Accor’s Co-Deputy CEO and head of the company’s luxury brands, Chris Cahill, beams when talking about luxury. To bring them up to date, some of the heritage Fairmont hotels have seen astronomical spend, which should result in double-digit increased rate but double-double customer satisfaction. I went to see two of Fairmont’s heritage ‘railway hotels’.

Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Canada will celebrate its 90th anniversary this year and mark the occasion with a majestic transformation, honouring the icon’s timeless grandeur while elevating it into a new era of luxury. In the final and most exciting phase of a multi-year renovation, the highly-anticipated reveal will include transformed arrival and check-in experience, newly imagined dining venues, contemporary event and meeting spaces, and a completely redefined Fairmont Gold, presenting the finest luxury hotel offerings and services in the city. The grand renovation will be completed summer 2019, in time for the hotel’s official anniversary celebration.