It was the Malloy brothers’ honour to attend the July, 2019 – Grand Lodge of Canada Annual Convocation at the Royal York Hotel as the guests of our good friend, Don Seyffert (Past District Deputy Grand Master). Talk about memories!!! More on that in future updates.
Last updated: February 25, 2026
Key Takeaways 🏨
- The Fairmont Royal York is a large historic luxury hotel located along Front Street West, situated at the southern end of Toronto’s Financial District.
- Opened on June 11, 1929, the Châteauesque-styled building stands 124 metres (407 ft) tall and was briefly the tallest building in Toronto, the country, and the British Empire.
- The site’s hotel history dates back to 1843, when a respected lake-boat captain named Thomas Dick opened four brick houses called the “Ontario Terrace” — the first hotel structure to operate at the location.
- In 1862, Captain Thomas Dick bought the hotel and renamed it the Queen’s Hotel, which quickly became one of the most popular hotels in the city, hosting guests including Sir John A. Macdonald and U.S. President William Taft.
- Named the Royal York, the new hotel cost $16 million to build and featured over 1,000 guest rooms, each equipped with radios, private showers, and bathtubs, plus a library, a 12-bed hospital, and a 66-foot telephone switchboard.
- The 8th floor is widely regarded as the hotel’s most haunted, with staff reportedly refusing to walk its corridors after dark.
- The 19th floor houses one of the hotel’s darkest hauntings: a former banquet porter found hanging in the stairwell, whose upper body is occasionally reported floating around the floor.
- In July 2019, the Grand Lodge of Canada held its annual convocation at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Front Street West, Toronto.
- The hotel completed a $65 million decarbonization retrofit in 2023, achieving net zero status and reducing annual carbon emissions by 80%. [4]
- The Fairmont Royal York is certified as a Zero Carbon Building by the Canada Green Building Council.
Quick Answer
The grand history of the Royal York Hotel spans nearly two centuries, beginning with a modest set of brick row houses in 1843 and culminating in one of Canada’s most iconic luxury landmarks. The Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald, in association with Sproatt and Rolph, and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company, and is currently managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Today, it stands as both a living museum of Canadian heritage and a forward-looking, sustainability-certified hotel that continues to welcome millions of guests.
What Is the Royal York Hotel, and Why Does It Matter?
The Fairmont Royal York is more than just a hotel. It is a living chapter of Canadian history, a place where royalty has slept, legends have performed, and — if the stories are to be believed — a few souls have never checked out.
The Fairmont Royal York’s legacy is woven deeply into the fabric of Toronto’s history and culture. Throughout its illustrious past, it has welcomed royalty, heads of state, celebrities, and countless others, earning its place as a cornerstone of Toronto’s luxury landscape.
Standing at 100 Front Street West, the hotel has been a silent witness to Canada’s growth from a young nation into a modern country. Wars, economic booms, royal visits, world-class entertainment, and even a few ghost sightings — all of it has happened within these limestone walls.
For anyone curious about the grand history of the Royal York Hotel, the story begins not in 1929, but decades earlier, on the very same patch of Toronto soil.
How Did the Royal York Hotel Come to Be? The Story Before 1929
The short answer: The Royal York Hotel was built on a site with a hotel history stretching back to 1843. Three different hotels stood there before the Royal York opened its doors.
The Ontario Terrace (1843)
In 1843, a respected lake-boat captain named Thomas Dick opened four brick houses called the “Ontario Terrace” on the site of the present-day Fairmont Royal York. The Ontario Terrace functioned as a hotel, becoming the first such structure to operate at the location.
The site changed hands and names several times over the following two decades. Knox Theological College subsequently acquired the row houses and thoroughly renovated the structures, renaming the building as “Sword’s Hotel” and then the “Revere Hotel.” In 1862, Thomas Dick reacquired the hotel, rebranding it as the “Queen’s Hotel,” which quickly became one of Toronto’s most prestigious locations, hosting such prominent guests as the British Royal Family.
