New Toronto design hotel opens as US chain heads overseas

(Thompson Hotels)

US design hotel chain Thompson has celebrated its first opening outside of the US as it gears up for a hop across the pond to London.

The Thompson Toronto opened June 17, offering 102 guestrooms on 16 floors encased in glass.

The hotel offers 18 suites, a rooftop indoor and outdoor bar and pool and a 40-seat cinema, as well as lobby artwork by Spanish artist Javier Mariscal.

Guests can choose to dine in one of three restaurants: a modern diner open 24 hours, an upscale Italian restaurant by Scarpetta, and a sushi bar.

Ugly Betty's Becki Newton and Canadian actress Kelly Rowan were on hand for the celebrations, held in the hotel's 30,000 square feet (2787 square meters) of lounge, club and event space.

The Thompson Toronto is the chain's first hotel outside of the US and precedes the opening of the Belgraves, a luxury property by Thompson slated to open next year in London.

Thompson says that it will blend British hospitality with an American bohemian attitude, stating that its first hotel was "ideologically based on the intimacy of British hotels."

The 85-room Belgraves will be designed by Tara Bernerd and is situated in Belgravia in the heart of the city.

Earlier this month, Hyatt-owned boutique design chain Andaz announced that it will focus its efforts outside of the US, opening new properties in China, India and the Caribbean in the coming years.

http://www.thompsonhotels.com