Gladstone Hotel – artist-designed rooms in Toronto

The Gladstone has purposely preserved the original Victorian floor plans and interior architecture of the historic hotel in order to maintain the gracious public hallways and foyers which were designed for guests to gather and socialize. Since each room represents a different artist’s vision, no two stays will be the same. All you have to do is explore the rooms and figure out which one to stay in first.

The history of Gladstone Hotel

Built in 1889, the Gladstone Hotel is Toronto’s oldest continually operating hotel. The hotel has been evolving as a local cultural hub since 2003 with a vision to revolutionize a hospitality model that operates at the intersection of arts, sustainability and social change. From karaoke to weddings, book launches to the weekly Drag Brunch with Miss Moco, the hotel is a meeting place for local creatives and travellers, making it possible to explore and interact with the living culture of artist life in Toronto. In 2005 we invited local artists to transform our recently restored 19th-century hotel rooms into 37 unique artist-designed hotel rooms. Our robust art story continues still in our gallery spaces on all four floors with thought-provoking art exhibitions 365 days per year. The Gladstone Hotel is an inviting, inclusive hospitality beacon that allows artists, neighbours, travellers and revellers to connect, collaborate, celebrate, dine, explore, participate and sing their hearts out!

Drag Brunch with Miss Moco

Jennifer Su

The Gladstone incubates healthy local micro-economies, providing opportunities to artists and creatives through events, exhibitions, and marketplaces that feature local vendors

What does The Gladstone brand stand for?

As the only B-Corp certified hotel in Ontario, the Gladstone champions leading hotel sustainability practices by using sustainable products and dramatically reducing consumption. The Gladstone operates in a feminist, anti-oppressive framework where everyone feels welcome and at home is a core value of the hotel. We incubate healthy local micro-economies, providing opportunities to artists and creatives through events, exhibitions, and marketplaces that feature local vendors.

What makes The Gladstone special?

The Gladstone offers guests the chance to sleep in a work of art! With 37 unique artist-designed rooms, over 45 art exhibitions a year and 3 dedicated gallery spaces, there’s a reason we’re known as Toronto’s most-loved art hotel.

Gladstone Hotel-404-Canadiana-Francis-Gilmour-Gilmour-1 (1)

Room 404, Canadiana by Francis Gilmour

Gladstone Hotel 403 Surreal Gourmet, Fruit Loops Armoir

Room 403, Surreal Gourmet, Fruit Loops Armoir

Good design is everything – that’s why Gladstone Hotel President Christina Zeidler launched the artist-designed-hotel-room project in 2005

How important is hotel design?

Good design is everything. That’s why Gladstone Hotel President Christina Zeidler launched the artist-designed-hotel-room project in 2005, inviting artists and designers to create unique rooms within the walls of our historic hotel.

Since then Zeidler has continually worked to integrate smart design into hotel guests’ experiences. From redesigning hotel room bathrooms for maximum comfort and colour to adding new permanent works of art in the hotel’s public spaces, design is everywhere at the Gladstone!

The Gladstone is also home to the Come Up To My Room exhibition. This annual 4-day alternative art and design exhibition is one of the only places where art and design intersect, with the historic hotel becoming a platform for site-specific installations every January.

Come Up To My Room, work by DTAH

Any recommendations for discerning travellers?

Don’t miss Toronto’s fantastic food offerings! From award-winning take-out joints to cuisines from every corner of the world, to the Gladstone’s very own locally-sourced breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner menus, tourists’ taste buds will be continuously tantalized during a visit to Canada’s largest city.

Tower Suite Private Patio

What are some undiscovered places in Toronto that people need to know about?

There’s no shortage of galleries, shops and restaurants to explore in our neighbourhood! Queen Street West — also known by locals as Queer Street West! — is located 15 minutes from downtown Toronto, offering the perfect balance of a convenient location with room to explore and experience the city like a local. Within 2 kilometres of the hotel you can find decades-old parks, drag shows, a handmade-jewellery boutique, environmentally conscious clothing shops and so much more! Check out this curated neighbourhood map and get excited about what’s waiting to be discovered on Toronto’s Queen Street West!