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Toronto is a treasure trove of places with interesting history and architecture. Many of them have been torn down, but fortunately there are still a few of these fascinating gems left that connect us with Toronto's interesting past.

Yesterday I went to do an interview with Christina Zeidler, the driving force behind the revitalization of the Gladstone Hotel. It's a place with a long and fascinating history. The longest continuously running hotel in Toronto was built in 1889, by a female entrepreneur named Susanna Robinson, who ran the hotel together with her 13 children.

At one point the Gladstone, a railroad hotel, was the last place to obtain liquor before reaching Hamilton. It was also one of the first 10 hotels in Ontario that received a permission to allow patrons to drink alcohol and play shuffleboard in a specially designated area.

But it all went downhill for the Gladstone from the glory days. Although continuously operating, the hotel was in disrepair for about 40 years and didn't have a great reputation. In 2002 Toronto's prominent Zeidler family decided to rescue this historic jewel. Eberhard Zeidler is one of Canada's most famous architects and designed the Eaton Centre and Ontario Place.

His daughter Christina Zeidler, an artist and filmmaker, was put in charge of the restoration and of managing the hotel. The entire infrastructure (plumbing, electrical, heating) was brought up-to-date. The hotel rooms, which used to be serviced by communal bathrooms, were all equipped with their individual bathrooms. All 37 rooms were uniquely designed by different designers and according to Christina, it was a very collaborative effort. Even her mother and sisters participated in the interior design.

The common areas on the main floor consist of the Melody Bar (featuring an authentic 1940s Art Deco bar), the reception area, the spacious Ballroom and the sun-drenched Ballroom Cafe which features breakfast, lunches and brunch, all prepared with organic foods and fair trade coffees and teas.

What strikes me most about the Gladstone is Christina's philosophy: rather than a pricey boutique hotel the Gladstone is a "unique hotel" whose prices are still affordable. The entire community is welcome and many locals like to hang out here. Neighbourhood residents, Toronto arts fans and out-of-town tourists comfortably mix in this space. Artists can rent work/live studios or short-term exhibition spaces at reasonable prices. The hotel regularly hosts community events, for example last weekend's YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) Festival which brought a large number of community organizations and non-profits together to showcase their activities and draw more people into volunteering for their communities. Christina's belief in supporting the arts and the local community is put into practice here on a daily basis.

For more of my travel articles check out http://www.travelandtransitions.com.

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