I have no problem admitting that I sort of begged to be included on a sales trip to Toronto. Luckily, I was approved for the voyage, at which point my manager eagerly advised me to stay at the Drake Hotel. He insisted that it was THE trendy hot spot in town and that its bar was even frequented by locals. Although he yearned to book there himself, he was dedicated to his hotel rewards program and decided to live vicariously through my stay instead. I perused the website and loved that the hotel offered comedy performances, trivia nights, and more. It really was a unique boutique hotel, so I agreed to book there.
Upon my arrival, the courteous front desk quickly checked me in and had my bags ferreted up the steep staircase to my quarters on the third floor. The staff was additionally helpful when I needed advice on navigating the area, locating enjoyable running trails, etc.
The lobby was dimly lit and decorated like a Hard Rock Hotel with a young, artsy feel. My room was also rather funky, though not in my taste. The "closet" was an open bar hanging along one wall. The bathroom was completely open and made up another wall of the actual room. In other words, the toilet, shower, and sink area were all in the bedroom itself rather than in a separate alcove. The washroom facilities were divided into three sections with the toilet on the left, shower in the middle, and sink on the right. In order to wash your hands after using the facilities, you had to step back down into the main room, walk around the shower, and climb back up in front of the vanity. It was inconvenient and just plain strange. This would not be an appropriate location for vacationing with friends. I will confirm that it was very clean though.
I did not utilize the amenities and cannot comment on them except to say that the garden area was delightful and crowded during the evenings. In regards to the location, the hotel was at the very end of the hipster section of Queen Street. Heading one block towards the Downtown area, you would find great restaurants and cool boutiques. However, wandering in the other direction displayed a less desirable section of Queen Street, upon which many homeless people lingered. The residential areas beyond the main drag were fine, but provided little need to a tourist. Lastly, my colleagues were staying downtown, which was actually a substantial cab ride from this hotel.
While the Drake might have been an "It Spot", it did not provide satisfying accommodations for a business traveler. I would not recommend it for anyone, except perhaps young single or couples on personal vacations.