+TONGTONG CONVERTS FOUNDRY INTO MODERN COUNTRY INN

The Devonshire Inn is a recently opened rural retreat on the shores of Lake Ontario

We do appreciate a good urban boutique hotel, we also appreciate one of Toronto’s signature boutique hotels, The Drake, bringing its artsy touch to the countryside. The Devonshire Inn is located right on the shore of Lake Ontario in the scenic and rural Prince Edward County, a region known for its beaches, wineries and active cultural scene. Providing the perfect site and framework for the inn was the original building, a local foundry built circa 1880. The Drake team called upon John Tong, designer of the original Drake Hotel and founder of the Toronto-based design studio +tongtong, to renovate the historic building.

The resulting design is an eclectic mix of different influences: retreats in the Hamptons, the quintessential British country inn, summer camps and local architecture with its layered history, DIY renovations and mismatched furniture. A good dose of the Drake Hotel’s playful, offbeat style also pervades the rural retreat with contrasting patterns and mixed materials that blend old and new.

The Devonshire Inn opened earlier this month with 11 rooms and 2 suites and will offer an array of cultural activities that will coincide with local festivities and offer visitors the possibility to experience the best of local artistic culture.