"Housed in a striking brutalist structure that replaced a former Marriott, this property delivers riotously colorful interiors, large-scale contemporary art, and one of downtown’s biggest rooftop terraces, styled like a plant-filled, Marrakech-inspired fantasia serving Middle Eastern–influenced tapas. Guest rooms emphasize sexy, clubby design with velvet curtains, curved banquettes, and sculptural lamps, and the hotel features Canada’s first W Sound Suite, a professional-style recording studio. Its central location at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor places guests in the symbolic heart of downtown." - Michael Kaminer