Imagine a luxurious oasis, filled with flowers. A place where you can relax and truly unwind. The ultimate getaway, filled with exquisite food and exceptional service. Welcome to The St. Regis Toronto.

As an executive, my time is precious. I split most of it between family and work, so when I do get a chance to plan a trip or a social activity, I always want the best of the best. That’s why I was thrilled to collaborate with The St. Regis Toronto on a recent family staycation. They helped us plan an incredible itinerary, filled with memorable experiences, many of which were themed around the upcoming Mother’s Day. And — everything was spectacular.

Here are the key highlights and the amazing memories we made.

In the heart of it all

The St. Regis Toronto is located in the heart of downtown Toronto. This was our first staycation as a family of four, and we were looking forward to exploring the hotel and seeing what it has to offer to guests traveling with small children.

With exceptional dining, an on-site spa and downtown’s best address, The St. Regis Toronto is redefining the standard for five-star luxury in the city and, arguably, in the country. Soaring above Canada’s international enclave for business, finance and culture, the hotel is mere steps from downtown Toronto’s top landmarks. This includes the CN Tower, Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, Toronto International Film Festival and the city’s premier shopping, theatre and entertainment. 

Step into this property and you will experience modern elegance and bespoke butler service in the 258 hotel rooms and suites, which are among the city’s largest.

The St. Regis Toronto’s location is an undeniable advantage. The view of the Financial District is also impressive.

Floral motifs and fragrant scents

Upon our arrival, I immediately noticed the gorgeous flowers that were everywhere: on every table, in every corner, even hanging from the ceiling. In fact, flowers are central to all St. Regis properties and a nod to Caroline Astor’s love of flowers.

Astor was an American socialite who led the Four Hundred: a group of high society in the Gilded Age. The number “400” refers to the number of guests chosen by her from the highest echelon of New York society. Mrs. Astor, who was the spirited and tenacious matriarch of the St. Regis brand, was renowned as the most prominent and well-regarded socialite in New York City during the late 1800s. She was also notorious for her lavish gatherings. 

To this day, St. Regis has a special fragrance that is sprayed at all of its properties and is a nod to Mrs. Astor. The fragrance is appropriately called Caroline’s Four Hundred. Created by Carlos Huber of ARQUISTE Parfumeur, this modern scent reprises the exotic woods of her ballroom, along with notes of her favourite flower—American Beauty roses—which adorned the space during those magical evenings.

The overall floral theme is woven all over the hotel. For example, if you take a stroll through the spa, you will note that each treatment room is named after a different flower.

The property in Toronto is both elegant and unique. It boasts the largest collection of suites in the city, a stunning swimming pool, a large spa and a variety of dining options.

What I particularly enjoyed about the entire property was its serene nature. When traveling with young children, the little ones can get overstimulated easily. This hotel may be filled with guests and it may feature colourful decor and background music, and yet, the overall aura is so relaxing that our children stayed calm and smiling for the entirety of the trip.

It’s all about the details

One of the reasons I select luxury hotels when I travel is because of the exceptional attention to detail. St. Regis is no exception. 

As soon as we entered the room, I was pleased to see just how much their staff have gone above and beyond to make our stay cozy, comfortable and memorable. 

The living room of our Superior Suite had a chocolate arrangement that featured a personalized note for our family, a variety of decadent chocolates and even a large chocolate tower that was shaped like the hotel itself.

In the middle of the room, staff had set up a lovely children’s tent that included personalized notes for each of our daughters. Both girls were gifted their own toys. Our toddler was also provided with all the essentials that a little one requires: ranging from diapers and bath items, to swaddling cloths and special creams.

I loved that the bedroom and living room were separated by a door, and that each had its own bathroom. This meant that when our toddler went to sleep before everyone else, the three of us were able to take advantage of the Butler Experience and watch a movie later in the evening (I really recommend this option: having popcorn, drinks and our own mini movie theatre was really fun).

Exquisite dining at the property

During our stay, we took advantage of three different dining experiences: a family dinner at LOUIX LOUIS, in-room breakfast and a Mother’s Day themed afternoon tea experience. 

We also enjoyed the sabrage at the Astor Lounge downstairs, which is held every day at 6 p.m. The St. Regis hotels have a long-standing tradition of champagne sabering, which features a ceremonial opening of champagne bottles with a saber. This practice dates back to 1904 when John Jacob Astor IV started it at the original St. Regis in New York. To this day, it continues to be a signature experience for many St. Regis hotels worldwide.

Following the sabrage, which was delightful to watch, all guests at the bar were treated to a complimentary glass of champagne. What a great start to the evening!