The Queen’s Hotel (1862–1927): Toronto’s First Grand Dame
The Queen’s Hotel had a number of amenities that had not been seen before at a hotel in Toronto — it was one of the first hotels to have a telephone and an elevator. That elevator made it a genuine novelty in 19th-century Canada. The hotel also had a botanical garden and croquet ground located on its east side, and it sat beside Toronto’s first zoo, Piper’s Zoological Gardens, which famously had the carcass of a whale as one of its main attractions.
The Queen’s Hotel was not just a place to sleep — it was the social heartbeat of Toronto. The stately Queen’s Hotel became an integral part of the boomtown and was whispered to be the site of where Sir John A. Macdonald met with American Civil War sympathizers who plotted retaliation. Whether that rumour is fact or folklore, it speaks to the hotel’s central role in the city’s political life.
💬 “The Queen’s Hotel was so much a part of Toronto that when it was set to be demolished by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, there was a massive protest.” — Piercing Moon Creations
The Decision to Build Something Bigger
Construction on the magnificent new building began in 1927, when Canadian Pacific Hotels — a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway — began erecting it upon the site of the Queen’s Hotel. By the time Canadian Pacific Hotels had acquired the Queen’s Hotel, it had fallen on hard times. In its stead, Canadian Pacific Hotels hoped to build a massive, luxurious structure that would serve as Toronto’s primary Grand Dame.
Canadian Pacific Railway Company announced plans to build the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth on the Front Street site, but citizens were shocked about the demolition of their beloved “Queen’s.” Nevertheless, construction began in 1927, immediately across from Union Station and Canadian Pacific Railway.
What Made the 1929 Opening of the Royal York So Spectacular?
The opening of the Royal York Hotel on June 11, 1929, was described as one of the most glittering social events in Toronto’s history. The hotel was not just big — it was the biggest.
After its completion, the building was briefly the tallest building in Toronto, as well as the tallest building in the country, and the British Empire, until the nearby Canadian Bank of Commerce Tower was built the following year.
Opening Night: A City Celebrates
Canadian Pacific Hotels quickly organized an extravaganza to commemorate its opening, which was attended by over 2,300 guests. Lord Willingdon, the Governor-General of Canada, presided over the ceremonies and even registered himself as the hotel’s first official guest.
On opening night, the Royal York hosted four grand balls where guests dined and danced all night. The Imperial Room was the city’s newest and most elegant dining and dancing establishment, defining the Toronto social scene as the site for high society functions and big band shows.
The opening was front-page news. The opening of the hotel was front-page news in the Montreal Gazette on June 12, 1929.
What the Hotel Offered in 1929
The Royal York was unlike anything Canadians had seen before. Here is a snapshot of what guests could find inside on opening day:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Guest Rooms | Over 1,000, each with radio, private shower, and bathtub |
| Library | 12,000-volume collection |
| Hospital | 12 beds, fully operational |
| Telephone Switchboard | 66 feet long, staffed by 35 operators |
| Ballroom | Grand, frescoed, still largely intact today |
| Concert Hall | Full stage and a 50-ton pipe organ |
| Kitchen | Largest hotel kitchen in Canada, bakery producing 15,000 French rolls per day |
| Radio Station | CPRY — “Canadian Pacific Royal York” — broadcast nationally |
The 1.5 acres of public rooms included a 12-bed hospital, a 12,000-book library, and 10 ornate passenger elevators. The Concert Hall featured a full stage and a mammoth pipe organ, surpassing anything else like it in Canada. There was a glass-enclosed roof garden, the largest hotel kitchen in Canada with a bakery that could produce over 15,000 French rolls a day, and a conference hall with a public address system for over 1,000 delegates.
From 1930 to 1935, a radio station operated from the hotel. Its call letters were CPRY (for “Canadian Pacific Royal York”). Broadcasting from the Imperial Room, CPRY programs were heard across the country.
Who Are the Famous Guests That Shaped the Grand History of the Royal York Hotel?
The Royal York has hosted virtually every category of famous person imaginable — royalty, world leaders, Hollywood legends, and musical icons. Few hotels anywhere in the world can match the guest list.
Royalty and Heads of State
In 1939, the Royal York first hosted members of the Royal Family: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, during their royal tour of Canada. In 1951, Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) first visited the hotel, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. An entire floor of the hotel was typically prepared for the Queen.
