The King Edward Hotel celebrates 110th annivesary with May events

$110 rate, museum unveiling, tea and tram rides to honour hotel’s past

TORONTO, April 19, 2013 – Toronto’s historic King Edward Hotel has announced a month-long celebration in honour of its 110^th anniversary this May.

To commemorate the important milestone, Toronto’s first luxury hotel has launched a calendar of events for guests and locals to explore the past, present and future of the hotel. The hotel has also brought back its popular $110 room rate valid on bookings of two nights or more through the end of the year.

“After 110 years, The King Edward Hotel is still a gem in the heart of Toronto,” says Jeff Waters, General Manager. “We look forward to welcoming new and familiar faces to celebrate this important milestone in our history.”

The month of events will kick off with a museum and historical display unveiling on May 3, followed by a tram ride through Old Town Toronto and afternoon tea. The special Anniversary Afternoon Tea will be served the same day in the grand Sovereign Ballroom and is open to the public at a cost of $49 plus tax and gratuity. The Anniversary Tea includes a welcome cocktail upon arrival, 40-minute tram tour, traditional Afternoon Tea service and a 110^th anniversary commemorative spoon and post card set.

For the month of May, the Consort Bar will take on the atmosphere of the hotel’s original 1903 Grill Room. Daily lunch and dinner specials from the carving board will recreate dishes served during the hotel’s early days, such as The King’s Traditional Beef Wellington with Red Wine Sauce and Crown Roast of Pork with Apple and Sage Stuffing.

A revamped cocktail menu was designed as an ode to the eleven decades since the hotel’s opening with twists on the classics. For example, the EJ Lennox honours the hotel’s original architect with his favourite, Guinness with a shot of Bushmills whiskey and The Proposal (brandy alexander) celebrates Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s engagement, which is rumoured to have happened in the hotel’s Sovereign Ballroom.

Several other events will round out the month of activity at the hotel:

·         Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday in May – Traditional Afternoon Tea service

·         Every Sunday in May – Sunday Brunch

·         May 11 – Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea

·         May 12 – Mother’s Day Brunch

·         May 25 – Doors Open Toronto with access to the hotel’s rarely-seen 18^th floor Crystal Ballroom. Book signing with Jerry Levitan, author of I Met the Walrus, inspired by events that happened at The King Edward Hotel.

As part of the anniversary theme “110 Stories,” The King Edward Hotel is asking former and current guests and employees to share their favourite stories and memories of their time at the hotel. Submissions can be emailed to media@thekingedwardhotel.com and must be 500 words or less. The best story submitted will receive a weekend at the hotel in the plush Royal Suite (approximate value $3,250).

For more information or to book a stay, visit www.thekingedwardhotel.com. To book the “tea and tram ride” phone 416-863-4125 or email Victorias@thekingedwardhotel.com.

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About The King Edward Hotel:Built in 1903 by Toronto’s then-richest man, George Gooderham, today’s The King Edward Hotel offers 298 guest rooms, 21,000 sq. ft. of refined meeting space and the Royal Club Lounge for premium services with select guest rooms.  The hotel’s guest register reads like a who’s who of politics, royalty, music, writing, business and sport, ranging from one-time resident Ernest Hemingway and headline couples like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, to the Beatles, Britney Spears and David Beckham.  Signature King Edward Hotel experiences include one of Toronto’s most lavish Sunday brunches, afternoon tea service and getaway package partnerships with many of the city’s leading cultural destinations.  For information and reservations visit www.thekingedwardhotel.com

About Skyline Hotels & Resorts:

Skyline Hotels & Resorts is a distinct collection of hotel and resort properties focused on providing true lifestyle enhancing experiences to leisure and business guests, as well as local residents. Offerings include top-level golf and ski, its own Shizen Spa brand and a complete range of year-round activities including adventure parks and corporate team-building. Skyline destinations include The King Edward Hotel, the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Pantages Hotel in downtown Toronto, Barrie’s Horseshoe Resort and Deerhurst Resort in Muskoka. Skyline Hotels & Resorts is owned and operated by Skyline International Developments Inc., a real estate and development company that also includes unique communities like Port McNicoll. Visit www.skylinehotelsandresorts.com.