Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto
The Fairmont Royal York is a true Toronto icon, standing tall as a masterpiece of Châteauesque-style architecture. Opened in 1929 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, it was once the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth. Designed by the architectural firms Ross and Macdonald in association with Sproatt and Rolph, the building served as a “city within a city,” originally featuring its own hospital, a concert hall, and even an extensive radio broadcasting studio.
Stepping inside feels like traveling back to a grander era. Beyond its historic limestone walls, the hotel has evolved with the times, notably featuring an impressive indoor rooftop garden that provides fresh herbs and produce for its kitchens. It has hosted countless dignitaries and celebrities over the decades, solidifying its reputation as one of Canada’s most storied luxury hotels.
Its location is incredibly convenient for any traveler. Situated directly across from Union Station, it is just a short stroll from the towering CN Tower and the family-friendly exhibits at Ripley’s Aquarium. You are also within walking distance of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the bustling stalls of the St. Lawrence Market, which is perfect for sampling local artisan foods.
Whether you are in town for business or leisure, the hotel provides a seamless blend of old-world glamour and modern accessibility. From its central vantage point, you can easily explore the vibrant downtown core, making it an excellent base for experiencing the best of Toronto’s cultural and historical landmarks.
Expert reviews
“The Royal York is the Grand Dame of Toronto’s hotel scene, an imposing stone and copper-roofed structure that’s firmly anchored in a sea of steel and glass. It’s been a star since it officially opened in 1929, a favorite for royalty, celebrities, movie directors and regular folk.”
“Dominating the skyline for decades after it was built in 1929, the Royal York is the Canadian grande dame of the Fairmont chain. Amping up the luxury factor has kept the hotel in step with the times, a storied icon with a modern outlook. Recent guests have included members of the British Royal Family.”
What guests liked
- Friendly staff
- Boutique style
- Great location
- Comfortable beds
Location
Recent guest reviews
23 May 2026
Old Toronto at its best
Grand and opulent
21 May 2026
Comfortable stay. Decent value for money given location.
Location. Staff conduct. Cleanliness.
The entrance does not have a ramp which is annoying as one has to lug bags up a staircase. Room did not have safe deposit which was unusual.
21 May 2026
Overall, we had a comfortable and enjoyable stay with a good room, convenient location, and comforta
The room and the bed were both good and comfortable. The location was also convenient and easy to access. Overall, we had a pleasant stay and were satisfied with the experience.
There was nothing major to dislike. Everything was generally fine, although the room could have been a little quieter at times. Overall, it was still a comfortable and pleasant stay.
19 May 2026
It was an enjoyable 3day getaway.
Close proximity to the train station.
East wing was not complete.
19 May 2026
Great as usual
Always a great stay. Staff is friendly and helpful. Rooms are comfortable and have great views.
18 May 2026
Pretty much what I expect from Fairmont.
I stayed there often over the years and am very familiar with the hotel and the area.
The prices have more than doubled since Covid.
15 May 2026
Very happy overall with my stay.
Location is great for business. The lobby and common areas are beautiful.
The rooms are somewhat outdated, but OK. Service at the restaurant and breakfast was slow but amenable.
11 May 2026
Great experience...except the room view
View of the room
3 May 2026
Excellent stay. Beautiful historic hotel worthy of royal guests. Service is second to none. They care about the guest e
Service and ambience were second to none
Confusing elevator system to limit the floors you could go to
28 April 2026
We loved our stay here!
Location, staff, facilities, meals at the restaurant were all outstanding
Fairly pricey
26 April 2026
Made my engagement really special - appreciate the personal touches
Beautiful lobby bar, nice restaurant, and helpful staff.
17 April 2026
In town for Leafs
Core Toronto with access to Scotia Bank arena
All good
12 April 2026
Loved the hotel all around
Very good location, very clean
NA
8 April 2026
Fantastic location and helpful staff!
The location is incredibly convenient and the staff are really helpful. The public areas are really high quality and feel very special.
Our room was quite small for a family of 4. The beds are only queen size and there is not a lot of room to move around in either the bedroom or the bathroom
6 April 2026
A wonderful visit to a wonderful hotel with excellent staff !
