by Jeff Silverstein
Few hotels create a sense of place or a neighborhood feel like Gladstone House in Toronto.
Located in a part of the city known as West Queen West on the eastern edge of Parkdale, this historic boutique hotel is not only the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto, but also possibly the best.
The hotel is full of personality, and the cool factor that attracts creative people so much comes from its unique and quirky feel. There’s nothing polished or corporate here. Instead, Gladstone House has become shorthand for a specific kind of Toronto hospitality – a place where heritage, design and culture meet.
Opened in 1889 and designed by George Martell Miller with its trademark red bricks, arched passageways and gargoyles, for years the hotel stood proudly across the street from two railway stations, long since demolished, making it a hub for travelers as well as exhibitors and visitors to the nearby Canadian National Exhibition.
Still, it was always more than a place to hide one’s head. It offered a sense of community and a place to relax with a drink. Railway workers and nearby factory workers also used hotels for long-term stays – think Airbnb for 19th and quickly 20th Gig workers and travelers of the century.
That mixed use gave it a neighborhood feel from the beginning. But by the turn of the 20th century, the neighborhood’s economic fortunes deteriorated and the hotel’s reputation followed suit. And though it soon became something of a flophouse, it never stopped being a place for people to hang out, drink, and gather.
The hotel’s fortunes took a dramatic turn in the early 2000s with new ownership and an ambitious heritage restoration/revitalization project that transformed the building from a rough-and-around-the-edges hotel to a boutique destination rooted in local creativity.
The restoration project has cleverly preserved historic details like exposed brick, grand old interiors and other original character while layering in contemporary design, giving guests the feeling that they are living inside a piece of the city’s history.
There’s no corporate branded feel here, and no two rooms are alike. Instead, the hotel has become a showcase for local creativity where art and cultural activity takes place in public spaces, reinforcing the idea that the hotel is part gallery, part gathering place and part accommodation.
Indeed, since reopening in 2005, the hotel has solidified its place as one of Toronto’s premier cultural hubs. Art installations, burlesque shows, music, theatre, dining and even the odd casual night are now part of the hotel’s fabric.
Its evolution from a railway-era boarding house to a neglected flophouse and eventually an art-driven boutique hotel is a classic Toronto story about cultural heritage being saved.
Thankfully, the exterior of Gladstone House has changed little over the years. Only minor changes were made to the beautiful Richardsonian Romanesque facade. New lighting now highlights architectural details, and a new black and white sign has replaced the iconic vertical illuminated hotel sign.
Inside, the design team led by Elastic Interiors made sure to respect the history of Gladstone House while giving it a fresh new look.
Throughout the hotel, historic and contemporary elements are intertwined.
In the lobby, the old hand-operated elevator was preserved (it is only one of five remaining in Toronto) and the original millwork around the entrance has been complemented by new millwork in the heritage style. The check-in desk also incorporates vintage materials, and the furniture combines new pieces with repurposed old pieces.
That same old-and-new vibe is on full display at Gladstone’s Bistro, a bright and spacious space that serves sumptuous all-day breakfast from 7am, as well as Cassette, part retro-inspired eatery, part performance venue serving nostalgic classics alongside inventive cocktails.
“The aesthetic of the hotel is a constant conversation between the historic and the contemporary,” says Lee Petrie, hotel owner and operator and curator of Archive Hospitality Group. “There is a clear stylistic connection between the exterior and interior, and the hotel offers all the amenities our guests have come to expect.”
In many ways, Gladstone House feels like someone’s very comfortable home. There are warm and tactile elements everywhere – exposed original bricks, velvet upholstery and curtains, and real plants! And art plays a huge role in creating that warmth and personality.
“We focus on collaboration with local artists, musicians, creators and cultural organizations who already have strong connections to the city,” says Laura Squires, general manager of Gladstone House. “The goal is to create programming that feels relevant to the community and reflects what’s happening in Toronto in real time, rather than being designed solely for hotel guests.”
The balance helps the hotel feel woven into the cultural fabric of the city. It’s a place where tourists can experience Toronto, but it’s also a place where locals still feel a sense of ownership. “We want our programming to feel authentic and consistent, where guests can expect a certain quality, a great time, and maybe even discover something new,” says Squire. “Our programming is not considered separate from the hotel experience; it is part of the property’s identity and is really what makes us unique.”
What makes Gladstone House now a cultural landmark is that it has not only become more than just a hotel with its own art and community programming, but it has helped spark the transformation of an entire neighborhood, giving it a creative energy and a new identity.
Its location on Queen Street West is as significant as the building itself. The area has long been associated with Toronto’s creative scene, and Gladstone House reflects and enhances that identity through events, classes and community use. The hotel feels connected to the city’s art scene rather than apart from it.
“The hotel has long been a part of the neighborhood’s evolution,” says Squires. “It helped create a space for artists, creatives and independent businesses at a time when the area was still changing, and that legacy continues today. As the neighborhood has grown, the hotel has remained connected to the community.”
In doing so, the hotel has become synonymous with “sense of place”. It’s not just on the northeast corner of Queen and Gladstone, but it’s based on the neighborhood’s creative identity, heritage, and social energy.
Its restored Victorian bones, and ongoing arts programming make it feel like it’s part of Toronto’s cultural fabric – a living expression of Toronto rather than just a generic place to live.
“At Gladstone House, connection to the neighborhood has always been important,” says Squire. “We’re not trying to create a version of Toronto that could exist somewhere else; the goal is for the hotel to really reflect the history of the area, the character of the West End, and the people who shaped it. A lot of it comes down to the details, from the art and design to the programming and partnerships we choose to invest in.”
Showcasing art by local and regional artists in all 55 guest rooms, providing guests with a uniquely local experience and connecting the hotel to the community, the original art reinforces that distinctive vibe.
“The design of the hotel allows both hotel guests and visitors walking in off the street to explore the exhibitions in public spaces,” says Petrie. “We not only hold an opening celebration when the exhibitions change every four months, but also have public spaces open every day for anyone to visit. We also have an Artist Residency program in our art studios – art being created in the hotel. Three artists work at a time in a large studio on the lower level, with the door open so they can engage with guests and visitors. Each residency lasts three months, and since the program began in 2021, we’ve seen nearly 50 artists have been welcomed.
“Creativity is embedded in the identity of Gladstone House, so the design and public spaces are meant to feel expressive, layered and a little unexpected, just like the neighbourhood,” says Squire. “We work with artists and collaborators who have a real connection to the city, and this helps the spaces feel individual and unique, rather than overly polished or generic. The public life of the hotel is just as important. Between the exhibitions, events, live music, community gatherings and day-to-day activity, there is a constant sense of movement and interaction. We want it to feel like a place where people actually spend time, not just passing through.”
It’s a place I return to again and again – a place where architecture, art and community all meet and a comfortable bed is just a phone call away.
if you go:
Gladstone House
1214 Queen St West, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1J6
416-531-4635
info@gladstonehouse.ca
