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Toronto Staycation [VIDEO]: Look inside the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel + take a scenic flight over Toronto

By Nicola Brown |
Canada DESTINATIONS Stylish Staycations
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Stylish Staycations Toronto scenic flight

Photo by Nicola Brown

From unforgettable hotels to breathtaking experiences, we’re here to show you just how much there is to explore in our own Canadian backyard. Let us inspire your next Stylish Staycation!

When we think of travelling we often think of going to foreign countries. But what if our budget won’t stretch to international travel at the moment? What if we’ve only got a weekend away? What if we need something a little easier to plan?

The good news is that some of the best travel experiences are waiting to be discovered right here at home in Canada.

Toronto staycation highlights

  • Stay at the Shangri-La Hotel
  • Miraj Hammam spa treatment
  • 3-course dinner at Bosk
  • FlyGTA scenic flight over Toronto

VIDEO: Toronto Staycation

Get a look inside the luxury 5-star Shangri-La Hotel and take a scenic flight over Toronto:

Where to stay: Shangri-La Hotel

Stepping into the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto makes you feel like you’ve just arrived in Singapore, the site of this internationally renowned hotel’s first location in 1971.

Shangri-La Hotel Toronto lobby

Photo by Nicola Brown

A bright and lively lobby—tea room by day and lounge by night—is decorated with soaring black and white calligraphy paintings and elegant potted orchids. A central double-sided fireplace lends a glowing warmth to the buzzy evening atmosphere, complete with live music and library-style drinks menus. Throughout the lobby you’ll find tall glass cases showing off couture dresses from designers Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Roberto Capucci, and Bob Mackie.

Shangri-La Hotel Toronto rooms

Photo by Nicola Brown

The rooms are a juxtaposition of new technology (there’s an iPad to do everything from watch movies to order different types of pillows) and classic Asian design. Expect a wondrously comfortable night’s sleep on these mattresses.

Shangri-La Hotel bathrooms

Photo by Nicola Brown

Bathrooms are a marble-clad highlight with soaker tubs and separate showers, and bath products by L’Occitane en Provence.

Shangri-La Hotel bathroom amenities

Photo by Nicola Brown

Where to eat: Bosk

Bosk is the hotel’s Asian fusion restaurant, and an ideal spot to come for dinner before a show in the city’s theatre district.

Bosk at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto

Photo by Nicola Brown

Unlike some restaurants, Bosk’s pre-theatre set menu is actually great value and excellent food. Choose from two options for your starter, main and dessert for $52 per person. I ordered the chilled sweet pea soup (poured tableside over fresh peas), duck confit and warm toffee pudding with little flecks of gold leaf.

Confit de canard at Bosk

Confit de canard at Bosk. Photo by Nicola Brown

Bosk dessert

Bosk warm toffee pudding. Photo by Nicola Brown

One of my favourite dishes was actually the bread and butter. The butter is whipped together with honey from the hotel’s rooftop bees. Slightly sweet and totally irresistible.

In the morning Bosk does Asian-inspired breakfast items like duck eggs with sweet Chinese sausage and bok choy. Or, go the whole nine yards with dim sum. Healthy options like smoothies packed with greens are available too.

Breakfast at Bosk: duck eggs with Chinese sausage and bok choy

Breakfast at Bosk: duck eggs with Chinese sausage and bok choy. Photo by Nicola Brown.

Coffee drinkers might want to convert to tea here, as the hotel has a whopping 75 different varieties of premium teas to try, served in individual tea pots. To make the most of it, head to the lobby between 2-5pm for their famous high tea.

Where to relax: Miraj Hammam Spa

Fancy a trip to Morocco? You need go no further than the Miraj Hammam Spa on the 5th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel. Each treatment room is named after a city: everything from Marrakech to Bordeaux.

Miraj Hammam spa at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto

Photo by Nicola Brown

I checked in for a 60-minute Divine Body Treatment. It includes a full body scrub with sugar, hibiscus, sesame and grape seed oil, a steam shower, and a 30-minute massage. Dim lighting and gentle music throughout the spa make for a genuinely relaxing experience before and after.

Miraj Hammam spa relaxation room

Miraj Hammam spa relaxation room. Photo by Nicola Brown

One of the best features of the spa is the relaxation room where you receive a little glass of mint tea, baklava and a handful of grapes in a sumptuous setting. Ornate hexagonal tables and dark wood carvings are gently lit with golden Moroccan hanging lamps. I could have stayed here the rest of the day.

The change rooms feature some skincare products by Caudalie and haircare by R+Co so you can emerge looking just as glamorous as you feel. You can buy these and much more in the spa’s retail area.

Shangri-La Hotel Toronto pool

Photo by Nicola Brown

Make sure you spend some time at the pool, which offers private cabanas overlooking a large hot pool with bubbles. There’s another regular pool and a dry sauna too.

What to do: Scenic flight over Toronto

Head to Billy Bishop airport for a 30-minute scenic flight over Toronto with FlyGTA. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or Toronto is home, seeing the sights from above will give you a whole new perspective on Canada’s largest city.

Take a scenic flight over Toronto with FlyGTA

Take a scenic flight over Toronto with FlyGTA. Photo by Nicola Brown

One of my favourite perks of this tour was receiving a bottle of sparkling wine in the tiny cabin pre-flight. It’s a perfect way to celebrate something special with plenty of photo opportunities.

Inside a FlyGTA plane

Photo by Nicola Brown

Travel tip: book online and bundle your staycation

Booking online and bundling your hotel and activities will get you some of the best deals. I booked my Toronto staycation through Booking.com. I found some pretty unique activities to try, like the scenic flight over the city. It’s something I wouldn’t otherwise have thought of doing. But it made for an epic way to see my own city from a totally new perspective!

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Nicola Brown

Digital editor at Travel Life
Nicola is an international award-winning writer, editor and communication consultant based in Toronto. She has travelled to 32 countries so far and is always poised to head out the door again. Nicola loves both the visceral and intellectual dimensions of travel, and will passionately argue for its psychological paybacks, especially after a few glasses of wine. In addition to being the digital editor at Travel Life, she has written for the Toronto Star, WestJet magazine, Air Canada's enRoute magazine, Time Out magazine and many more. She lives for opportunities to illuminate the life-changing power of travel for as many people as possible.
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Latest posts by Nicola Brown (see all)

  • Coming Home to the Dordogne in Southern France - April 12, 2021
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  • What’s New, Canada? New restaurants, hotels, spas, arts & culture, activities & travel experiences to discover across the country – November 2020 - November 10, 2020
  • Montreal Staycation [VIDEO]: Travel the world without leaving home at Le Germain Hotel + pamper yourself at Bota Bota spa on the water - September 24, 2020
  • Essential Morocco: A Trip for First-Timers - June 2, 2020

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