Ace Hotel Toronto

Rooms and decor

Ace Hotel Toronto opened in 2022 at 51 Camden Street in the Garment / Entertainment District - the first Ace Hotel in Canada, and it became a boutique darling right away, climbing to TripAdvisor #6 in Toronto unusually fast. The building runs 14 storeys, designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects in a retro-industrial register - brown-red, grey and yellow tones, brutalist exposed concrete, handmade furniture and vintage rugs. There are 123 rooms, starting with the 280-sq-ft Medium and running up to a Suite of more than 600 sq ft in a mid-century-modern style. Each one has a custom-designed bed, a bedside record player with an LP collection (the signature Ace touch) and a vintage tube amplifier, plus heated bathroom floors, a rain shower and Brooklyn-made Atelier Bloem toiletries. Real reviews on Trip.com (9.0) and Booking (9.0) keep landing on the same notes - the most Instagram-worthy design in the city, and service that's professional but easygoing.

Food and amenities

The highlight here is Alder, a modern-Canadian, chef-driven restaurant from Patrick Kriss of Michelin-starred Alo. Its 7-course tasting menu runs CAD 145 (about $107), built on local Ontario produce, and you'll want to book around two weeks out - it has become one of the toughest reservations in town. Evangeline Rooftop Bar sits on the 14th floor and is open May to October only, with 360-degree views taking in CN Tower and Lake Ontario, cocktails and small plates, and live music every Friday and Saturday from 18:00 to 22:00 (cocktails around CAD 18-26, roughly $13-19). The indoor Lobby Lounge stays open year-round, pouring specialty coffee from Pilot Coffee alongside cocktails and small plates. There's a 24-hour fitness room with yoga mats, though Ace doesn't have a full spa. Overall score: 9.0/10.

Location and getting there

Ace Hotel Toronto stands at 51 Camden Street in the Garment District - an old fashion-trade quarter that has turned into a creative neighbourhood of galleries, design studios and co-working spaces. Queen Street West, the main strip of boutiques and indie shops, is a 3-minute walk, and St. Andrew subway station is about 5 minutes away. Rogers Centre - home of the Blue Jays and a major concert venue - is a 13-minute walk, CN Tower is 15 minutes on foot, and Kensington Market, the multicultural pocket full of indie restaurants, is 10 minutes away. Pearson Airport (YYZ) is 26 km out, about a 30-minute drive - figure CAD 60-80 (roughly $45-60) for an Uber, or take UP Express from Union Station in 25 minutes (CAD 12.35, about $9) and ride the subway two stops.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the rooms run small - 280 to 350 sq ft in classic boutique style - so this isn't the place for families or anyone who wants to spread out; if you need more room, look at the Ritz-Carlton (450 sq ft) or a Royal York Family Room. Second, there's a CAD 500 (about $370) damage deposit at check-in, refunded within 5 to 7 days after you leave, so make sure your credit card has the headroom. Third, the Evangeline Rooftop closes for winter (November to April) - anyone counting on a rooftop bar in the cold months will be let down, though it is open right through the summer event and concert season. Fourth, Alder is hard to book because Patrick Kriss is such a draw - reserve two to three weeks ahead, especially for the tasting menu; if you can't get in, the Lobby Lounge or Evangeline make good fallbacks.

Our take

Ace Hotel Toronto is the most natural pick for a boutique designer hotel in the city if standout design is what you're after - it pulls together the most Instagram-worthy retro-industrial look in town, the Evangeline rooftop with its 360-degree views, the Michelin pedigree of Alder under Patrick Kriss, and a Garment District address near Queen Street West. If your trip is about being a couple, a designer or creative professional, or just someone who wants a room with real character, this is the most fitting answer. But if you're a family with kids, or you need a bigger room with space for your things, the Chelsea Hotel or Ritz-Carlton will suit you better. Overall we give it 9.0/10 - best for design-minded couples, creatives and anyone who wants the coolest boutique stay in the city.