Old Mill Toronto Hotel & Tea Garden- Etobicoke, ON

To be clear, the Old Mill Hotel is not historic; opening on October 21, 2001, it is very much a modern property that caters to weddings. That said, the attached historic Tea Garden has charm and character for days, including some to lend to the attached hotel.

Dating to 1914, the Tudor style Tea Garden, located next to the ruins of an 1849 grist mill, was opened by developer Robert Home Smith. Situated in a valley by the Humber River, it was built as an amenity for buyers in his nearby Kingsway Park development. It was touted as a bit of England, far from England, and was wildly popular.

So popular in fact, Home Smith expanded- in 1921 dancing and big band music was introduced; in 1928, his company’s headquarters moved to the site. Slowly, an entertaining empire was built, including multiple banquet rooms, a wedding chapel and gift shop. Today, you can trace this evolution through the various additions. Although all generally reflect the Tudor style, the original buildings are the most impressive, followed by the nostalgic mid-century additions.

To complement the entertainment complex, a hotel and spa was built in 2001. Constructed on the site of the Old Mill, it was connected to the other complex buildings by interior walkways. While the exterior, lobby and lounge of the hotel mirror the other complex buildings, the rooms largely lack character. Which isn’t to say they aren’t nice, just a bit dated, and on the bland side.

At one time, long before the hotel, the Old Mill complex had extensive grounds, and featured tennis, lawn bowling, and golf. All of that property has since been sold off, and the complex now sits like an anachronistic island, surrounded by 1960s condo and apartment sprawl, altering the overall experience.

Even so, the dining room is timeless, and exploring the labyrinth of halls that connect the complex is exciting. While the Old Mill may not be the country idyll that it once was, it is still well worth a visit.