Hotelier June 2022

(left) Hotel Escad
Quarter DIX30 in
Montreal, the Sheraton
Gateway Hotel at
Pearson International
Airport in Toronto
The lobby at the newly
designed Drake Modern
Wing in Toronto (left),
the bar at the Sheraton
Gateway Hotel
While the square footage is
relatively small, the main floor
presents as a very open space with a
mezzanine. “The mezzanine and the floor
to ceiling windows gives the space a much
bigger feel,” says Dupré. “There is so much light,
it makes the space feel amazing.” The mezzanine
is also home to three booths that guest can use
for private meetings.
A showstopping wall panel behind the
front desk showing cutaway images of foliage
represents a nod to the fact that the area
was once a field in the country before it
was developed, he explains. The lobby also
features a brightly coloured Mah Jong lounge sofa
beneath the staircase designed by Hans Hopfer.
For The Drake Hotel in Toronto, planning the
new modern-wing lobby was all about presenting
a welcoming community space, says Ana Yuristy,
chief services officer, Drake Hotel Properties.
“The bigger piece of the design discussion was
creating a hub for mixed use where guests would
feel comfortable having coffee, eating a meal,
taking a meeting, joining friends for cocktails, or
checking out one of our shows.”
Design partners for the renovation were Torontobased
Diamond Schmitt Architects and DesignAgency.
True to the Drake brand, vintage furnishings
and bright, rich, eclectic colours abound, from
mustard and coral to deep green and rust accents.
“We have always been a colourful brand,” says
Joyce Lo, creative director. “When the world was
going through the minimal grey phase, we never
went that way.”
Many of the furnishings sourced from antique
markets, help to create an intimate, welcoming
setting, while works from local artists such as
Malik McCoy and Stephanie Temma Hier are a
visual reminder of the city’s creative spirit.
Unique touches include the striking Corian
reception desk designed by Toronto-based studio
Odami, a cozy eight-seat lobby bar, and a private
meeting space behind a semi-opaque sliding
panel that can open to expand the entire lobby
area when not in use.
The layout is more of a living room effect with
different seating zones, explains Lo. The anchor
pieces is a large ’70s-style vintage sofa with
integrated custom lighting. “The pattern mixes
beautifully with the custom rug we designed,”
says Lo. “It’s a lot for your senses and eyes, but
somehow it all works together.” ◆
GILLIAN JACKSON [SHERATON GATEWAY HOTEL]
hoteliermagazine.com
JUNE 2022 | 41