Toronto - Flipbook - Page 52
Up Close & Personal
With Paul Marino
C h e f C o n c i e r g e a t Fa i r m o n t R oy a l Yo r k
W hat is the adva n tage of spea k i n g with a C o n cierge to pla n yo u r visit ?
The advantage is the human connection. Concierges possess local expertise and have developed
relationships with partners throughout the city. We are able to secure a last minute table at a
popular restaurant or tickets to a sold out concert or sporting event. By speaking with a
Concierge, you will discover more detailed information and we always have tips on hidden gems
in the city.
W hat places do yo u ge n erally recomme n d ?
Toronto is a city of distinct and unique neighborhoods. I love recommending the eclectic and
diverse Kensington Market, exploring the unique community on Ward’s Island, renting a bike and
riding the Martin Goodman Trail along the waterfront, and heading up to Yorkville for luxury
shopping and dining. To see more of Toronto’s heritage, the Distillery District has beautifully
restored Victorian industrial buildings and cobblestone streets lined with boutiques, where guests
can enjoy theatre, cafés, bistros and a brewery.
H ow sho u ld g u ests begi n their esse n tial T oro n to e x perie n ce ?
I recommend our guests begin at the hotel to enjoy our signature cocktails: Birdbath Martini
at Library Bar, Toronto’s famed martini den, or Meet Me At The Clock beneath the rosy glow of
Clockwork Champagne & Cocktails where we have live DJs Friday-Saturday. As a châteauesque
hotel, dining on weekends for traditional Afternoon Tea at Clockwork is very popular for locals and
international guests alike.
W hat do yo u feel ma k es this hotel so special to T oro n to ?
Fairmont Royal York is a historic landmark in the city and has remained an icon of the Toronto
skyline for over 90 years. We have hosted royalty, political figures, dignitaries and countless
celebrities. As Canada’s reigning entertainment venue through the 1940s-1980s, the Imperial
Room was the place to see performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Tina Turner, to
name a few. My Grandmother loved visiting the Imperial Room when it was a nightclub!
W hat is yo u r fo n dest memory at the hotel ?
I can remember as a child coming from Peterborough with my family to stay at the Royal York and
being in awe of the grand lobby so full of service and such buzz. Now, here I am over forty years
later, as the Chef Concierge helping to orchestrate that same buzz in the newly renovated grand
and elegant lobby of this stunning hotel.
52
THE PRESTIGE | Fairmont Royal York
THE PRESTIGE | Fairmont Royal York
53
