8 Best Hotels in Toronto

Art, culture, and design collide at this 19-room hotel in Toronto’s West Queen West neighborhood. Since opening in 2004, the Drake has been a boutique hot spot for trendy travelers seeking out spacious rooms, retro-inspired furniture, a rooftop bar, and legendary burgers courtesy of chef Ted Corrado (best paired with to-die-for truffle French fries covered in grated pecorino cheese). The hotel is also a place to engage with the arts: you'll find local and international artists-in-residence across all disciplines (visual arts, performance art, music, and more) who create works for the hotel’s permanent collection and host events that create a dialogue with the community and the art world at large.

All dim lighting, dark hardwood floors, and contemporary furnishings, the Thompson may be Toronto’s sleekest stay. The 102 Studio Gaia–designed rooms have crisp-white bedding and floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of both the city skyline and Lake Ontario. On any given day, you'll usually find hip millennials from the surrounding King West Village neighborhood crowding the seasonal rooftop pool bar. If you prefer a more subdued cocktail scene, head down to the kaleidoscopic lobby lounge for a “Midnight Kiss,” an intoxicating blend of bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Aztec chocolate bitters garnished with a cranberry skewer.

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This storied stay in Toronto’s East End has been around since 1891, when it was built by wealthy entrepreneur Archibald Dingman as a social hall before being transformed into a hotel some 16 years later. Inside the 58 rooms, you’ll find cheeky décor like rotary phones, neon artwork, and old-school turntables with vinyl LPs. However, like many top Toronto hotels, the real buzz revolves around the Broadview's rooftop bar and restaurant (which, in a very meta fashion, is called “The Rooftop”). Here, you'll find showpieces like floor-to-ceiling windows offering 360-degree city views and a pyramidal skylight—for table-side stargazing, of course.

At first glance, you might assume Bisha’s main draw is its location—the Business District, Toronto Harbourfront, CN Tower, Roy Thompson Hall (where the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs), Rogers Centre (home of the Toronto Blue Jays), and King Street West nightlife are all within walking distance—but cross the threshold and you’ll immediately realize Bisha's hallmark feature is its design. Velvet upholstery, gilded accents, patterned rugs, and black marble create a sexy-sleek effect in the 96 guest rooms, which occupy the first eight floors of a 44-story residential tower. The most distinctive accommodations are those on the seventh floor, which were imagined by music legend Lenny Kravitz. The most rock-star-worthy accommodation? The two-story Bisha Suite, with a full kitchen and 1,000-square-foot terrace.

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At this classic stay in Toronto’s Yorkville neighborhood, it’s about more than just the Yabu Pushelberg–designed moody, minimalist interiors. Guests can expect an accommodating, friendly staff; speedy room service; and an amenity-stacked spa. (Prepare to Instagram the mosaic-tiled indoor pool.) After a morning stroll on Bloor Street—home to the Royal Ontario Museum and shopping mecca Holt Renfrew—return to the hotel for lunch at One Restaurant, where the Nova Scotia lobster spoons with vermouth butter are the stuff of legends.

At Four Seasons' flagship hotel (the luxury hotel brand is headquartered in Toronto), it's all in the details. Expect to be dazzled at every turn, from the double-height lobby to the rich, wood-paneled rooms and top-notch service. (Don’t even worry about making dinner reservations in advance of your stay—the ace concierge has you covered.) A prime location in the upscale Yorkville neighborhood is another feather in the hotel’s cap—it’s just a short jaunt to cultural hot spots like the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and the Frank Gehry–designed Art Gallery of Toronto.

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With its English Tudor façade, Old Mill Toronto stands out among downtown's typical luxury high-rises. The singular design (not to mention the historic old mill buildings and bucolic Humber Valley surrounds) make it the perfect alternative to the typically modern city break. Traditionally outfitted rooms—mahogany four-poster beds; cozy in-room fireplaces—offer all the expected comforts, but the spa is where Old Mill exceeds expectations. Case in point: the “empress for a day” package, the ultimate indulgence, which includes a rejuvenating oxygen facial, body wrap, 60-minute massage, reiki treatment, mani-pedi, and healthy lunch.

This family-owned, mid-sized hotel has something for everyone: business travelers are just five minutes from the financial district, leisure travelers have the benefit of five-start service (at a four-star price), and locals find it a convenient stop-over before and after an event at the adjacent Air Canada Centre (home to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors). Each room is outfitted with fluffy white duvets and rainfall showers; there’s even a “round bed” corner room category that has—you guessed it—a round bed and postcard views of the CN Tower.