Broadview Hotel – centennial building recaptures the Toronto limelight

Broadview Hotel

The Broadview Hotel is located in the immensely popular Queen Street East area, an integral part of the neighbourhood’s transformation into one of Toronto’s cool places to live, work and enjoy owner-operated restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. The 125 year old boutique hotel property is a short cab ride or streetcar ride to the downtown financial and theatre district. (Toronto has the largest streetcar network in North America.)

A king corner room combines Victorian-inspired decor with contemporary furnishings

Before they started renovations, the management team of Streetcar Developments consulted with local residents and business owners. The Broadview had a history of being a focal point of the Leslieville area, including a stint as headquarters for the Royal Canadian Bicycle Club. It also had a large meeting hall with 3,000 square feet of meeting space with unobstructed views, ideal for weddings, business meetings and social events. Respecting the building’s history, local residents asked that the hotel be involved in the community. That message was received and throughout my tour with General Manager Murray Henderson, he outlined the many ways in which the hotel uses local suppliers. A boutique specializing in all-natural bath products was asked to design and supply the hotel’s natural bath soaps and related products. Local artists were invited to paint murals in the stairwells, depicting the building’s previous uses.

The Cafe Bar is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Before the renovations began, the new owners discovered that they would have to remove and rebuild the entire interior if the building. New floors, new walls, new plumbing, wiring… everything. Only the exterior facade walls were retained. “Essentially, we had to construct a new building inside the existing exterior walls. It was a major undertaking, but the resulting hotel was worth the extra costs, that included replicating the Victorian-era wallpaper.” The attention to detail and dedication to preserving the hotel’s past are impressive. The old exterior fire escapes have been used to create a wall sculpture that frames the main floor elevators. The son of the neon sign maker was located in Chicago and accepted a commission to restore the pink neon sign that adorns the Lincoln Hall Terrace. The 58-room hotel has been an instant success – championed by local residents.

The Rooftop has been immensely popular for the first day

Combining the charm of the historic building with urbane decor, the rooms have wallpapers that were commissioned specifically to reflect the Victorian era. Deep red velvet draperies block out the lights from the street below and create a warm and cozy atmosphere. Each room has a record turntable and a sampling of vinyl albums for guests to play.

An oval bar dominates the Lobby Cafe and bar. Bright and sunny during the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner are available. During our stay, the clientele ranged from families visiting to attend a wedding to local hipsters stopping by.

The seventh floor rooftop bar has been a tremendous success, with views over the surrounding area and Don Valley. The ceiling is glass, and much of the space can be closed off by window walls during inclement weather and the winter, enabling customers to continue enjoying their rooftop ‘local’ bar and meeting place throughout the year.

The Tower on the 7th floor is a
unique private dining room

Adjacent to The Rooftop, Murray brought me to the The Tower, a private dining room with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick walls. It’s ideal for a wedding reception, family reunion or special occasion dinner for twenty seated guests, or a cocktail reception for thirty people.

The Broadview Hotel offers chic accommodations, and the amenities you’d expect from a unique one-of-a-kind boutique hotel. While having celebrated the building’s history, the designers have created an oasis of understated elegance for its clientele.

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit: www.thebroadviewhotel.ca or call: 1-416-362-8439.