The Royal York Hotel — later the Fairmont Royal York — became her preferred holiday destination whenever she returned to Toronto, occupying a special guestroom known as the “Royal Suite.” Her entire entourage also obtained an entire floor to themselves, which was typically vacated some two weeks before their arrival.
The official welcome and reception for the leaders of the 2010 G20 Toronto summit was held at the Royal York Hotel on June 26, 2010. Due to its usage, the hotel was included in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s designated security zones for the G20 summit.
Hollywood and Music Legends
Illustrious celebrities from around the world sojourned to the hotel over the next several decades, including Gene Kelly, Bob Hope, and Cary Grant.
Famous, even legendary guests have graced this Toronto landmark: Sir Winston Churchill, John Malloy, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Jerry Lewis, Jane Fonda, and Tony Curtis. Other visitors include Annie Lennox, Wayne Gretzky, George Lucas, and Queen Latifah.
Perhaps the greatest venue inside the structure was the Imperial Room — a nightclub in operation at the hotel from the 1940s to the 1990s. Known for hosting such celebrated acts as Marlene Dietrich, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald, the Imperial Room was defined by the magnificent stage located at its northern end. An amazing sunken dance floor sat in the middle, surrounded by plush booths and ornate decorations.
Celebrity guests who have visited the hotel include Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen, Jennifer Aniston, John Malloy, Jennifer Garner, Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Susan Sarandon.
The hotel has also been the setting for various movie and TV productions, including “RED,” “Warehouse 13,” “Miss Sloane,” and “Grey Gardens.”
An Extraordinary Anecdote: The Labatt Kidnapping
One of the stranger chapters in the hotel’s history came in 1934. John Labatt, the famous entrepreneur and beer industry magnate, was kidnapped and dropped off three days later, tired yet unharmed, at the Royal York Hotel. The hotel was chosen as the drop-off point — a testament to its central role in Toronto life, even in moments of crisis.
The 2019 Grand Lodge of Canada Convocation 🏛️
In July 2019, the hotel played host to a gathering steeped in centuries of tradition. The Grand Lodge of Canada held its annual convocation at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front St. West, Toronto. The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario is one of the oldest and most respected Masonic bodies in North America, and the Royal York has served as a natural home for its gatherings — a fitting match between two institutions with deep roots in Canadian history. The hotel’s grand ballrooms and event spaces provided the perfect setting for the ceremonial proceedings, blending the solemnity of Masonic tradition with the splendour of one of Canada’s greatest architectural achievements. Just as Canada’s history is rich with stories of brotherhood, community, and shared values — themes explored in articles like Celebrating Unity: The History of Canada Day — the Royal York has always served as a gathering place for those moments that matter most.
What Are the Ghost Stories of the Royal York? The Haunted Floors Explained 👻
The Royal York Hotel is widely considered one of the most haunted hotels in Canada. The ghost stories are not just tourist folklore — many come from staff, long-term residents, and credible guests who had no reason to embellish.
The Infamous 8th Floor: Where Staff Refuse to Go After Dark
Having been around for nearly a century, the famous Fairmont Royal York Hotel is full of spooky happenings reported by both staff and guests. One of the most notable spectral residents resides on the eighth floor of the hotel, where guests have reported strange noises and the sound of children’s laughter in the middle of the night. There have also been sightings of a grey-haired man in a maroon smoking jacket and slacks silently walking through the halls.
According to the book Mysteries of Ontario by John Robert Colombo, an apparition of a grey-haired man appears in a maroon smoking jacket and slacks, silently moving along the hallway of the eighth floor of the dormitory tower.
The 8th floor has developed such a fearsome reputation that hotel staff — particularly those on evening shifts — have reportedly been reluctant to walk its corridors alone after sunset. One might laugh that off as just the commotion of kids and a sighting of a bellhop, but there have also been some rather hard-to-explain occurrences. The elevator door opens and closes repeatedly only on that floor, alarm clocks go off in areas where rooms don’t exist, and people have reportedly seen strange shadows of multiple figures moving around in their rooms while they were in bed.
People, including author Christopher Heard who took up long-term residence in the hotel, have claimed to hear children running and laughing up the halls, but upon opening the door, find there is no one there.
