The Drake Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a late-19th-century building on one of Toronto's most stylish streets, brought back to life as a hotel, art gallery, restaurant and music club all in one — that's the charm of The Drake Hotel, a compact boutique of just 51 rooms on Queen Street West. The most special thing is its personality. The place is full of contemporary art tucked into every corner, from the lobby and hallways into the rooms, and walking in feels like staying in a gallery you can actually sleep in — not a hotel with a token picture on the wall. Each room has its own character, with playful color and design that reflect the Queen West art scene well. If you're tired of chain rooms that all look the same and you want a stay with a story and taste of its own, you'll likely fall for this place from the first step through the door.

Food and amenities

What makes The Drake more than a hotel is the all-day, all-night life packed into one building. There are two restaurants and three bars for eating and drinking from breakfast until late. The highlight many guests mention is the Sky Yard rooftop, an open-air spot with a laid-back feel that's perfect for a drink in the breeze and the Queen West atmosphere, especially in the early evening. And you can't skip Drake Underground, the basement that's the party heart of the place, with live music, DJs and music events almost every night — one of the go-to spots for music lovers and nightlife in Toronto. Staying somewhere you can walk a few steps down to a live show or up a few floors to a rooftop is a rare experience that fits the fun character here. No surprise the real reviews land well — 8.6 on both Agoda and Booking and 4.3 on Tripadvisor, a Top 10 in the city.

Location and getting there

The location is another strong card. The Drake Hotel sits on Queen Street West at the edge of Liberty Village, one of Toronto's liveliest, most stylish lifestyle districts. Step out and you hit cafes, art galleries, vintage clothing shops, bookstores and stylish restaurants lined up to explore all day. Getting around is easy: the 504 streetcar runs right past the door, so jumping a streetcar anywhere in the city is simple. For anyone here for the football, on game days you can take the 504 and transfer to the 509 or 511 to reach BMO Field, home of Toronto FC, at Exhibition Place by Lake Ontario, without the parking headache. Want to sightsee? The streetcar runs into the Downtown Core for the CN Tower or Ripley's Aquarium easily. For travelers who'd rather skip the car and explore on foot and by transit, this location is a great fit.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk from the real reviews to help you decide. First, the party charm comes with noise: Drake Underground and the in-building bars run live music and events often, especially Friday and Saturday nights, and rooms near the noise can hear music loud enough that light sleepers may feel disrupted. If you want quiet to rest fully, ask at booking for a room away from the bars and the basement. Second is room size and condition — this is a boutique in a historic late-19th-century building, so rooms come in many sizes and some are fairly small and compact in the old-building way, not spacious like a new-build; if you expect a big room, choose your room type carefully. Last is price, at trendy-neighborhood boutique level, roughly $210–510 a night, above an ordinary hotel in the same band — and around big events, especially concerts or festivals, rates spike and rooms fill fast because Queen West is in high demand, so book well ahead to lock in both price and a room.

Our take

The Drake Hotel is best for couples and chill-party travelers who want a stay with character and a story, in the heart of one of Toronto's coolest art districts. If your trip in your head is waking in an art-filled boutique room in a century-old building, wandering the cafes and galleries of Queen West all day, heading up to the Sky Yard rooftop for an evening drink, then closing the night with live music at Drake Underground before riding a streetcar out to watch Toronto FC or a concert at BMO Field, this place delivers — backed by solid real scores of 8.6 on both Agoda and Booking and 4.3 on Tripadvisor, a Top 10 in the city. But if you need a quiet room to rest, or want the wide rooms of a new-build, you'll want to weigh the weekend noise and the room sizes. Overall we give it 8.6/10 for the most distinctive blend of design, nightlife and trendy location on this list.