After our drinks, we headed upstairs. I had dined at LOUIX LOUIS with a friend before, and really enjoyed the experience. But it was especially nice to come back here with my entire family. Our server Manny was the kindest and most attentive. His ability to seamlessly ensure we had everything we needed at all times was incredible. In addition, he somehow managed to keep our toddler occupied by talking to her and distracting her the entire evening. As a result, we had the most wonderful meal.

We tried several dishes from the restaurant’s new spring/summer 2025 menu. Grilled Octopus was a spectacular starter (I grew up in Barcelona, so I love octopus at any time of the year). This dish featured artichoke purée, pearl couscous, olive with roasted tomato and guajillo salsa. We also tried the Black Cod (which featured BC wild cod, herb potatoes, wild spinach, oscietra caviar and champagne cream sauce) and the NY Steak Frites, both of which were an absolute feast for the senses and beautifully plated. 

We also appreciated that the kids could choose dishes from the Children’s Menu, which made the experience perfect for a family.

We ended the meal by trying the restaurant’s renowned cake. Typically, it’s called King’s Cake, but for Mother’s Day, the dessert is reimagined as Queen’s Cake (with 14 layers!). It’s a stunning, delicious and very large cake that can be visually described like a fragment of Marie Antoinette’s life. We were lucky to experience it during our dinner, and the chef was very kind to make us a nut free version to accommodate our allergies. It was so beautiful that we almost didn’t want to eat it! We were glad we did though. It was incredible.

Since we were traveling with children, we couldn’t really take advantage of the restaurant’s drink menu. However, it’s worth noting that LOUIX LOUIS has one of the largest collections of dark spirits in North America. 

By the way, when you visit, make sure to look up: every restaurant at St. Regis has a unique artwork behind the bar. At this location, the artwork is uniquely on the ceiling (and this is the only location in the world where it is placed there). 

Another interesting fact: Bloody Mary was invented at the St. Regis New York and every St. Regis around the world has its own name and variation of it. In Toronto, the drink is called Rouge 140, which is a nod to the fact that Toronto residents speak over 140 languages.

Onto our next meal and, the following morning, we greatly enjoyed the comfort of à la carte breakfast. It was very convenient to do this with young children, and due to the variety of dishes on the menu, we were again able to mix-and-match more complex dishes for ourselves with more kid-friendly ones for our kids (think pancakes and fruit plates for the little ones).

We then took a break and I went shopping with our youngest, while my husband and our eldest took advantage of the beautiful pool (and enjoyed the stunning views from there).

Mrs. Astor’s Floral Afternoon Tea

Last, but certainly not least, on our agenda was the Afternoon Tea experience. It’s important to preface this by saying that our eldest daughter and I have spent the last 6 months doing a monthly High Tea outing to different places across the city. So we were really looking forward to doing it at The St. Regis Toronto and, this time, enjoying it as a whole family. 

Inspired by Mrs. Astor’s love for tradition and flowers, this spring afternoon tea celebrates the elegance of the Astor family. Each element of the experience is thoughtful, colourful and very decadent. Think floral-infused delights, like Hibiscus, Red Currant & Orange Scones, Strawberry Rhubarb Tart, Blueberry & Lavender Macaron, and Coconut Rose Panna Cotta. I always enjoy the savoury selections, and the range here includes Smoked Salmon Rillette, Speck n’ Tomatoes, and Berries & Cream. 

The tea selection is extensive, and each teapot is presented with a burning candle underneath to keep the beverage warm. We recommend pairing this with Perrier-Jouët Champagne cocktails, for ultimate sophistication and seasonal indulgence.

An unforgettable time

As we wrapped up our stay, we couldn’t help but think about how relaxed and rejuvenated we felt. Truthfully, this is unusual when traveling with children. Yet, when you stay at the The St. Regis Toronto, the magic of the property transcends every experience, no matter the guest’s age. Our children had a great time, as did we. But, most of all, we made great memories.

Thank you, St. Regis. And until next time! 

If you are looking for an exceptional Mother’s Day experience, The St. Regis Toronto offers several options. The Mother’s Day brunch is available on May 10 and May 11 at LOUIX LOUIS. Mom can enjoy a complimentary live portrait drawing on Sunday, May 11 during Brunch and she can also indulge in the renowned Queen’s Cake. Another option is Mrs. Astor’s Floral Afternoon Tea at Astor Lounge or specialty Mother’s Day services at The Spa. And, of course, there is always the option of an overnight stay!

Photography by Hannah Yakobi and courtesy of The St. Regis Toronto.