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TICKLE YOUR FANCY Unique guestroom amenities are available at the new Drake Devonshire inn, including DVD and iPod listening libraries, Bose sound systems, curated snack and gift trays, brown-bagged libations and a special pleasure menu — an à la carte selection of sex toys, lubricants and condoms. “When it comes to intimacy, privacy and secret pleasures, hotels have a storied past,” says Jeff Stober, founder and CEO of Drake Hotel Properties in
A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY The Drake Devonshire inn meets rustic Canadiana in bucolic Prince Edward County, Ont., when it opens this month BY HELEN CATELLIER
Toronto. “They’ve always been used as sexy backdrops for romance and fantasy.”
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wap Toronto’s gritty Queen Street West vibe for the pastoral views of Prince Edward County (P.E.C.) and you get the new Drake Devonshire inn, the second iteration of The Drake Hotel. The Drake Devonshire opens this month following a two-year restoration of a centuries-old foundry building in P.E.C.’s idyllic wine country located between Toronto and Ottawa. The property promises the warm, quirky charm of a historic country house juxtaposed with sleek, modern accents throughout. It features 11 guestrooms, two suites and a few stand-alone structures, including the Glass Box games room, complete with ping-pong tables, accommodating up to 45 guests for receptions. And, the barn-like Pavilion is a seasonal indooroutdoor venue with a pitched roof, Douglas fir beams and large-scale art wall by Brooklyn, N.Y.-based collective Faile. It will be used for special events, fall markets and wine tastings. The architecture gives a sense of distinct buildings, as opposed to a single structure; at one level it’s seemingly ad hoc but, in actuality, is very composed. “I experienced this as I visited various farm buildings,” says creative director John Tong of Toronto-based design firm +Tongtong who worked alongside Drake CEO Jeff Stober to bring the Drake concept to life. “As you look deeper, you see layers of evolution as buildings were added. Even the original Devonshire itself had a history of renovations and buildings being taken down and added.” Toronto-transplant, chef Matt DeMille has created a farm- and lake-to-table menu for the inn’s restaurant. It includes Drake favourites alongside new dishes, such as the farmer’s lunch (pictured above) of smoked fish, deviled eggs, fruit, cold roast beef, rye and sourdough breads, horseradish cream and mustard ($17). DeMille is also planning regular plat-du-jour offerings, such as surf-and-turf tacos ($19) and prime-rib roast ($29). He’s also hoping to offer guests a glimpse of a small-town approach to eating, hosting community-focused seasonal gatherings around pig roasts and clambakes. “The platform we have at the Devonshire lets us do big, community, family style meals that [don’t] feel like you’re going to a restaurant but [feel] like you’re going to a friend’s house,” says DeMille.
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The Drake Devonshire remains close to the roots of its Toronto predecessor with artistic inspiration bursting from its beams. Fine art and poetry is prominently displayed throughout the property and grounds at the hotel in Ontario’s Prince Edward County. It’s complemented by snippets of poems from renowned local poet, Al Purdy, which are placed in each guestroom. The finishing touches are custom murals above the beds by Canadian artist Rick Leong as well as original works by Team Macho (pictured above), a collaborative illustration and fine-art effort based in Toronto. Local artists, bands and authors will also be invited on site, possibly even high-calibre performers travelling between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa while on tour. SEPTEMBER 2014 HOTELIER
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