This luxury bed and breakfast, built in 1890, has always been an inn. In its early days, it had a saloon on the first floor and stables next door, where the drunks were sent to sleep it off. Today, the saloon is a kitchen and the stables are gone, replaced with the attached house of the owners.

Guests to the inn are allowed to use the parlor and library—but food and drink are not allowed in the parlor, which is attached to the owner’s dining room. The inn has three floors with eight rooms named after British royals of centuries past. Although the rooms are incredibly clean and comfortable, one of the downfalls to my stay was that I did not have an ensuite bathroom. I used one down the hall which was only for guests in my room, but the door had no key to keep other guests out. The building overall has been lovingly maintained and transported me back to an era of elegance and style. The owner is a lovely woman willing to help in any way possible, and will even draw out a driving route on a map of the island to help plan your day.

Breakfast is full-service, all the way down to coffee and tea. The meal comes in courses, often starting with oatmeal or macerated fresh fruit, followed by an egg dish, and sometimes finishing with a dessert. Everything is made from scratch, usually from ingredients local to the island. The owner, Susan, encourages guests to finish their morning coffee or tea on the veranda, taking in a gorgeous view of Gore Bay and the harbor.

 
This resort, located nearby a luxury shopping mall, is not only a hotel but also a conference center, gym, spa, and the Ontario Squash Hall of Fame. The grounds are extensive and include nature trails and water features. Guests can sit out on the patio and use a hotel phone nearby to order patio table service from any of the hotel’s three restaurants.

Because the resort is so large, it can sometimes be a long walk getting to your room. But the effort is worth it, because you will arrive to a bright, colorful, clean room with an exceedingly comfortable bed and luxury bathroom. The hallways of the hotel will keep you occupied on your walk as well—they are decorated with unique sculptures and art furniture that guests can use at any time.

Overall the stay was exceptional and pleasant, but I did have one unfortunate experience during my time here. I had hoped to use a luggage cart on my own to bring my bags down to the car, as there were a number of breakable items. The bellhop refused to leave me a cart, saying it was against hotel policy. He said he would be back in 15 minutes, when I expected I would be ready to load the cart completely. He never came back. Later, I discovered that another guest had been given a cart to use on her own. The bellhop and the front desk both denied it happened, and the bellhop was outright rude about the whole situation. So keep that in mind for any stays, and be prepared for potential rudeness from some staff members.

 
Update July 2017: The Adelaide Hotel Toronto was formerly a Trump Hotel. The property is no longer affiliated with the Trump name and is currently using the name Adelaide Hotel Toronto. References to the original name have now been removed from this review. Contact information will be updated as soon as it is available.

Let’s get this out of the way up front—the Adelaide has possibly the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. Add to that a remote to control the curtains and the lights, a smart mirror in the bathroom, and a minibar to rival a gourmet snack shop, and this hotel is top-shelf in the lap of luxury living.

The hotel wants you to be able to entertain guests like it’s your very own building and not just a short-term stay. To that end, residence are also available for purchase within the building—but both the hotel and the condos have separate elevator banks and lobbies.

A black and white colour scheme is echoed throughout every space in the hotel. The staff refers to it as “champagne and caviar,” with the purpose of leaving out a lot of colour so the guests will come in and change the feel of the space based on the shades they wear.

Everything was immaculate and luxurious, from the marble floors to the black crystal chandeliers, to the cherry blossom motif sprinkled throughout the hotel. Guests are welcome to use the full spa and fitness centre as well as an infinity lap pool. The restaurant had just closed for renovations when I arrived for my stay, so I didn’t get to eat there—but based on the extraordinary flavour of the dreamsicle truffle left at my bedside for my arrival, I can only imagine that the food is divine.

The Metterra boutique hotel’s cool designer vibe is centred around the four earth elements — wood, water, air and fire.

Each room features at least one, and I was lucky enough to have a luxury suite with all four: sleek wood furniture, a fireplace, a jetted soaker tub plus shower with jets, as well as two patios bringing in the sunshiny air.

The hotel is beautiful and full of real art, and the staff are kind and thoughtful. There’s lots included in your room rate: valet parking, fast wifi, a surprisingly big breakfast, all-day fresh fruit and machine-made coffees, wine and cheese, a fitness room and a business centre (both open 24 hours).

The hotel opened in 2004 (though it is hard to tell) and has 98 rooms.

Guest rooms are outfitted for comfort and style and are perfect for a couple’s retreat, a holiday, or if you’re here on business. Every room has little extras that make your stay great, like a fridge, iHome docking station, Keurig coffees, crisp linens, wall-to-wall windows and sliding doors, and (how rare!) a well-lit bathroom mirror.

The Metterra is right on Whyte Ave and encompasses the cool vibe of Edmonton’s hippest street. Staff give well-informed and personally-tested recommendations to the best restaurants, bars, nightlife and shopping near by.

You won’t be disappointed with a stay at the Metterra!