Toronto’s new Ritz passes my spa test

The Ritz-Carlton Toronto is modern but cozy.

Thank you Ritz-Carlton - for finally giving Toronto a world class spa.

We’ve been waiting a long time and putting up with inferior spas in this city that charge high prices but deliver low quality service and amenities.

No need to mention names – you “pretend” Toronto spas know who you are.

I don’t mean to be a snob, either, but after experiencing some of the best spas in the world, including the planet’s top-rated pleasure palace – Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental – I think I’m qualified to speak on the subject.

So I put the new Ritz spa to the test this past weekend and it passed my rigged grading process with flying colours.

The staff was welcoming and accommodating; the facility so new you can still smell the wet paint; the amenities, like showers, steam rooms, saunas and lounges were state-of-the-art but comfy; the treatment rooms were cozy and the treatment beds were the best I’ve ever experienced at a Canadian spa.

The most important part of any spa treatment, though, is the therapist. Sarah, the young woman who rubbed away my aches and pains, is a student of the art – she actually studied in Thailand; the Mecca of spa learning.

Sarah’s technique was first class and her approach to the treatment – first asking my daily routine and then progressing to what my major aches were on that particular day – was totally professional.

I know what you’re thinking – what else would you expect from the ritzy Ritz-Carlton?

Trust me, I’ve been in other 5-star hotel spas who failed to impress.

The Ritz-Carlton Toronto didn’t disappoint, though – I rate this Canada’s No. 1 spa. But maybe I should say “for now” because the Ritz will be getting competition from the new Four Seasons and Shangri La properties that are still under construction in downtown Toronto and will be opening with their own world class spas next summer.

But the new properties will have to be pretty good to unseat the Ritz-Carlton on my “My Favourite Toronto Spa List” which currently has only one member.

It’s not cheap – treatments begin well north of $150 but Torontonians have been paying those prices for years and getting little satisfaction.

NOTE: The Ritz- Carlton is also home to a new favourite dining spot of mine – TOCA. The chic room - TOCA is the shortened form of Toronto-Canada – offers up a fish and chips which features lobster instead of regular fish. Simply delicious!

Hong Kong is putting on the Ritz

DATELINE HONG KONG – My three-day visit here has been lived in the lap of luxury, thanks to my decision to stay at the Peninsula Hong Kong.

The historic Grand Dame of this city’s hotels, which is located on the Kowloon side and offers breathtaking views of the Hong Kong side from its harbour view rooms and suites, just keeps getting better with age.

Over the years, the Pen, as she is affectingly known by residents living in this former British colony, has fought off challenges from the likes of Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental to hold onto her title of “Best Hotel in Hong Kong.”

However, the Pen may have finally met her match. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel chain, which closed an older property on the Hong Kong side of the bay many years ago, is back – the new Ritz officially opened March 28.

And while it will take some time to wrestle the title of Best Hotel in Hong Kong away from the Pen, the Ritz already has one bragging right – it’s the tallest hotel in the city, soaring 490 metres above Hong Kong harbour in a new office/residential/hotel complex known as the International Conference Centre (the photo is taken from Star Ferry terminal) at 1 Austin Road West in Kowloon’s commercial area.

The hotel lobby sits on the building’s 102nd floor and from the top floor rooms on the 118th floor you get stunning views of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Island and on a clear day you can see into the far-off New Territories bordering China.

Also, the hotel’s swimming pool on the ICC’s top floor is now recognized as the highest pool in the world. The 312-room Hong Kong Ritz also features six restaurants and pampers guests with a 9,257 ESPA spa on the 116th floor.

Apparently, the sky’s the limit when it comes to Hong Kong hotels.

My Top 5 hotels in Beijing

DATELINE BEIJING - One tip I always give first timers coming to China is never scrimp on hotels.

Four or-five star Western-style hotels are much different than their Chinese counterparts, especially when it comes to sanitation. So, while you may have to pay a bit more, it’s money well spent. And five-star Western hotels in China are priced like three star hotels in Europe.

If you travel outside China’s big cities, you’ll have to rely on Chinese chains so make sure it has a five-star rating.

Beijing has many great hotels and here are five favourites among the ones I’ve stayed at:
1- The Ritz-Carlton – 5 star (it’s brand new and grand but typically Ritz cozy)
2- The Peninsula – 5-star (this older property fits like a pair of comfortable shoes)
3- China World – 4-star-plus (a local brand but Western in every way)
4- Fairmont’s Raffles – 4-star-plus (an historic property right next to the Forbidden City)
5- Grand Hyatt – 4-star-plus (it’s grand and in a great location and has lots of shopping nearby)