Behind the Red Carpet: The Historic Tie Between The Sutton Place Hotel and Toronto International Film Festival®
As the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) quickly approaches, we are reminiscing about the shared history between TIFF and The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto. During the 80s and 90s, The Sutton Place Hotel was renowned as the unofficial headquarters and place to stay for TIFF attendees. Each year during the festival, Sutton Place was the place to be, as celebrities, media and publicists alike would gather at the hotel for press conferences, parties, and everything in between. Let’s take a trip down memory lane, as we look at the exciting history and future of The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto and TIFF.
PC: Globe and Mail, August 23 1967
The Sutton Place Hotel History
The Sutton Place Hotel has a longstanding history in Toronto, first opening in 1967. Originally situated at the lively intersection of Bay and Wellesley, the hotel became synonymous with glamour and celebrities. Upon entering, hotel guests received a sparkling welcome from the 6000 pieces of crystal inside the lobby. The hotel exuded luxury with what the advertisers at the time described as a combination of “old world charm and space-age elegance”. Each item for the hotel was custom ordered from dinner plates to gold nylon shower curtains and escargot clamps (used for eating snails).
By the 80s and 90s, it was more than just a place to stay; it was a vibrant cultural hub where the city’s most exciting moments unfolded. Today, The Sutton Place Hotel is once again an integral part of the city in a new location. Formerly the King Blue Hotel, the hotel was rebranded as The Sutton Place Hotel in November 2023.
Celebrity Sightings over the Years
Well established as the place to be during TIFF, The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto had quite the list of celebrity sightings over the years. Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, Brad Pitt and Michael Jackson – just to name a few. If you wanted a good chance at celebrity-spotting during TIFF – The Sutton Place Hotel or Bistro 990 across the street were two of the spots where you were sure to catch a glimpse of the rich and famous.
PC: Lou D / Toronto archives
Occasionally, The Sutton Place Hotel was also the site of some minor celebrity drama. In 1994, Robert Downey Jr. punched a hole in a wall of the lobby after a small mix-up occurred at the front desk. In 2006, the hotel was fined $600 after actor Sean Penn was seen smoking a cigarette during a press conference which was filmed at the hotel. All these anecdotes certainly add to the allure of the hotel.
There were even various scenes filmed for movies in the hotel such as Sea of Love starring Al Pacino and Three Men and a Baby. It’s safe to say the history of the hotel is iconic & there are a myriad of stories that highlight this history. Dudley Moore played six sold-out piano shows during TIFF in the late 1980s after losing a bet with Hans Gerhardt who served as general manager of The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto from 1986 to 1993.
The new location of The Sutton Place Hotel
The Future for The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto and TIFF
While the official location of TIFF is now the TIFF Lightbox, The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto still has strong connections with TIFF. The new Sutton Place is located at 355 King Street West, conveniently on the same street as the TIFF Lightbox. The long-standing connection between TIFF and The Sutton Place Hotel is being rejuvenated with an exciting new partnership this year.
To celebrate, The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto is hosting a Hollywood retrospect, which will showcase classic photos from The Sutton Place Hotel and Bistro 990. This showcase offers a timeless glimpse into Toronto’s vibrant celebrity scene during the 1990s and early 2000s. The hotel’s on-site restaurant – Abrielle – will host the showcase. Abrielle is a monument of timeless charm coupled with a vibrant energy perfectly suited to TIFF. The Sutton Place Hotel’s ballroom will also host upcoming TIFF events throughout the festival. The ballroom features a 20ft ceiling, elegant chandeliers and plenty of natural light, seen through the frames of the historic Canadian Westinghouse Building. The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto is an official hospitality partner of this year’s TIFF and may once again become the coveted location to celebrity-spot during Toronto International Film Festival.
The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto - Ballroom