Hotel Waverly

The Hotel Waverly is a four-storey low-rise hotel in downtown Toronto. Opened in 1900, the hotel was built for J.J. Powell. It is among one of the oldest Toronto hotels in continuous operation.

Hotel Waverly is at 484 Spadina Avenue on the northwest corner of Spadina Avenue and College Street, adjacent to Toronto's Chinatown. It is adjacent to The Silver Dollar Room, which was added to the hotel in 1958. The Scott Mission is next door.

The hotel's central location is close to major attractions such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, Queen's Park, The Royal Ontario Museum and Kensington Market, making it a prime target for redevelopment. It enjoys proximity to major transit routes via the 506 Carlton Streetcar and 510 Spadina Streetcar.

The Waverly's interior rooms are modest but comfortable. This accommodation provides low-cost housing benefiting Toronto's transient community as well as monthly residents. Its proximity to the mission has kept rental rates low, attracting customers who are looking for a deal in downtown. The hotel offers 24-hour laundry facilities, free parking and snack counter.

Though he denied it, evidence points towards James Earl Ray staying at the Waverly while hiding out in Toronto after shooting Martin Luther King, Jr.. It was also the longtime home of poet Milton Acorn; several of his most acclaimed works depict the life in the neighbourhood. In popular culture the hotel was the setting for the opening scene of the Elmore Leonard novel Killshot and was also featured in the film version. The hotel is also briefly pictured in the music video for "Games for Days" by Julian Plenti (a.k.a. Paul Banks), and the music video for "Man I Used to Be," by Canadian musician k-os.

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