Built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1929, this massive hotel has 1,343 guest rooms and suites. A recent hotel-wide refresh has updated the rooms with flatscreen TVs and contemporary furnishings that are sleek, yet comfortable. Rose-scented Le Labo toiletries make every bathroom smell like a spa, even if the snug washrooms are slightly underwhelming. This is certainly not the case in the palatial suites, however. When visiting Toronto, Queen Elizabeth II takes up residence in the hotel’s 16th-floor Royal Suite, which boasts two bedrooms, three washrooms, and a formal 12-seat dining room. Most of the hotel’s weekday guests, though, are business travelers who appreciate the 2-minute underground stroll to Union Station. The Royal York is a popular spot for conferences and weddings thanks to its dozens of boardrooms and ballrooms, but my favourite amenity is open to all: The opulent, two-story lobby is all Art Deco splendor. The hotel pays attention to accessibility, and some guest rooms have been specially designed for wheelchair users, the hearing impaired, and the visually impaired. The hotel is also a leader in eco-friendly initiatives. Not only are the faucets, lights, and laundry facilities optimized for maximum efficiency, but guest-room amenities are donated to Clean the World, an organization that sanitizes and recycles hotel soaps, shampoos, and conditioners and then distributes them to homeless shelters across Canada.