of the CN Tower from every room, its guests enjoying exclusive access to the hotel’s Library Club Lounge. For an indulgent epicurean experience, the Cheese Cave in Toca restaurant at Toronto’s Ritz-Carlton reputedly has one of the world’s best cheese collections. Meanwhile, the iconic and very central Fairmont Royal York is marking its 90th anniversary by celebrating a major makeover imagined by the Rockwell Group. At the heart of the hotel’s metamorphosis is an elevated food experience. For example, its REIGN restaurant has private dining rooms where its traditional afternoon teas include a Royal Champagne experience.
Montréal Book clients who want a true rock star experience into the 17th floor John Lennon
selling canada selling canada WINTER/SPRING 2022 2021/22
Luxury Gateway cities V6.indd 40
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