Toronto’s oldest continuously operating hotel, this Victorian pile is also its funkiest. The guest rooms have been redone by local artists and designers; the public rooms mix historic grandeur with street cred, and are the perfect setting for an artsy do (the popular This Is Not a Reading Series is held here). The grandest of the three public spaces is the 2,000-square-foot ballroom, with exposed brick walls, pine flooring, a high ceiling and Victorian windows. The Melody Bar, with its original deco bar and superb sound system, suits its weekly karaoke event. The Art Bar, a smaller venue for more intimate events, can accommodate up to 28 people. On the second floor, the hotel’s wide hallways provide an exhibition space that doubles as a reception area, with 14-foot ceilings and a balcony overlooking Queen Street. The two-storey Tower Suite is perfect for private parties of 12 to 15 people and can be rented overnight.