Is it just me or do you guys find girlfriend getaways deeply cathartic? There’s just something about a group of girls sitting around sharing stories, eating, drinking, laughing, chatting about successes/failures that makes everything seem alright again. That’s exactly what my girlfriends and I needed after one of those crazy weeks when the entire universe felt off kilter. For some R&R, we headed over to the Westin Harbour Castle for a staycation in their fully-renovated, 2000 sq ft Executive Suite…
Yup, 2000 square feet! That’s more than double the size of my condo. Gulp. Needless to say, there’s enough room to gather your entire squad in the suite (I would say it could comfortably sleep 8-10 gals). So, why book an Executive Suite when you can just snag a few rooms for a girls’ getaway? Because group dynamic changes drastically when you share living space. Think about it, the most memorable moments usually take place when you…
1. Get Ready Together – My favourite part of any girls’ getaway. I love watching my girlfriends put on makeup, seeing a glimpse of their wardrobes and getting help with my hair (it needs it, trust me). We didn’t go out to party at night, but we still took part in the ancient beauty rituals just for fun…
2. Feast Together – Regardless of where you dine in the hotel (both Mizzen Restaurant and Toula are on site), you’ll want to spend a few hours sharing a meal. Those who eat together, stay together — at least that’s my life philosophy! Oooh, and the Westin Harbour Castle offers a fine-dining experience called Savoury if you’re travelling with foodies. You can also opt to dine in the suite like we did…
The hotel has an extensive in-room dining menu lined with mouthwatering dishes (look for the SuperFoodsRx label if you’re on a health kick or the Sleep Well menu if you have trouble getting zzz’s), but we had a special treat during our stay: celebrity Chef Corbin Tomaszeski paid us a visit!!
Photo Credit: Krystle at @dineandfash
As Krystle fangirled and snapped photos, we chatted with Chef Corbin about the menu and kicked off our meal with some bubbly. What followed was an amazing meal: Beetroot Caprese Salad (with crushed pistachios, lime and crumbled feta cheese), Chateaubriand (with smoked potato puree, haricots vert and Cipollini onion and Bordelaise sauce) and my fave dish: the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti (made with brown butter and herbs)…
The dessert was a beaut Eton Mess with lemon curd, fresh berries, mini pavlova and micro-greens…
3. Live Your Best Robe Life Together – Wine in hand, we mourned the passing of our culinary hero: Anthony Bourdain. We shared relationship stories, stuffed our faces with snacks and stayed up later than planned (as one does during all good girlfriend getaways)…
Photo Credit: Krystle at @dineandfash
4. Kick Off Mornings Together – Breakfast in bed is always a treat when staying at a hotel so we indulged before zipping off to brunch. I mean, if you can extend robe life, sink into a comfy bed and stuff your face at the same time… LIVING ZEE LIFE…
Photo Credit: Krystle at @dineandfash
Baahhh so good that I didn’t want to leave! We all rolled out of the suite with huge smiles on our faces — feeling well-fed, rested and connected. Now your turn! Westin Harbour Castle is definitely a hotel I’d recommend for large groups so bookmark it for birthdays, bachelorettes and staycays. Here are a few more reasons why I think the Executive Suite is perfect for a girlfriend getaway:
- there are three bathrooms so everyone can get ready together
- it has tons of electrical outlets for all of your phones/devices
- there are ginormous mirrors (like the biggest I’ve ever seen in a hotel room)
- the toiletries smell incredible — you guys know my obsession with the Westin white tea scent!
- the beds, the BEDS. I’ve written about the legendary Westin Heavenly® Bed before because it’s soooo comfy. The kind you just sink into and never want to leave. Fun fact: the mattresses are so popular that you can buy them for your own home.
- location, location, location! The hotel is perched on Toronto’s waterfront and connected to the downtown core via PATH (underground walkway). It’s also close to the ACC and entertainment district so you can either walk or take a short Uber ride wherever you’re headed with the girls.
- and lastly, my favourite feature: panoramic views of the Toronto islands and Lake Ontario! Just imagine waking up to this view…
A huge thanks to Westin Harbour Castle for hosting us for this amazing staycation and to Anna and Krystle for being the bestest staycay buddies. As always, reviews and opinions are my own. For more info about the hotel or to book a stay click here.
PIN this image for future travel inspo!
No Comments