Hotel X Toronto’s Guerlain Spa will bring the pampering to you

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Hotel X Toronto marks the spot — literally.

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When you feel like your face can’t face another day in the Big Smoke or beyond, this luxury, 404-room, 39-suite hotel on the city’s waterfront has something wonderfully rejuvenating to help with that.

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It’s a custom-made facial at Canada’s first Guerlain Spa, named after the French global perfume, skincare and beauty brand first formed in 1928.

Facialist Dee soothed my tired, dehydrated skin (hello journalist!) for an hour recently with her expert hands strongly massaging my face while applying beautifully smelling cleansers, masks and moisturizers (plus doing a few extractions).

The spa itself is super inviting with off-white and gold tones throughout, especially in the lounge area where I sat post-facial in a vibrating lounger while sipping on Earl Grey tea and fresh, off-white macaroons made on site, looking at the outdoor deck to return to in better weather.

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The aesthetic certainly sealed the relaxation deal and if I’d had the time, I would have enjoyed the spa’s steam room too.

Although I could have equally enjoyed the treatment in my marvelous 23rd-floor corner-view one-bedroom suite with both Toronto Island, Lake Ontario and city views including the CN Tower greeting me.

And let’s not forget about that large soaking tub which came in handy after a nighttime swim in the heated outdoor pool (more on that in a bit).

As of February, Guerlain is now offering in-suite spa services of facials, body treatments and massages and all current and future members of 10xTO (Hotel X Toronto’s state-of-the-art 90,000 square-foot athletic facility) can upgrade their fitness and tennis memberships to include the signature Parisian treatments at Guerlain Spa.

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Post-facial, I floated up for a delicious dinner at the art deco design-inspired Valerie Toronto, the delightful three-storey restaurant boasting navy and grey velvet-backed chairs, and inviting gold bar, all starting on the 27th floor.

I dined on juicy, flavourful chicken robata with a black pepper soy glaze and and the namesake roll The Valerie, consisting of shrimp tempura, avocado, scallop, ikura.

The other big draw at Hotel X Toronto for this imported Vancouver girl always in search of a body of water is the 28th-floor 16-metre-long heated indoor/outdoor pool.

It was a cool night, but I had to venture out to test the waters and while the weather ideally might have been a tad warmer, it was a wonderful way to end the night before a soak in my suite tub and a restful sleep on a comfortable king-size bed.

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I rose in the morning to an in-room cafe latte and enjoyed my suite’s breathtaking views one last time before heading down to the second-floor breakfast/lunch restaurant Roses Social, with yet more blue velvet chairs, a long white marble bar, and an outdoor deck beckoning when the weather allows.

After an orange juice and chopped salad — avocado, romaine, cabbage, quinoa, vegetables, chili lime vinaigrette, crumbled cotija, and crispy tortilla — with chicken, I felt ready to face the day again.

IF YOU GO

STAY: Hotel X Toronto (hotelxtoronto.com).

GET: One-bedroom corner suite with a large soaker tub, king-size bed, and views of Lake Ontario, Toronto Island and the CN Tower.

SPA: Canada’s only Guerlain Spa, guerlain.ca, now offers in-room treatments.

SWIM: In the 28th-floor outdoor heated pool.

EAT: At the 27th-floor Asian-inspired restaurant Valerie Toronto and don’t miss the chicken robata.

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