"Set the sceneDon't confuse Prince Edward County with the postage-stamp Canadian Maritime province Prince Edward Island. The county is a collection of farming villages, such as Wellington, Picton and Bloomfield, on the shores of Lake Ontario, halfway between Toronto and Ottawa. It's also Ontario's second wine-growing region (after Niagara). But despite lovely vistas and small pleasures, it was a long way off main getaway radars. It's since become seriously current with sleek espresso bars and dance parties in old barns in addition to quainter options like blue heron-spotting. Last year, The Drake Hotel owner Jeff Stober further advanced the cool cred of the county after he refurbished an aging old motel down the road from his other property The Devonshire, opening it as The Drake Motor Inn. What's the back story?People started to come to the county on wine-tasting weekends. Then came the Drake Devonshire, the country cousin of the Drake Hotel, the slick crash pad on Toronto's with-it Queen Street West. The Devonshire was given the Drake treatment (good art and food). Some of the Drake posse came from Toronto to help open the Devonshire and, even after they left the hotel, stayed on in the area to open brilliant businesses like Oak Clothing Co or Beacon Bike+Brew. Creatives from further afield include the UK's Kate Golding who launched her next-gen wallpaper company here. In 2019, Stober started work on reviving the motel that would become his third property in the area. What’s the crowd like?Mostly families from within a four-hour drive, perhaps Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Global visitors who are hearing about this new Canadian hotspot are a newer audience. The motel is also a draw for small groups because rooms can sleep up to five. What can we expect in our room?Family-style motel rooms, though there’s no worn and scratchy olive-green carpeting. They are light and airy with cool Scandi-inspired furniture and stand-up clothes racks from Normann Copenhagen instead of bent-out-of-shape wire hangers. Glass dividers in each bathroom are covered with contemporary art chosen by the Drake's curatorial team. But there’s still a solid retro feel, too. Guests pop open a can of local craft beer stocked in mini-fridges or buy Hawkins Cheezies, a favorite crunchy Canadian snack, from the vending machine, then flip through vintage magazines. The motel gives out s'mores kits for the fire pit in the evening. What about the food and drink?The Motor Inn is a riff on a roadside motel and most of these aren’t known for extensive food offerings. Breakfast at the Inn is a light affair in the lobby, and coffee is available around the clock. But the county itself is a foodie and boozy paradise. Walk over to the Drake Devonshire for well-executed and locally sourced dishes. The Motor Inn is also an easy stroll to top Wellington restaurants such as East & Main Bistro. Guests often bike to the Agrarian Bistro in Bloomfield or to Picton, the county's biggest town, where the Sand and Pearl seafood restaurant pulls in crowds in the summer for its hot buttered Atlantic lobster roll. What’s the neighborhood like?There’s awesome antique shopping to be done. Go to MacCool’s Re-Use or Dead People's Stuff to hunt for mid-century teak salad bowls, Finnish Kaj Franck enamelware, seventies telephones, or sixties Marshall McLuhan playing cards. Cycling is big here – bike paths cut through forests and wineries such as Karlo Estates or the Grange of Prince Edward winery. The latter is run by a mother-daughter team (the mother is a former fashion model who once sat for Arthur Elgort) who also prepare hefty picnic baskets for visitors. Anything to say about the service?Yes, it's light, motel-style. You might bump into a housekeeper but otherwise you're left largely on your own. Check-in happens via an app that's sent to you when you're on your way over (or walk the two minutes to the Devonshire and check in via their reception desk, if you prefer). Anything else to add?Don't think this is only a place to go in summer. In winter, they build an ice-skating rink behind the Inn. You can also take in the eerily beautiful snowy caps along the shores of Lake Ontario or try ice fishing. Is it worth it – why?Yes. It's sure to project you back to the carefree days of childhood summer holidays." - Karen Burshtein
