fairmont royal york

How to Score an Updated Room at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York

The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto was the largest and tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929 -- which certainly qualifies it as one of those "grand dame" hotels. This status has both its upsides and its downsides -- while the lobby is impressive for meeting business clients, you certainly want to score a recently updated room.

Like many hotels, the Royal York has been in the process of updating its rooms, and while a more extensive overhaul is happening in the near future, that won't help you if you're checking in over the next few weeks. Here are a few tips that will:

1) Join the President's Club before your stay -- it's free, and you get preferential room selection, plus free wifi and other goodies.

2) Ask for a room with a flat-screen TV. Only the updated rooms have the flat screens. (Psst: this question works well in any hotel in the midst of an update.)

3) Whether you care about an updated room or not: if you're not a smoker, avoid any room on the second floor. It's a smoking floor, and it's also above the hospitality suites which allow smoking.

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