Review: Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville

I recently stayed at the Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville, a brand-new boutique lifestyle hotel under the Hilton brand. The hotel only opened its doors recently in March 2023, marking the debut of the Canopy by Hilton brand in Canada.

As part of the opening, Prince of Travel team members Amy and Rachel attended a media day event at the hotel’s restaurant, Dia. In this review, we’ve also included some of their thoughts and experiences from the day.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – Booking

For this particular stay, the Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville generously hosted me for the night as part of a media stay.

As with most Downtown Toronto hotels these days, the Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville is charging fairly elevated nightly rates, with standard rooms starting at upwards of $350 (CAD) per night.

If you wanted to redeem one night using Hilton Honors points, it’d cost you 70,000 points. Based on our valuation of Hilton Honors points at 0.7 cents/point (CAD), this wouldn’t necessarily be the best value against the regular cash rates.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – Location

The Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville is located at the intersection of Bloor St W and Sherbourne St, a few blocks east of the Yorkville neighbourhood.

The hotel’s self-branding may be a bit of a stretch, as it’s over 15 minutes to the ritzy Yorkville neighbourhood by foot. In addition, the immediate vicinity around Sherbourne can be somewhat unsavoury.

The nearest attractions to the hotel include the Royal Ontario Museum and Gardiner Museum, both of which are close to a 20-minute walk away. With that said, the Sherbourne TTC Station is right across the street from the hotel, offering relatively easy access to the rest of the city.

If you’re looking to venture further to the Union Station or the CN Tower, you’ll want to factor in a 20–30 minute journey by car or public transit.

If you’re arriving from Toronto Pearson International Airport, it’ll take you around 30 minutes to reach the Canopy by Hilton Toronto by car or public transit. Alternatively, you can take the UP Express to Union Station and then take the TTC to Bloor–Yonge, which is about a five-minute walk from the hotel.

While the hotel’s location may not be ideally situated within Yorkville, I imagine that Canopy is looking to play a big part in the planned transformation of the Bloor–Sherbourne intersection over the next few years.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – Check-In

The Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville takes up the second to ninth floors of its building, while the remaining 55 storeys are devoted to residential units. The building is quite striking from the outside, with a façade made of sleek glass panels and dark stone.

From the entrance on Bloor Street, an awning adds a creative touch with the word “Canopy” displayed in orange curvaceous letters.

The entrance is accented with touches of copper, serving as a pop of colour against the darker tones of the building. At the time of my visit, the entrance was still undergoing some finishing touches.

The hotel’s chic décor is immediately apparent upon entering the vibrant ground-floor lobby. Tall ceilings, a hand-tufted rug, white oak wood panelling and copper accents form a chic welcome.

Additionally, the lobby is cleverly divided from the hotel’s café by screens with copper mesh inserts.

A set of elevators then whisks you up to the lobby floor on the second level, where you’ll find a separate set of elevators to take you up to the guest rooms – an elevated design practice that’s typically only found in higher-end hotels.

Arriving at the lobby floor, urban elements such as graffiti-style artwork are blended with curved edges, pops of colour, and eclectic patterns.

There’s a single, understated check-in desk, where the formalities take place. For my stay, the check-in process was somewhat rough around the edges, as the staff seemed a bit new and getting used to the flow of things.

Nevertheless, the staff were well-intentioned and friendly, confirming my stay in the standard King Bed Room and eventually handing me my keys to Room 203 on the second floor.

The Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville offers a “Transfer Lounge” in the lobby, which offers shower and locker rooms for guests’ usage. 

The convenience of having lockers to store your belongings without having to search for a hotel associate was great, and being able to freshen up with a shower while waiting for your room is a nice bonus.

I was impressed by the fact that all the artwork and décor in the hotel had a Toronto theme and was created by local artists. It was a nice touch that really captured the essence of the city.

Furthermore, I appreciated that many of their amenities were sourced locally, such as their snacks, tea, and coffee. It was great to see the hotel supporting the local community in this way.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – King Bed Room

The guest room hallways feature attractive white oak walls and doors, and a pleasant deep blue and pink patterned carpet. Moreover, there’s a water station en route, with a cheeky sign that says “Water you up too?” that gave me a nice chuckle.

