CHECKING IN
Our favourite hotel stays.
1 BISHA HOTEL TORONTO
Velvet-adorned walls and a lobby that glitters with gold touches: Gianni Versace would have loved this hotel’s riffs on 1990s opulence. NUMBER OF ROOMS 96. NEIGHBOURHOOD The Blue Jays play five minutes away at the Rogers Centre in the Entertainment District. WHAT WE LOVED Making a cocktail with the Owl’s Brew tea mixers in the minibar, like the Wicked Green (green tea, habanero and lime) combined with Dobel tequila. ROOM TO BOOK The seventh-floor suites, with leather accents and dark oak furniture, were masterminded by Lenny Kravitz. ORDER a Ranchero bowl (eggs, kale, tomatoes and black beans) at Kōst, the Baja California restaurant on the 44th floor, and start your day with a view of Lake Ontario.
2 THE SPECTATOR HOTEL CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Southern hospitality is alive and well at this Jazz Ageinspired hotel, where a butler will help you unpack your suitcase. NUMBER OF ROOMS 41. NEIGHBOURHOOD Wander through historic downtown to dine on cornmeal-dusted catfish at Husk. WHAT WE LOVED Pedalling the property’s cruiser bikes past colonial-era homes in the nearby South of Broad district. GET SCHOOLED in cocktail making at the Bar. You’ll mix drinks like The Dude Imbibes, their Big Lebowski homage to a white russian, with chaivanilla vodka. ROOM PERKS Raid the mini-fridge, full of complimentary benne wafers (sesame seed cookies).
3 IBEROSTAR LISBOA LISBON
Opened last fall in a converted parking garage, this property matches the brand’s updated focus on food and central location. NUMBER OF ROOMS 166. NEIGHBOURHOOD Praça Marquês de Pombal is the start of tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade. WHAT WE LOVED Unwinding under swan-necked fountains at the spa’s indoor pool after a day of walking the city’s steep hills. ROOM PERKS Guests get an Internetenabled smartphone preloaded with apps – perfect for navigating the old town’s maze-like streets. ORDER a poached quail egg tucked in a nest of crispy potatoes at the bright Restaurante Luz.
4 CRASH HOTEL
The landmark Richelieu Hotel was converted into a millennial landing pad in 2015, with all sorts of rooms, including hostel-style bunks. NUMBER OF ROOMS 70. NEIGHBOURHOOD Catch an Oilers game at the new downtown Rogers Place arena, just one kilometre away. WHAT WE LOVED Scoping out the eclectic design touches, like the front desk made from vintage suitcases and trunks. ROOM TO BOOK The Party Suite features two fold-out couches and a bar waiting to be stocked at the groundfloor liquor store. ORDER the bison breakfast burger topped with a sunny-side-up egg at the neighbouring arcade-game-lined Denizen Hall.