One reader account submitted to Toronto Ghosts captures the unease perfectly: “In the few times I have been up in that stairwell I have not experienced hearing any noises as explained above, however I do recall one evening I was descending the stairwell when I began to feel very nervous as if someone was watching me or following me. I ran down the stairs and exited onto the 19th floor, where I began to feel safer. After talking to people regarding the 8th floor ghost, and explaining to them what I experienced in that stairwell I was told about the employee suicide in that area.”
The 19th Floor: One of the Hotel’s Darkest Hauntings
If the 8th floor is the Royal York’s most famous haunted corridor, the 19th floor holds its darkest story. The haunting of the 19th floor involves a former banquet porter who was found hanging in the stairwell — an area where meeting rooms are held. Once in a while, staff report seeing the porter’s upper body floating around the 19th floor.
There is also supposed to be a ghost of a former employee who hung himself from a stairwell railing above the 19th floor. As the hotel has only 19 floors that are occupied, almost all the stairwells lead to the upper roof on floors 20 through 23.
Another spirit that is commonly seen is a former employee of the Royal York who hung himself in a stairway connecting to electrical and maintenance. Sometimes when he is seen, he does not appear to have any legs — and people are left wondering what exactly happened.
The 19th floor’s meeting rooms are used regularly for corporate events and gatherings. For those who work in the hotel, the stairwells above this floor carry a weight that no renovation can seem to lift.
The Crystal Ballroom and Other Unexplained Events
The hotel’s former Crystal Ballroom, which was closed permanently years ago, has been known to be something of a hotspot of paranormal activity. Staff service elevators open at the room at random intervals, and guests staying in rooms below have complained of music and sounds of a party coming from the empty room.
A suicide, ghostly children, and unending balls are all said to haunt the Royal York Hotel. People claim to hear music and laughter coming from the closed ballroom, and a porter who hanged himself is sometimes spied hanging about the stairwell.
Toronto’s luxurious Fairmont Royal York Hotel has hosted its fair share of celebrities, dignitaries, and even royalty. But it’s also home to one elusive guest who’s said to have checked in permanently. Known as “The Lady in Red,” this mysterious spirit has reportedly been seen wandering the halls in a crimson dress, sometimes appearing in the hotel’s ballroom or at the elevator waiting for a ride.
According to legend, The Lady in Red is the spirit of a woman who died in the hotel under tragic circumstances. Guests have reported eerie sensations, unexplained temperature drops, and the soft sound of high heels echoing in the hallways. Some even claim to see her reflection in mirrors, only to turn around and find the space empty.
For those who enjoy exploring Canada’s hidden histories and extraordinary stories, the Royal York’s ghost lore is just one thread in a much larger national narrative — much like the history of Canada’s Great Northern Exhibition, which also weaves together community, tradition, and the passage of time.
How Has the Grand History of the Royal York Hotel Evolved Through Renovations?
The Royal York has never stood still. Each decade brought new changes — expansions, restorations, and reimaginings — that kept the hotel relevant without erasing what made it special.
Key Renovations at a Glance
| Year | Renovation / Event |
|---|---|
| 1929 | Hotel opens with 1,048 rooms |
| 1930 | Radio station CPRY begins broadcasting |
| 1959 | East wing added, bringing total rooms to approximately 1,600 |
| 1988–1993 | $100 million restoration project |
| 1999 | Canadian Pacific merges with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts |
| 2001 | EPIC restaurant opens; $12 million lobby transformation |
| 2019 | Meticulous renovation blending Art Deco charm with contemporary amenities |
| 2023 | $65 million decarbonization retrofit; net zero certification achieved |
An east wing was added in 1959, giving the Royal York 1,600 rooms and making it the largest hotel in Canada for quite some time. When Canadian Pacific Hotels merged with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in 1999, the hotel changed its name to the Fairmont Royal York.
From 1988 to 1993, a $100 million project took place to restore Toronto’s “Grand Hotel” to its original elegance. Guest rooms were refurbished, all public spaces were redone, and a health club and a sky-lit lap pool were added.