At the end of the hallway, I reached Room 203 and headed into the King Bed Room.

I was greeted by a spacious foyer and an elegant armoire to the right holding two plush robes hung inside. 

As you round the corner, an arched LED mirror catches your eye, and the space opens up to the bedroom with predominantly beige tones and touches of grey, black, and orange.

A plush king bed with a platform bed frame crowned by a canopy headboard, which is a staple of the Canopy by Hilton brand.

The king bed had a tasteful grey cover, which I thought was a refreshing departure from the usual white bedding commonly found in hotels.

On the left, a funky three-layered side table injects a playful touch, while the right side has a comprehensive set of controls for lighting and curtains. Additionally, positioned below is a charging outlet, and two USB-A ports, and one USB-C port.

Opposite the bed, a desk and ergonomic chair offer a workspace, with a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall aloft. Located on the desk is a coffee and tea station equipped with a Nespresso machine. Furthermore, just below is a refrigerated drawer.

Positioned in the left-hand corner of the room near the windows is a plush beige upholstered chaise longue and accompanying side table, which together create a cozy nook.

Unfortunately, the King Bed Room offers no real view to speak of, as it overlooks a bare interior rooftop of the building

Back in the foyer, immediately to the left is the bathroom, which was definitely on the small side. However, the lighting and fixtures were attractive and stylish, including a curved LED mirror and black single vanity.

Nestled behind frosted glass, the toilet ensures maximum privacy, while a spacious shower rounds out the amenities.

Overall, the King Bed Room met my expectations in terms of style and functionality, despite the less than ideal view.

Notably, the room’s modern and up-to-date amenities, including a good number of outlets and plugs, as well as wireless charging surfaces, were impressive and in line with the expectations of a hotel opening in 2023.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – Dining

The hotel’s flagship restaurant venue is Dia, located on the hotel’s second floor. I had the pleasure of enjoying breakfast here as a complimentary benefit of my Hilton Diamond status.

The restaurant is quite luxe with elegant décor and adorned in tones of emerald green, gold, and grey.

Seating options vary from high-top seating to comfortable lounging areas furnished with plush sofas.

Additionally, there’s a stunning bar area that boasts gold-leaf-themed chairs.

Thoughtfully placed around the restaurant are ornate light fixtures and a striking triple-sided fireplace with curved edges.

At breakfast, I ordered the eggs Benedict, accompanied by a plate of fresh fruit and coffee served in a distinctive and stylish mug.

The food and service at Dia was exceptional, and the impressive interior design was a bonus.

The level of attentiveness from the server was noteworthy, as they even kneeled to take our orders. Even while we were lounging, they took the time to kneel and meet us at eye level.

Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville – Other Facilities

The fitness centre at Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville is located on the second floor of the hotel and is open 24 hours.

The fitness centre is well-equipped with ample modern cardio machines, free weights, yoga mats, and towels, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that afford a good amount of light. However, the views are again quite limited, as they simply overlook the building across the street.

There’s a water cooler and towels available inside the fitness room, as well as a small lounging area just outside, with self-serve Lavazza coffee.

On the same floor, there’s an impressive heated indoor pool, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip. The pool is open daily from 6am to 10pm, with a few loungers available on the pool deck.

On top of this, the hotel also provides enclosed meeting spaces, collaborative work areas, and even bike rentals for guests to explore the city.

Lastly, there’s a retail boutique stocked with locally sourced souvenirs and artwork featuring Toronto-inspired motifs, so you can take a piece of the city home with you if you happen to be visiting from away.

Conclusion

Overall, I’d say this hotel punches above its weight and is a strong debut opening for the Canopy brand in Canada, despite some limitations in location and services.

The immediate area surrounding the hotel may not be as picturesque or bustling as other parts of Toronto, but it’s right by Sherbourne TTC station and within a five-minute walk of the Bloor–Yonge TTC hub.

Moreover, the rooms and facilities are of a high standard, with modern and stylish décor and thoughtful amenities. I hadn’t fully known what to expect from the Canopy brand in the past, but based on this visit, I’m looking forward to trying out more properties in the future.

While the Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville may not be the most luxurious or upscale hotel in Toronto, it certainly holds its own among the city’s mid-range offerings, and would be a solid choice of accommodations to consider for your next visit.