The Drake Hotel: What’s the draw
If the Drake Hotel were a person, they would be your most well-dressed, down-for-anything, always-in-the-know kind of friend. Basically, the Drake Hotel is just pure casual coolness, but without being cold or standoff-ish. A stay here is a quintessential Queen West, Toronto experience that will leave you feeling like you should start wearing a wide brim hat or take up art collecting. And it's definitely worth a lil' staycation, even if you live in the city, especially if heading out for a cabin weekend sounds like, well, too much hassle.
Tuck into one of their gorgeously designed suites with custom furniture and artwork for a night of "good, clean fun," (the Drake’s enhanced cleaning practices and food and beverage safety efforts) or experience the whole shebang with creative packages like the Art Passport where you can take home an original art keepsake and check out late. Trust us, you won’t want to leave.
The Drake Hotel: What’s on the menu
If you can pry yourself out of your room and robe, check out the rooftop Sky Yard in warmer months for inventive cocktails and resident DJs, or head to the main floor for dinner on their heated patio (when lockdown lifts) where you can warm yourself up with a spicy tequila hot chocolate for dessert. The Drake Hotel is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and you could have all three menus on the same day and not get bored.
Dishes are made from scratch with an emphasis on local ingredients and range from a glorious plate of steak tartare with pickles and crunchy crostini for our meat-lovers, to a falafel bowl with roasted root vegetables, tabbouleh and naan to soak up all the creamy hummus and yogurt. The Drake burger with Perth bacon and aged cheddar on a squishy milk bun is one of the best in the city. If you can’t decide between breakfast or lunch, weekend brunch goes to 4 p.m. and the Drake benny with brown butter hollandaise is to die for. Before you leave for a stroll down Queen West, get a blueberry scone to-go from the café.
The Drake Hotel: What else
You may not be able to dance until the wee hours of the morning at the Drake Underground right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have just as much fun in your own room – plus they’ll be way less drunk people spilling things on you. From the cozy “nook” to the intimate “crash pad” to the new multi-level and multi coloured artist loft, there’s something for every kind of stay. The furniture in the room isn’t the only thing that’s custom, just get in touch with guest services for any special requests and they’ll do their best to accommodate.
Looking to shake things up? There’s plenty of live or virtual workshops like charcuterie making, cocktail creating or a holiday cookie decorating class with a boozy Drake Nog. Whether you’re looking for a temporary home-away-from home or for some space to fuel your creative juices, the Drake Hotel is so much more than just a one night stand.
Rooms start at $169 per night. 1150 Queen St W, Toronto, 416-531-5042
