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Home  >  Air Canada • Lounge Reviews  >  Review: Air Canada Signature Suite Toronto (YYZ)
Air CanadaLounge Reviews

Review: Air Canada Signature Suite Toronto (YYZ)

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 2, 2020 27 Comments

The Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto is the finest airport lounge in North America I have ever visited. Period.

Air Canada Signature Suite Toronto Review

Note this review is from February 2020. This lounge is currently closed due to the pandemic.

Access + Hours + Location

Put simply, you’re going to have to pay up to get into this lounge.

Access is reserved for longhaul business class passengers (traveling to Asia, Europe, or South America) originally booked in booking classes J, C, D, Z, or P. R-class bookings (upgrades) and I-class bookings (awards) are not permitted access. Even if you are rebooked into an eligible fare class during irregular operations, access is only based upon originally booked fare class. No guests are permitted. This is not an elite lounge or Star Alliance lounge.

You’ll find the lounge in the international departure area, next to Gate E77, on the upper level beside the Plaza Premium Lounge.

The lounge, during normal times, is open daily from 10:30AM to 11:00PM, though times may change based upon Air Canada flight schedules.

Seating + Ambiance

Upon entering the lounge, you’ll notice a semi-cirrcular couch just past the check-in desk. Proceed further into the lounge and you’ll find a seating area on the right intended for lounging and on the left intended for dining. Straight back is the restaurant.

You won’t have to reach far for a power plug, though as we enter the USB C era, they will have to be retrofitted.

I think what I loved most about this lounge was the ambiance. The soft lighting, woodwork, color palette, and artwork were simply a lovely combination. The lounge was designed by Montreal architect Heekyung Duquette. Artwork in the lounge includes works by Pascale Girardin and Nicolas Ruel as well as a stunning mural by Ottawa artist Gavin Lynch. The Cloudscape Chandelier is from Toronto design firm Moss & Lam.

Food + Drink

Beyond its beauty, the highlight of this lounge was the culinary adventure.

Buffet

A buffet offers hot and cold items is available throughout the day. Breakfast choices included:

  • Eggs made to order (including omelets)
  • Breakfast breads
  • Cereal
  • Yogurt
  • Fruit
  • Oatmeal
  • Bacon
  • Tomatoes
  • Sausage
  • Mushrooms
  • Potatoes
  • Smoothies

Lunch and dinner selections included:

  • Charcuterie + cheese
  • Salads
  • Soups
  • Braised meatballs
  • Chicken sliders
  • Polenta
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Fruit
  • Cake

A La Carte Dining

The true treat, however, was the dining room featuring an a la carte menu designed by chef David Hawksworth.

Seating is open and on a first-come, first-serve basis (though the dining area never filled up). Upon taking a seat, I was presented with a food and drink menu:

I began with a salad of winter greens, beets, blue cheese, cranberry raisins, and pecans served over red wine vinaigrette. I also ordered a “Lavender Bliss” cocktail.

Next, I ordered a pasta course: gnocchi with mushrooms, parmesan, and herbs. It was very delicious.

For my main course, I tired the braised lamb shank, served with couscous, roasted eggplant, and cauliflower yogurt. It was tender and brimming with flavor. The yogurt was a particularly nice accompaniment and I loved the crushed pistachios which topped the lamb.

After finishing my main course, I was presented with a dessert menu:

I ordered the sticky toffee and date cake with candied pecans, bourbon butterscotch, and maple ice cream. Wow, was it tasty.

Don’t neglect to dine in the lounge if you have access…lunch was one of my best of the entire year.

Drinks

Throughout my stay I enjoyed coffee. You can also order all of the beverages listed in the menu above. There’s also self-serve Champagne, both regular and rosé, from Moët.

Restrooms

Restroom suites are located in the rear of the lounge.  I’d say the one deficiency of this lounge is that showers are not available. If you do need to use a shower, you’ll be escorted to the nearby international Maple Leaf Lounge, which has shower suites. The restrooms include cloth towels and Molton Brown amenities. All restrooms are unisex.

Conference Room

Adjacent to the dining room is a private dining room, perfect for meetings or I suppose people who want to be left alone.

Service

The greatest service came from James Brown, the Signature Suite General Manager. He noticed I was taking pictures and approached me, just to make sure I was comfortable (he did this for other guests too). We ended up chatting for quite some time about the state of travel and the lounge. I just loved the pride he took in this lounge. He took me on a mini-tour, detailing the artwork I explained above and even about how the raw material for the lounge was locally sourced. Air Canada has an asset not only in the lounge, but in James.

Moments after arriving in the lounge, a waiter approached me and asked if I would like something to drink. I ordered a cappuccino and a berry smoothie, which were promptly delivered.

During lunch, service was attentive and courteous. Plates were promptly cleared and the bottle of wine was held for my inspection as I sampled it. Clearly, the staff have been well-trained.

CONCLUSION

I cannot recommend this lounge highly enough. Although I have not yet reviewed the Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver, this is currently my favorite lounge in North America (edging out the Qantas First Class Lounge in Los Angeles). Stop by for the ambiance and stay for a remarkable meal.

Have you had a chance to review the Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto? What were your impressions?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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27 Comments

  1. Andre Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    Why would you publish a Lounge review from February when you know when things open up, they will be very different (like no buffets!). On top of that, it’s such an exclusive lounge that very few of your readers would be able to access it! You bloggers are a strange bunch. Stick to credit card deals and aviation changes for the time being, and stop living in the past.

