Fireplaces carved from dark brown wood, terra cotta panels, and grand staircases. Kingston’s historic inns amalgamate vintage infrastructure and lush, modern elements to deliver a comfortable and charming experience.
We’ve created a list of Kingston’s historic inns to help you plan your next trip to the Limestone City.
All Suites Whitney Manor
8 Starr Place
Surrounded by stunning greenery and backdropped by the St. Lawrence River, this 19th-century manor boasts five spacious rooms adorned with ornate chandeliers and heated marble floors.
The All Suites Whitney Manor has a vintage-modern vibe, captured in the estate’s interior design.
The Chapel Suite features exposed limestone brick and a fully equipped chef’s kitchen. As the name implies, the room was the estate’s chapel in the early 1800s. Like the Chapel Suite, the Whitney Suite includes two bedrooms, high ceilings, and a furnished patio akin to a country club’s outdoor oasis.
Moving to the top of the manor, you’ll come across the cozy Penthouse Suite with its mix of marble and pine flooring. When the temperature cools and the leaves turn orange, the suite offers panoramic views of the fall foliage along the St. Lawrence River.
Visit the All Suites Whitney Manor’s website to learn about the Greystone Suite – which boasts a private patio – and the Sopwell Suite. The Sopwell Suite features a rustic, four-poster bed, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, and a soaking tub.
The manor was built by steamship captain James McKenzie in 1817. The estate was then purchased by National Hockey League player Bill Cook, and later, the illustrious Whitney family, after whom the manor is named.
Frontenac Club
225 King Street East
Just steps away from Springer Market Square, this former bank and private club features opulent accommodations and a swanky bar.
The Frontenac Club retains the sophisticated ambiance of an early 20th-century gentlemen’s club where the upper echelons of Kingston society gathered to play billiards and drink scotch. Each hotel room includes a large marble bathroom, white linens, and black-accented decor.
The Locomotive Room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge soaker tub you can enjoy on a cold winter evening. The Gardini Room provides views of Kingston’s waterfront and easy access to the Club’s guest-only rooftop patio.
Like the Frontenac Club’s expansive patio, the Spire Room overlooks Kingston historic landmarks. While most of the Club’s suites are in the Bank Wing–named after the building’s 19th-century role as a Bank of Montreal–the Cartwright Suite is in the private Cartwright Wing, the perfect room for an intimate couple’s getaway.
The Club also offers guests and visitors cocktails, wines, and whiskeys at The Bank Gastrobar. The bar, decorated with sleek black chairs and blue suede, serves small and large plates infused with local ingredients from Patchwork Gardens, Collective Joy Farms, and Pan Chancho Bakery.
Visit the Frontenac Club’s website to learn more about their hotel rooms.
The Secret Garden Inn
73 Sydenham Street
The Secret Garden Inn’s rooms are an ode to Kingston’s history in both their names and their vintage decor.
The Inn, built by John McKay in 1888, features seven meticulously designed rooms named after Kingston’s historic landmarks and distinguished community members.
The Coverdale Room, named after the architect who designed The Spire and the Kingston Penitentiary, is adorned with elegant blue accents and has a seating area next to the room’s windows.
Named after the mansion’s former owner, the McKay room features violet decorations and overlooks the inn’s gardens and koi pond. The Martello Room–a tribute to Kingston’s historic military fortifications–also offers views of the inn’s lush foliage.
In addition to their elegant accommodations, The Secret Garden Inn hosts afternoon tea. You can snack on buttery scones, soft cakes, and petit fours amidst the inn’s terra cotta panels and floral motifs. Reservations are required, so call 613-548-1081 to book your Victorian tea experience.
And if you’re looking to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant, downtown Kingston is a seven-minute walk away.
The Rosemount Inn
46 Sydenham Street
From the mind of famous Kingston architect William Coverdale came this Georgian-style mansion with an eccentric chimney stack and sweeping French windows.
The Rosemount Inn boasts 11 guest rooms that retain original design elements from the 1850s.
Tucked away in the Inn’s coach house, the Edward Suite includes pine floorboards installed by Coverdale, along with a private living room, large fireplace, and whirlpool bath. Next to the spacious, lodge-like suite is the quaint Studio room, featuring elegant limestone brick and an exposed beam ceiling, emulating the warmth and charm of a cozy cottage.
Aside from the rooms nestled in the coach house, The Rosemount Inn offers a variety of king and queen suites, equipped with memory foam mattresses, walk-in showers, and private balconies. Each of the Inn’s rooms are unique; the premium king suite is bold, lush, and spacious, while the classic king suite is moody and atmospheric.
Like some other inns featured on this list, The Rosemount Inn is mere minutes from the heart of downtown Kingston.
Visit The Rosemount Inn’s website to explore their eclectic accommodations.
Hochelaga Inn
24 Sydenham Street
The sumptuous home of former Kingston mayor John McIntyre is now the Hochelaga Inn.
Built-in 1879, the 19-roomed boutique hotel contains vintage elements, like the ostentatious double fireplace and ornate “M,” for McIntyre engraved in the inn’s stained-glass door panel.
Rooms at the Hochelaga Inn include the Sydenham Tower Suite, tucked inside the estate’s octagonal steeple. The most sought-after suite spans three floors and offers 360-degree views of the waterfront and the neighbouring Queen’s University campus.
Hochelaga Inn’s premium queen rooms also features white linens and large windows overlooking McIntosh Castle, built in a Gothic Revival-style and surrounded by blooming flowers in the summer.
In the wintertime, watch the snow fall from one of the inn’s cottage queen rooms–featuring an antique work desk and a rustic bedframe–as you enjoy their complimentary breakfast.
Go to Hochelaga Inn’s website to learn more about their rooms and amenities.
Bonus: The Belvedere Hotel
141 King Street East
The Belvedere Hotel begins a phased reopening in 2024. The newly renovated hotel will eventually boast 29 guest rooms, a large spa, and dining area.
In the first phase of the hotel’s reopening, nine guest rooms will become available. During the second and third phases, additional guest rooms, the dining area, and the indoor/outdoor spa open. The spa will feature a rejuvenating thermal therapy experience, offering hot and cold treatments.
Originally built as a private home in 1880, the hotel’s interior design exudes the lavishness and warmth of the Art Deco revival. With its black marble soapstone floors and pea green and ochre accents, The Belvedere transports you back to the 1960s.
Follow The Belvedere’s Instagram account and check their website for updates on the hotel’s reopening.
Read the history behind Kingston’s historic inns to learn more about Kingston’s getaways.
