The 11-storey brick building at Yonge and Charles originally opened in 1955 as the Anndore Hotel and Apartments, where guests could choose to rent a room for a night or live there semi-permanently on the cheap. The space has had a few different identities since then, including, most recently, a stint as the Comfort Hotel. Now, sporting a brand-new coat of black paint, the building is on the verge of reopening as the Anndore House, a boutique hotel.
The asset management firm Silver Hotel Group bought the property four years ago. After a year of construction, during which they stripped the place to its bones and replaced everything from the flooring to the light fixtures, the place is officially set to reopen on April 12. In a nod to its apartment past, the rooms, designed by Cecconi Simone, have been made to feel like industrial lofts. The main floor lobby, by Studio Munge, is a casual meeting place where guests can grab an espresso or get a quickie haircut from Crow’s Nest barbershop. There’s no real reception desk, and guests can check in (and order room service) just by using the hotel’s app.
In a neighbourhood where there’s very little middle ground between super-fancy luxury hotels like the Four Seasons and chains like Howard Johnson, it’s safe to say the Anndore House will fill a gap. Rooms start at $299 a night, and suites start at $399.