When local design darlings Mason Studio were fashioning Toronto’s first Kimpton Saint George, they began by looking at heritage homes, not other hotels. The resulting interiors—which saw a weary Holiday Inn completely transformed into a boutique gem—pulls from the residential architectural features that define the history-steeped Annex neighborhood. Arches were added to doorways and hallways, and the motif even carries into the stylish gym, where arch-shaped mirrors line the walls. During the intensive reno, the number of suites was nearly doubled—what had previously been two guest rooms become one. Rooms have a midcentury modern appeal, with polished brass light fixtures and thoughtful touches like in-room record players that come with a small selection of albums curated by Sonic Boom. For those who don’t appreciate the crack and pop of vinyl, the Bluetooth-ready Leff Amsterdam Tube speaker is both visually and aurally pleasing. Frette linens and robes are great, but the bathrooms in the suites, with ultra-deep soaker tubs and Atelier Bloem bath amenities, are rave-worthy. The hotel has serious artsy cred, too: More than 700 artworks, 95 percent of which were created by Canadian artists, hang throughout the hotel, as well as two murals (a forest scene in the lobby by Tisha Myles and a giant owl on the building’s exterior by BirdO).