Alternative Hotels 
– Toronto Style

The hotel industry in Toronto is frankly dismal – with not a single five-star hotel in the entire city. Businessmen have been known to avoid staying in the city for the night because of the dearth of sensible hotels. Many establishments of course tout their superior quality – but when push comes to shove, many self-styled posh vehicles fall flat on their faces when pitted against foreign hotels.

For a long time, probably the only hotel of world-class ilk was and still is the King Edward (incidentally one of Toronto’s oldest). Once after a trying stay at the Sutton Place Hotel, I uttered involuntarily, as I espied from my taxi King Eddie’s blue awnings, ‘What a relief to be back!’

There is also the Gold Club at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel that one may resort to when one’s hotel of choice is fully booked. The Royal York has, however, a staggering 1,000 rooms and (believe me) this takes a bit of the shine off any deluxe product. The Gold Club, the hotel’s executive club, is much more private and caters only to select guestrooms, and is charming with its private check-in desk.

In a city with no continuum of luxury, but a yawning gap between the downtrodden Marriott and Hilton and the handful of lavish hotels, a breed of boutique accommodation has sprung up in the last five years. In brief, stylish intimate hotels with their own personality.

I stayed at two newcomers in the city of Toronto and measured them to see where they fell between the two extremes.

Pantages Hotel

Opened in 2004, this hotel mixes minimalism with the idiosyncratic, and overlays it with a touch of the 50s.

The lobby Martini Bar has a glowing onyx bar counter as its highlight – spare clean lines mark the rest of the fittings and furniture. Intertwining chrome branches sprout along part of the length of the lobby, adding depth to the perspective. A double-sided fireplace separates the bar from the library lounge. Here, the theatrical lounge showcases huge curvy quirky sofas and dramatic lights.

The lounge itself leads to the retro milk-shake bar-restaurant, Fran’s Bar, complete with neon lights and chrome fittings. The eclecticism is unusual, to say the least. Whether or not you approve of this, the experience is pretty surreal as one transits from the Martini Bar, through the lounge, and to the restaurant – it manages to be both sleek and inconsonant.

After the lobby, the way up to the 111 guestrooms settles into a pared-down sci-fi type setting – the rooms themselves have a monochromatic feel, set against occasional wooden hues.

My Deluxe Suite was a delight for its space and kitchenette that had the utensils to cook up a storm. The Serenity Rooms have a distinctly zen feel and are equipped with air purifiers and a cream-and-dark brown colour scheme. A spa with private treatment rooms provides an assortment of treatments for guests.

In the midst of this earnestness to make a compelling design statement, the most whimsical touch must be its business centre. This is the whole of a self-service cubicle in the lobby with an internet portal – room enough only for one.

Service:                  Good; fairly knowledgeable service.

Atmosphere:         Easy stylishness.

Location:               The location is unbeatable, being minutes from Eaton Centre (shopping mall) and theatres such as Massey Hall, Elgin Theatre and Canon Theatre.

Wish-list:               It is not easy to maintain the sheen of bareness. Minimalism demands a rigorous maintenance of clever blank walls and unadorned surfaces. Pure white upholstery can show up smudges and wear and tear easily. Perhaps  the best thing is to de-emphasise those aspects that require such punishing upkeep and conceal instead with shadows and other disguises.

Overall:                  One of Toronto’s smarter hotels that has brought a timely shake-up to the self-satisfied local hotel industry.

Pantages Hotel

200 Victoria Street, Toronto Ontario, Canada M5B 1V8

Drake Hotel

The 19-room Drake is one of those hotels that makes its shortcomings seem like its strength.

A very small 1890 establishment, this boutique was overhauled and re-opened in late 2004 by its new owners and features some of the tiniest guestrooms ever … and some of the hippest dining options. Save for one suite and three salon rooms, there are only Dens (185 sq ft) and Crash Pads (150 sq ft). The slimmest raised bathroom strip is partitioned only by glass from the sleeping area – one steps up to take a shower, visible from the common corridor when the guestroom door opens (charming). Luggage racks reminiscent of those on a train are placed way up, so an affixed sliding ladder is provided. As for the wardrobe, this was magnificently constituted by a few indifferent wall hooks.

So begins your journey into the contradictory world of the Drake where swish fittings pair up with the makeshift and the artistic, with a total lack of remorse.

The newly revamped hotel has preserved a 1890s staircase, a 60-year old mural and 110-year old terrazzo floor and exposed brick, while playfully juxtaposing them against modern and idiosyncratic artworks, and mismatched furniture.

Food and beverage options include the Raw Bar (sushi bar), Sky Yard (al fresco rooftop bar) and Dining Room (serving international cuisine). The Underground is the entertainment room for independent and well-known music acts.

Room too small? Sofa too obviously refurbished? Irregular service?

These drawbacks are served as part of the take-it-or-leave-it package – proof that a bit of attitude can explain away the taboo (its joyful advertisement of on-demand classic sex films), the tragic (unmitigated mediocrity of the food at its Corner Cafe) and the hideous (questionable video screens masquerading as lobby art). Or render them almost celebratory.

The turns between glee and insouciance make this place a haunt of artists and indie musicians. Even if you are disinclined towards such emotions or vocations, you must stay at the Drake at least once in your life.

Service:                  Lacklustre service – when around babes in the woods, self- help is a great asset, for instance, lugging your bag up the staircase because there is no elevator.

Atmosphere:         A very disarming mix of rugged style and bohemian nonchalance.

Location:               The grittier part of Queen St West that is beginning to enjoy the spill-over effect of the hip section of the same street east of the Drake. Contemporary art galleries, trendy furniture shops and private-labelled boutiques have sprung up around the Drake. These are interspersed among dollar stores, mom-and-pop mini-marts and second-hand hardware stores. Want to buy Drake-endorsed artworks? No problem – the run-down Chinese restaurant next to the Drake doubles up as a gallery of artwork complete with price tags. As one walks further east of the Drake, really interesting eateries start popping up – Tibetan and Ethiopian cuisines and stylish patisseries.

Wish-list:               Can the backroom operations be kept backroom and out of sight, please? A line must be drawn between intended rough-and-ready wrapped up in attitude and unintentional makeshift seen through open doors to kitchens and other staff-only areas.

Overall:                  If you want a break from the Peninsula, Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental type of posh, this very improbable boutique allows you to lounge beneath the stars on massive cushions while sipping a drink at the Sky Yard that comes  with bamboo overhangs and communal tables.

Drake Hotel

1150 Queen Street West , Toronto Ontario, Canada M6J 1J3

Jeffrey Lee