The 2019 Renovation: Honouring the Past, Embracing the Present
The 2019 renovation was one of the most thoughtful in the hotel’s long history. Rather than stripping away the past, the project was designed to honour it. The renovation reimagined lobby experiences, rooms, dining venues, and event spaces, while introducing the exclusive Fairmont Gold boutique luxury experience — a private tier offering dedicated concierge service, complimentary breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, private lounge access, and an all-day honour bar. [3]
The result was a hotel that felt both timeless and fresh. Although the years have brought changes, many of the features are still intact — the magnificent hand-painted ceiling, the travertine pillars, ornate furnishings, crystal chandeliers, and wall hangings.
The 2023 Decarbonization Project: A $65 Million Commitment to the Future
Perhaps the most ambitious project in the hotel’s recent history was not about aesthetics at all — it was about survival. The Fairmont Royal York completed a $65 million decarbonization retrofit project in 2023 after nearly five years of planning and execution, achieving net zero status and reducing annual carbon emissions by 80%. [4]
The 2023 retrofit generated over 35% in utility savings in the first year and earned the hotel Zero Carbon Building certification from the Canada Green Building Council. [4]
Beyond its luxurious offerings, Fairmont Royal York is committed to environmental sustainability, exemplified by its certification as a Zero Carbon Building by the Canada Green Building Council. This dedication to eco-conscious practices ensures that the hotel continues to thrive for generations to come.
This kind of commitment to clean energy reflects a broader global shift — one that parallels conversations happening across Canada about the unstoppable shift to cleaner energy.
What Does the Royal York Offer Guests Today? A Modern Look at a Historic Icon
The hotel today operates 1,363 rooms across 24 floors with 13 lifts [6], expanded significantly from its original 1,048 rooms. It remains one of the largest hotels in Canada and one of the most recognized addresses in North America.
Location and Accessibility
The Fairmont Royal York is located along Front Street West, situated at the southern end of the Financial District in Downtown Toronto. It sits directly across from Union Station, making it exceptionally easy to reach by train, subway, or streetcar. The CN Tower and Rogers Centre are within a 15-minute walk. [2]
In 1929, a tunnel was built under Front Street West to provide guests with direct access to Union Station. The tunnel connecting the hotel to Union Station was later connected with the larger PATH underground city, a series of tunnels that connects various buildings in Downtown Toronto.
Dining Options
The hotel’s dining scene has evolved considerably. Modern options include:
- REIGN Restaurant + Bar + Bakery — a modern Canadian brasserie with a French touch [6]
- CLOCKWORK Champagne & Cocktails — an elegant bar experience [6]
- Benihana Japanese Steakhouse, Sushi & Sake Lounge — a lively dining destination [6]
Sustainability Features Worth Knowing
Beyond the decarbonization project, the hotel’s sustainability story includes some genuinely charming details. The hotel features seven rooftop beehives producing award-winning honey and a rooftop garden where more than 45 types of herbs and vegetables are grown. [2] These ingredients find their way into the hotel’s menus — a direct connection between the rooftop and the plate.
Guest Ratings (as of 2026)
The hotel ranks #37 of 133 hotels in Toronto on TripAdvisor with a 4.2-star rating from over 2,195 reviews. [5] Breakdown by category:
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Location | 4.8 / 5 |
| Cleanliness | 4.6 / 5 |
| Service | 4.4 / 5 |
| Overall | 4.2 / 5 |
The Fairmont Gold Experience
For guests who want the most elevated stay, the Fairmont Gold tier offers private check-in and check-out, a dedicated concierge, complimentary breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres, private lounge access, and an all-day honour bar. [3] It functions essentially as a hotel within a hotel — a boutique luxury experience nested inside a grand historic property.
How Does the Royal York Hotel Connect to Canada’s Broader Cultural Story?
The grand history of the Royal York Hotel is not just a hotel story — it is a Canadian story. The building has served as a backdrop for some of the most significant moments in the country’s modern history.
Key moments include:
- 1934: John Labatt, kidnapped and returned unharmed, was dropped off at the Royal York — making it the setting for one of Canada’s most dramatic crime stories of the era.
- 1939: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrived at the Royal York Hotel on their royal tour of Canada in 1939, to bolster the UK and Canada’s cultural ties.
- 1949: On September 7, 1949, the lobby of the hotel was converted into a temporary field hospital following a fire on the cruise ship SS Noronic. Docked in the Toronto harbour, the disaster killed 118 people. The hotel’s lobby became a place of emergency care — a reminder that grand buildings often carry the weight of tragedy alongside triumph.
