Hotels

The Windsor Arms is a gem. Tucked away in a side alley off bustling Bloor Street, it opened in its current form in 1995 but the historic four-storey red-brick townhouse itself dates back to 1927. The building was designed by Toronto-born architect Brian Plexton to have a central courtyard that maximises the movement of natural light; the space has hosted intimate performances by musicians from around the world (Andrea Bocelli was here in 2004). The musical theme continues in the comfortable bedrooms; one of the suites even features its own baby grand piano. 

The site of The Drake Hotel was once a flophouse (and later, a punk bar) before the intervention of Toronto hotelier Jeff Stober in 2004. He envisioned an establishment that would double as a hub for West Queen West’s artists and creatives. Stober had the Toronto-based 1Tongtong design studio create a look that mixes contemporary and vintage. The visually arresting results include the terrazzo flooring and brass-top bar in the lounge and Rorschach-inspired wood panels in the basement. The rooms take cues from mid-century modernism and are well kitted out with an extensive mini bar as well as toiletries by New York’s Malin + Goetz. The Drake has been drawing visitors and residents alike to the city’s west end since it opened.

It can be easy to miss this tiny hotel tucked away on the lively Queen Street West shopping strip. Inside, the whitewashed walls and clean lines of the furniture keep things simple but the space still exudes an air of glamour (architect Steven Fong described the building as a work of “Rat Pack modernism”, evoking Sinatra-era jet-setting elegance). There’s also a popular rooftop patio. Given the hotel’s small physical footprint, it possesses a surprising sense of spaciousness. Every room has a historic photograph of the neighbourhood on the wall, a nod to how much it has changed.