Afternoon Delight
Afternoon High Tea at Toronto’s Windsor Arms Hotel is a delicious blend of enchanting elegance, high style and more than a sense of history.
In every major global city, there seems to be that “secret gem” of a hotel. These are certainly not the largest, or tallest, or fl ashiest, but, by contrast, these gems are often secluded, traditional and ornate sanctuaries, prized as a reward by the guests who discover and revel in them.
In Toronto that hotel is the Windsor Arms, a heritage property tucked away on a secluded side street in the heart of the city’s stylish, midtown Yorkville neighbourhood. The grande dame of Toronto’s luxury boutique hotels has held that title since its opening in 1927, a neo-Gothic urban oasis of tradition, elevated elegance and high style. Befitting that crown, the hotel is also known for its stylish and traditional Afternoon High Tea, served in either of its acclaimed tea rooms.
The tea service is offered in either its Parisian-inspired lobby tearoom or by the fi re in the historic, lush Purple Room. For those who appreciate a little history with your favourite blend, it was in this very room, and beside that very fireplace, that Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor, for the second time, in 1967.
Celebrity is no stranger to the Windsor Arms, as the now world-famous Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was founded in the hotel in 1976. Stars such as Katharine Hepburn, Woody Allen, Richard Gere, Britney Spears and Tina Turner have also been guests, attracted by not only its finishings, quality and personal services, but by its seclusion in the heart of one of the city’s most fashionable and desirable neighbourhoods.
The Afternoon High Tea is the perfect way to mark any special occasion and a chance to indulge in old-world style and grace. It features 30 loose-leaf teas, with flavours ranging from Russian Caravan to Sencha, and organic fair-trade blends. The tiered tea-service plates feature handcrafted pastries, traditional tea sandwiches, English scones and a variety of preserves, all freshly prepared in-house on a daily basis.
The Windsor Arms is also known as one of Toronto’s most preferred locations for elegant weddings or celebrations, especially in The Courtyard, with its 50-foot-tall limestone walls and breathtaking sky-high ceiling. The Courtyard seats up to 250 guests for a seated dinner or up to 400 for a cocktail reception. The environment is both elegant and versatile for any type of event.
We can all get caught up in the sometimes frantic and hectic pace of our modern world. Every now and then stepping away from the mayhem and revelling in the traditional, calming world of the Windsor Arms is the perfect way to savour a delectably elegant and distinctly luxurious high-tea experience or any elevated experience or celebration.