The facility was beautiful, and location was fantastic!
All the staff was super helpful, and especially when I contacted before coming to verify some questions. They inquired about our visit and I mentioned it was for my daughters birthday… then when we checked in they surprised us with a complimentary upgrade and had a birthday treat waiting in our room for my daughter.
Will for sure stay there anytime we are visiting Toronto !!! Amazing !
5 April 2026
very good spoiled slightly as described above
This hotel is about quality and is essentially superb. Certain of the staff have misunderstood their market.
Certain of the evening bar staff have allowed their enthuiasm to result in over-promisng and over-selling. i explained to the lady in question that this was sadly not qppreciated by me. I prefer to wait patiently for the desired meal to be provided and not bombarded with false promises on timing etc. Also, the music in the Library was much too loud to be comfortable! This suggested a business heading in the wrong direction and is, I believe, not what The Royal York stands for!
24 March 2026
This will become my go to place in Toronto. Super dependable as well as amazing comfort.
Love the ambiance in the building as well as attention to detail. The customer service is top notch.
Nothing
21 March 2026
very nice, comfortable & elegant stay in downtown toronto
Beds were comfy; rooms were spacious; we were offered a bed on wheels for our daughter to sleep on which helped us be more comfortable as well; they even provided small robes for my kids to use to the pool; they offered umbrellas for use (very helpful); nice to view the photographs on the 2nd floor and the queen elizabeth signed guestbook; beautiful february floral crown display in the lobby
i did get charged for a "consumed" soda and water from the mini bar fridge in the room; that i think must have been removed before we even got there (i was super clear to my kids not to use stuff there and we brought our own and i didn't find any empties of the minibar fridge types about the room); but i didn't care to fight the charge since that's a minimal cost.
also, the slippers were interestingly made out of cork on the bottom and fabric on sides, good for spa i guess, but they got grossly soggy poolside; simple plastic/foam flip flops would have been better i think (just my 2 cents)
15 March 2026
A real treat in luxury and convenience !
Luxury proximity to any transport and the PATH. Lovely resto and bar hangouts
Nothing
14 March 2026
Great location for a hotel in Toronto , lovely history . Hotel needs a refurb.
Great location .
Rooms need a refurb, water pressure in the showers poor and not much hot water in the mornings .
5 March 2026
A reliable hallmark that is being kept up well by Fairmont even though it's a lower ticket offering
Comfortable room, nice bed, good desk. Generally very useful and useable amount of space.
The lobby configuration felt busy and confusing.
28 February 2026
It was a perfect start to our first vacation in Toronto
The location and the staff
Nothing
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Snack bar
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Kids' meals
- - Kid-friendly buffet
- - Wine/champagne
- - Fruits (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Barber/beauty shop
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Soundproof rooms
- - Car hire
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
- - Minimarket on site
- - Pet basket
- - Pet bowls
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre (additional charge)
- - Fax/photocopying (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Currency exchange
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Sauna
- - Fitness centre
- - Spa & wellness centre (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Indoor pool
- - Indoor pool (all year)
- - Beauty services
- - Facial treatments
- - Waxing services
- - Make-up services
- - Hair treatments
- - Manicure
- - Pedicure
- - Haircut
- - Hair colouring
- - Hair styling
- - Body treatments
- - Body scrub
- - Body wrap
- - Light therapy
- - Spa facilities
- - Steam room
- - Spa lounge/relaxation area
- - Foot bath
- - Spa/wellness packages
- - Fitness
- - Fitness/spa locker rooms
- - Live music/performance
- - Bicycle rental
Entertainment & family services
- - Babysitting/child services (additional charge)
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Parking
- - Parking garage
- - Electric vehicle charging station
- - Accessible parking
Accessibility
- - Wheelchair accessible
- - Toilet with grab rails
- - Lower bathroom sink
Pool and wellness
- - Heated pool
- - Shallow end
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key access
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals

More photos

31 May 2026
It was the perfect for 2 friends to reunite and enjoy the amenities and the comfort of the hotel.