- 2010: The official welcome and reception for the leaders of the 2010 G20 Toronto summit was held at the Royal York Hotel.
- 2019: The Grand Lodge of Canada held its annual convocation at the hotel — continuing a tradition of significant gatherings at this address that stretches back nearly a century.
The Royal York also connects to Canada’s rich tradition of preserving heritage and celebrating the stories that define communities — much like the UNESCO World Heritage Sites that preserve global treasures around the world.
Since it first opened, the hotel has served over 40 million guests. That number is not just a statistic — it represents 40 million individual stories, layered on top of each other across nearly a century.
What Are the Architectural Highlights of the Fairmont Royal York?
The Royal York’s architecture is a defining feature of Toronto’s skyline and a key reason the building endures as a landmark. The Châteauesque style — inspired by French medieval castles — gives the hotel a sense of permanence and grandeur that modern glass towers rarely achieve.
Opened on June 11, 1929, the Châteauesque-styled building is 124 metres (407 ft) tall and contains 28 floors.
The plan originally called for the building’s entire layout to feature a variety of Edwardian-themed design principles, before undergoing several revisions to institute a more simplified structure for the exterior. This final draft led to the creation of a towering central element constructed with a reinforced steel frame and Indiana limestone.
Inside, the hotel’s original character has been carefully preserved through every renovation:
- Hand-painted ceilings in the grand lobby, original to the 1929 construction [2]
- Grand travertine pillars anchoring the lobby space [2]
- Crystal chandeliers that have hung since the hotel’s opening
- The Imperial Room, which hosted legends from Ella Fitzgerald to Duke Ellington
- The Library Bar, a cozy nook that feels unchanged from the hotel’s earliest days
Renowned architectural firm Ross and Macdonald worked in concert with Sproatt and Rolph to develop the building on behalf of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Both firms had worked extensively with Canadian Pacific before — designing other iconic railway hotels across the country.
FAQ: Everything You Want to Know About the Royal York Hotel
Q: When did the Royal York Hotel open?
The building was officially opened on June 11, 1929, by the Viscount Willingdon, the Governor General of Canada.
Q: Who built the Royal York Hotel?
The Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald, in association with Sproatt and Rolph, and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company.
Q: Was the Royal York really the tallest building in the British Empire?
After its completion, the building was briefly the tallest building in Toronto, as well as the tallest building in the country, and the British Empire, until the nearby Canadian Bank of Commerce Tower was built the following year.
Q: How many rooms does the Royal York have today?
The hotel currently operates 1,363 rooms across 24 floors with 13 lifts. [6] This is up from the original 1,048 rooms at opening.
Q: Is the Royal York Hotel actually haunted?
Fairmont hotels across the country are thought to be haunted, and Toronto’s Royal York Hotel is no exception. The Royal York is nearly 100 years old, with the building completed in 1929, so it’s no surprise that some spooky stories have come out over the years. Whether or not one believes in ghosts, the stories are numerous, consistent, and come from credible sources — staff, long-term residents, and guests with no apparent motive to fabricate.
Q: What is the 8th floor ghost story?
According to the book Mysteries of Ontario by John Robert Colombo, an apparition of a grey-haired man appears in a maroon smoking jacket and slacks, silently moving along the hallway of the eighth floor of the dormitory tower. Staff have reportedly been reluctant to walk the floor after dark.
Q: What happened on the 19th floor?
The haunting of the 19th floor involves a former banquet porter who was found hanging in the stairwell — an area where meeting rooms are held. Once in a while, staff report seeing the porter’s upper body floating around the 19th floor.
Q: Did Queen Elizabeth II stay at the Royal York?
In 1951, Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) first visited the hotel, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. An entire floor of the hotel was typically prepared for the Queen.
Q: What is the Grand Lodge of Canada connection to the Royal York?
The Grand Lodge of Canada held its annual convocation at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front St. West, Toronto, in July 2019. The hotel has a long history of hosting significant Masonic gatherings, including the 125th Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada, held at the Royal York in 1983.
Q: What is the hotel’s sustainability status?