    • Giles S Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 1:29 pm

      Why don’t you just thank Matthew for this wonderful review and keep your negative energy to yourself? Have you been to Europe lately? Buffets are still a thing. And even if the buffet never returns, that was hardly the focus of this review.

      Matthew, thank you for this excellent review and don’t mind the jealous fools!

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      @Andre: the pandemic is the reason why I delayed this review, as I explained here:

      https://liveandletsfly.com/new-trip-reports/

      Since it seems life will not be returning to normal anytime soon, I am resuming my trip reports from February and March.

      Thanks for reading.

      @Giles S: Thank you…

      • James Herd Reply
        September 5, 2020 at 6:53 pm

        I would just like to add my comments to the above. I agree in that Buffets are a thing of the past and it will be a long time, if ever, before they return again. Even 5 star hotels are cancelling their Breakfast Buffets and back to waiter/ress service. But this Lounge is fantastic and well worth a visit for full revenue passengers
        Thank you for the excellent review.

    • Kat Reply
      May 7, 2022 at 7:37 am

      Hello from the future! I was at this lounge last week, and the buffet is definitely back albeit with “reverse serving”.

      • Matthew Klint Reply
        May 7, 2022 at 9:55 am

        I am so excited this lounge is open again!

    • Casey Reply
      May 30, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      I (a reader) am sitting in the lounge right now, and would you believe it – they have a buffet!! So 1) readers do have access, and 2) buffets are back!

      Looks like your complaint/comment didn’t age too well…

  2. Phil Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    This reminds me of the Virgin Atlantic JFK Clubhouse. But swap out the fun of the Clubhouse for classy in the Suite.

    @Matthew. When you first walked in, what did the place remind you of? I’m just curious.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      My first thought was a nice restaurant, since you come into the bar and buffet area. The seating area itself is actually fairly limited (versus the two dining rooms).

  3. Larry B Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 2:56 pm

    We haven’t had the pleasure of visiting a lounge quite this swanky, but we have enjoyed a delicious dinner at Hawksworth in Vancouver. We loved that meal, still thinking about it a year later!

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 9:41 pm

      I can’t wait to try one of Hawksworth’s restaurants! The food was amazing.

  4. Jason Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Nice write-up. Please keep it up, and even give us some more retro-reviews. Nostalgia is about the only thing that’s certain right now.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Thanks Jason!

  5. Matt Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    What a great memory. Very Polaris-like.

    Flew IAD to YYZ en route to CPH to stop hear nearly a year ago. What a wonderful dinner allowing me to sleep entire flight, which is something I can’t do in IAD until Polaris lounge opens.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 9:41 pm

      I hope United won’t use COVID-19 as an excuse to never re-open the IAD lounge.

  6. UA-NYC Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 8:12 pm

    Looks nice. How big is it compared to say a Polaris lounge? Assuming it’s some bit smaller (thus no upgrades/awards) but wondering how crowded it could possibly get.

    (BTW those spirits look to be in the $30 range…that is pretty weak for a high end lounge)

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 9:40 pm

      The lounge is 6,400 square feet, which is about half the size of the Polaris Lounges at LAX/IAH/ORD and less than a four of the SFO/EWR Polaris Lounges.

  7. Darrell Reply
    September 2, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    I appreciate you working hard to entertain and delight us with your experiences. This lounge looks like to role-model for others to follow and be inspired by. Thanks Matthew!

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 2, 2020 at 9:37 pm

      Thanks Darrell. It is indeed a role model!

      • Mick Reply
        September 2, 2020 at 10:57 pm

        Really nice review. Who cares that the buffet isn’t available. Im reading this to read a story not to decide which lounge to go to necessarily. Keep the reviews coming!

        Btw I think the Qantas f lounge in LAX is grossly overated. Horrible showers to start 🙂

        I thought the Polaris lounge in San Fran was Much nicer. And even the aa lounge in Dallas and chicago. Personal preference.

  8. Alec Reply
    September 3, 2020 at 12:19 am

    Can we get a post of your top NA lounges?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 3, 2020 at 1:08 am

      I will once I visit the VS Clubhouse in JFK and the the new Signature Suite in YVR.

  9. Justin Reply
    September 3, 2020 at 8:40 am

    Nice review. I haven’t tried the Signature Suite, but I really liked Air Canada’s other new lounge concept at YYZ: the Air Canada Cafe. As I don’t drink alcohol much, it was great to visit a lounge that focused on fresh fruit juices and barista-made coffee. It’s a lovely, chic space and I love how Air Canada is re-thinking the idea of what a lounge can be.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 3, 2020 at 10:40 am

      I can’t wait to try that lounge! When the Park Hyatt Toronto opens, I’m going to take a domestic flight just to try it.

  10. Ksa63 Reply
    September 3, 2020 at 8:13 pm

    I had an excellent meal in this lounge in October last year before a flight to GRU. Unfortunately it was the only good thing about Air Canada.

  11. Peter Reply
    December 11, 2021 at 3:48 pm

    It looks like Star Alliance Business Class awards in Class I – will be accepted ??

    * Air Canada Signature Class customers travelling on an Air Canada-operated flight (to Europe, Asia and South America) originally booked and ticketed in the following booking classes will be eligible for access to the Air Canada Signature Suite: J, C, D, Z, P. Only Aeroplan flight rewards booked as a Business Class Flexible Reward or a First Class Flexible Reward in J, C, D, Z, P, I booking classes are eligible for access.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 11, 2021 at 4:12 pm

      Would be a big change in policy. I’ll check with AC.

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