The Anndore House: Toronto’s Newest Boutique Hotel

*By Erin Nicole Davis*

There’s a new place to stay and play in Toronto. The long anticipated Anndore House (15 Charles Street East) is officially open for business (as of April 12), offering a completely reimagined boutique hotel experience and a stylish restaurant that will quickly become a hotspot.

At The Anndore House, you can start your morning with some quality caffeine at gourmet coffee spot Scarlet Door, enjoy memorable Mediterranean cuisine at Constantine restaurant, shake off the workday with a cocktail at the restaurant’s upscale yet welcoming bar, freshen up with a haircut from the Crows Nest in-house barbershop, or simply choose a record from the hotel’s vinyl library and retreat to your room (each features a record player) for some peace from the city grind.

The Location

Located just steps from Yonge and Bloor and blocks away from Yorkville’s larger, pricier, five-star hotel counterparts, The Anndore House – a property of Silver Hotel Group – caters to the refined and unique hotel-seeking clientele and is designed to feel “like an extension of their homes,” according to general manager Anthony Campaniaris.

The Design

Once a residence hotel built in 1955 that had since grown to see better days (it became an uninspiring Comfort Inn in recent years), The Anndore House now features 113 chic, loft-like, talking point-filled guest rooms and suites on 11 floors. The rooms range from 225 to 500-square-feet and house king or queen beds, with spacious closets and living spaces. All rooms and suites feature stylish yet timeless bathrooms with dimensional black-and-white subway tile, rainforest showers, and exposed brass faucets.

Designed by top local firm Cecconi Simone, the spot’s storied past – an assortment of Toronto’s most eccentric visitors have graced its doors and it once housed a seductive jazz bar – is preserved in things like a decision to revert back to its original name, the structure, terrazzo staircases, and the original brick. Nods to decades past are also reflected in the retrofitted rooms and contemporary art inspired by vintage photography and the national landscape.

The retro touches can’t disguise the fact that the sleek new spot is about as future-forward as they come. For example, everything about a guest’s stay – from check-in and unlocking doors, to dimming the lights and adjusting your room’s temperature – can be controlled via a custom-designed app. Removing the need for a lengthy conversation with the concierge team (but you can still have one if you’d like), the app is full of advice from the Anndore team on how to live like a local.

Constantine Restaurant

Aside from a pristine place to lay your head after taking in Toronto’s sights, tastes, and nightlife, the biggest draw of The Anndore Hotel is Constantine (open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner), a 145-seat restaurant from the collaborative group behind popular (and highly Instagram-worthy) spot La Palma.

Restaurant group AlterEgo – comprised of Chef Craig Harding and Alexandra Hutchison of Campagnolo and Jack and Domenic Scarangella and Steven Christian of Mercatto – offers up a mix of Middle Eastern and Italian in the sprawling spot, which is surprisingly larger than expected.

Designed by multidisciplinary design firm, Studio Munge, Constantine feels homey and comfortable, yet social, with a central open-concept kitchen that is the star of the show, around which eighteen chef’s bar seats offer views of all of the culinary magic-making.

Fresh from the wood-fire grill, the kitchen serves up dishes like the Fire Roasted Eggplant and the Whole Grilled Sea Bream. A premium grade oven is responsible for an assortment of diet breaking-worthy Roman-style pizzas. Other notable menu items include things like the Burrata with spiced beets and hazelnut, the Cornish Hen with lemon and sumac, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Fresh Figs with goat cheese, scallion, and chili.

The Bar At Constantine

Offering a sophisticated gathering spot for both visitors and guests, the 50-seat Bar at Constantine sits outside of the main dining room. Inevitably catering to the stylish set, the main floor lounge features rich walnut wood floors, with bronzed inlays and custom lounge seating in sapphire blue and olive-green velvets, and a bar that serves up creative libations and classic cocktails to either get the evening started, or to end it on a high note.

Added perks of a stay at The Anndore House include valet parking and stylish cruiser bikes for rent. Come summer, the second floor will house a meeting and party room, complete with an expansive terrace with park views. Of course, The Anndore House scores major points in the location department as well, with places like the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), some of the city’s most coveted shopping, and Yorkville’s best restaurants – like Bar Reyna, Brothers, Café Nervosa, and Buca – just blocks from its shiny new front doors.

Rooms start at $299 per night and suites start at $399 per night.

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