The Fairmont Royal York is certified as a Zero Carbon Building by the Canada Green Building Council. The hotel completed a $65 million decarbonization retrofit in 2023, reducing annual carbon emissions by 80% and generating over 35% in utility savings in the first year. [4]
Q: What is Fairmont Gold?
Fairmont Gold is the hotel’s exclusive boutique luxury tier, offering private check-in and check-out, a dedicated concierge, complimentary breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres, private lounge access, and an all-day honour bar. [3] It is designed for guests who want a more intimate, personalized experience within the larger hotel.
Q: What was the Queen’s Hotel?
In 1862, Thomas Dick reacquired the hotel and rebranded it as the “Queen’s Hotel.” It quickly became one of Toronto’s most prestigious locations for the remainder of the century, hosting such prominent guests as the British Royal Family. The Queen’s Hotel was demolished in 1927 to make way for the Royal York.
Conclusion: Why the Grand History of the Royal York Hotel Still Matters in 2026
The Fairmont Royal York is not simply a hotel. It is a record of Canadian life — of ambition, elegance, tragedy, and resilience. From the humble Ontario Terrace of 1843 to the net-zero certified landmark of 2026, the grand history of the Royal York Hotel traces the arc of a city and a country finding its place in the world.
Through a history of nearly 90 years, the Fairmont Royal York has played host to royal guests, heads of state, celebrities, superstars of sport, and millions of others. It has been a crucial lynchpin in the history of Toronto luxury.
The ghost stories add a layer of mystery that no renovation can erase. The 8th floor’s wandering figure in the smoking jacket, the 19th floor’s tragic porter, the laughter of unseen children in empty hallways — these stories are part of the hotel’s identity, passed down through generations of staff and guests like a kind of oral history.
The 2019 renovation showed that the hotel can evolve without losing itself. The 2023 decarbonization project showed that it can lead. And the Grand Lodge of Canada’s 2019 convocation was a reminder that the Royal York remains the natural home for gatherings that matter — the kind where history is made and traditions are honoured.
For those who love Canada’s stories — whether they unfold in grand hotels, on the shores of Georgian Bay, or in the music festivals and cultural events that bring communities together — the Royal York is a place worth knowing deeply.
Actionable Next Steps
Whether you are a history lover, a curious traveller, or simply someone who appreciates a great story, here is what to do next:
- Book a stay at the Fairmont Royal York and ask the concierge about the hotel’s history — many staff members know stories that never make it into print.
- Request a room on the 8th floor if you are feeling brave. Walk the corridor after dark and see what you notice.
- Explore the lobby at a quiet time of day — look up at the hand-painted ceilings and travertine pillars that have stood since 1929.
- Dine at REIGN or CLOCKWORK and ask about the rooftop honey — it comes from the hotel’s own beehives, seven stories above Front Street.
- Visit during a significant event — the hotel’s ballrooms and event spaces host everything from Masonic convocations to film festival parties, and the energy of those occasions is something a regular hotel stay cannot replicate.
- Share the history — Canada’s landmark buildings deserve to be known. Tell someone about the Queen’s Hotel, the 1929 opening gala, or the Lady in Red. These stories deserve to travel.
The Fairmont Royal York has been standing on Front Street West for nearly a century. It plans to stand for at least another one. And if the ghosts have anything to say about it, they will be there too.
References
[1] Fairmont Royal York — https://www.newswire.ca/news/fairmont-royal-york/
[2] Fairmont Royal York Toronto — https://www.travelbag.co.uk/hotels/canada/fairmont-royal-york-toronto
[3] Fairmont Royal York — https://www.fairmont.com/en/hotels/toronto/fairmont-royal-york.html
[4] Fairmont Royal York Decarbonization Project — https://www.pcl.com/us/en/our-work/fairmont-royal-york-decarbonization-project
[5] Hotel Review — Fairmont Royal York, Toronto, Ontario — https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g155019-d155495-Reviews-Fairmont_Royal_York-Toronto_Ontario.html
[6] Fairmont Royal York — https://www.virginatlantic.com/holidays/holiday-types/city-breaks/hotels/fairmont-royal-york
[7] Press — https://www.thefairmontroyalyork.com/press/
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