Toronto's Drake Hotel Is A Cozy Boutique In The Perfect Cold Weather City

But finding cold and snowy weather often means small mountain towns, ski slopes, or heading out into the rural countryside, and I’m more of a city mouse. I don’t ski or snowboard, so striking the right balance in a cold weather clime can be tricky. Luckily, I’ve landed on a sometimes-overlooked east coast city that’s got more than its fair share of frosty winter months, the cultural energy of an arts and entertainment hub like New York, and the added bonus of a great exchange rate for American travelers—and that Goldilocks of a winter city is Toronto. 

For me, traveling is all about discovering great restaurants and bars, seeing live music, exploring art galleries, coffee shops, and parks, and really getting a feel for what it’s like to live in a city, not just be a tourist. Toronto has all of those elements and more (for instance, if you’re a cinephile, this place is basically heaven) which means it’s quickly become my favorite cold weather destination. Where you stay obviously has a huge impact on how you feel about a city, so I highly recommend booking into one of the best boutique properties in town, The Drake Hotel in the West End. It’s the ideal mix of art, music, and food right at the center of one of the city’s coolest neighborhoods.

A Boutique Hotel Devoted To Art, Music and Food—No, Really 

Toronto itself is quite a sprawl, so Angelenos will feel right at home in that sense, but the downtown area is also very walkable and dotted with plenty of the city’s cultural attractions. Like any city, certain areas are more desirable than others, and the best part about The Drake Hotel is that it’s located right in the middle of the neighborhood that I’d most want to hang out in if I lived in Toronto, on Queen Street West in the trendy West End. 

Honorable mention goes to the Shangri-La Toronto and the Fairmont York properties if you do prefer to stay toward the city center, but the West End is catnip for a foodie and wine bar aficionado like me. I usually travel with restaurants and bars in mind, and this neighborhood does not disappoint, starting with the provisions on hand at the hotel itself. There are two restaurants and seven different bars located inside The Drake (!), plus a basement music venue, the Drake Underground, that has a knack for booking rising artists right before they make it big. 

With an art curator on staff, there are pieces from local, emerging artists spread throughout the entire hotel, from the lobby, to the guest rooms, and yes, even in the venue—and all the art changes every year or so. This means new artists get a chance to be spotlighted, and returning visitors can experience a whole new vibe during their subsequent stays. The emphasis on food, drinks, art, and music means the clientele who come in and out of the hotel are usually pretty artsy themselves, so get ready for a young, vibrant crowd that’s reflective of the creative energy in the area.

There Goes The Neighborhood

Just a few weeks ago, The Drake was celebrating its 20th anniversary in the West End (they have a couple other locations, including the Drake Devonshire in Prince Edward County), and the staff proudly reiterated how much work they’ve put into really functioning as a fixture in their community and not just a place for out-of-town visitors. After you’ve spent any time at all walking around Queen Street West (or better yet, Ossington Avenue, a few blocks down), you’ll understand what makes this area so special. A few doors away from the hotel, Bar Piquette is one of the most charming French-leaning wine bars you’ll ever visit, and further down Queen Street West, Cafe 23 is the place for a Montreal-style bagel, a picturesque cortado, and a table in the back room full of girls sharing freelance tips while co-working on their laptops. 

Stroll over to Ossington Avenue, preferably through a light, magical dusting of snow, and check out Formula Fig for a quick but highly effective 30-minute facial (I tried the Collagen + Texture treatment and it was transformative). Their half hour sessions restore brightness to your skin and help it recuperate from any and all jet lag—and trust me when I say booking this kind of treatment with a beneficial exchange rate is a wonderful idea. Continue down Ossington for your pick of wine bars and bistros like Paris Paris and Manita, then stop in at Rotate This for some exquisite vinyl shopping. Finish it all off with a gorgeous French lunch at Côte de Boeuf, where you can order a nice glass of red and a tartare or a cheeseburger—after all, there are plenty of salads to be had back in LA.

Or if you’re in more of a homebody mode, you can always head back to the hotel and get a glass of wine or a classic cocktail at their retro lobby bar. Not feeling social? Grab a drink and head up to your room, because The Drake provides the kind of hotel room you’ll actually want to spend time in.

Gorgeous, Gorgeous Rooms

One reason I prefer staying in city hotels versus venturing out into the country for a cold weather fix? The quality of hotels is usually much higher in more urban destinations, and despite the fact that it’s locally owned and independently-operated (or maybe, because of it) the rooms at The Drake are incredibly aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. It’s very clear you’re staying in a city hotel, not a remote ski lodge—thank God. As mentioned, there’s unique art in every single room, but there’s also plenty of super colorful decor like contemporary wallpaper, caramel-colored natural wood trimmings, and colorful vintage furniture that sets the tone before you even notice the art itself.

With both Modern and Historic wings, the hotel offers smaller rooms with queen beds and slightly larger ones with enough space for a king bed, as well as double rooms, while all the bathrooms in the Modern wing are outfitted with terrazzo marble in the shower and clean, bright tile. If you’re in the mood for a splurge, the hotel does have one penthouse suite that’s a two bedroom, two bathroom affair complete with a kitchenette, living room, spacious balcony, and views of the West End and downtown Toronto. Mostly though, the bulk of the fifty or so rooms make perfect crash pads for those who want to explore this coveted neighborhood within the downtown area. 

While traveling with cold weather in mind might not be a natural starting point for most people, once you start to look for great winter destinations, it’s hard to stop. Still, if you’re not in it for the snow sports, there are few chilly places better for a quick weekend trip or a wine and food-oriented few days than Toronto. And if you’re heading up north to The Six, there’s no better place for your home-away-from-home than The Drake. Make sure you stock up on winter clothes and accessories before you head that way though, this isn’t LA cold (anything below 60 degrees) it’s real winter, but that’s all part of the fun.