6 Best Hotels in Stratford, Side Trips from Toronto

This gorgeous Victorian home is filled with artifacts of theater history from Italian commedia dell'arte to Shakespearean histories. Stratford mayor and city hall architect Lieutenant Colonel John Lant Youngs once lived in the home that still makes use of 19th-century flourishes like service stairs, elaborate wallpaper, and period woodwork polished until it gleams. Cohost Elena Pastura has a mental catalogue of 60 different sweet and savory breakfast dishes, served in a three-course meal that always includes a dessert. Spend time in the verdant garden, admire the grounds, and relax on the wraparound porch.

Every room has a different theme at this cozy boutique hotel, though with self-check-in and no amenities to speak of, it's not a place for those who want a full-service experience, and the totally open plan in some rooms makes them unsuitable for sharing. Guests can choose from options like the Courtside, a turn-of-the-century varsity athletics-themed (complete with foosball table and leather punching bag) room; the Green room, with all green accoutrements that overlooks the river and Shakespeare gardens; and the cheeky Penny Pincher, the smallest and most affordable, but still quite adorable with exposed brick walls. The largest units have multiple bedrooms and full kitchens, but some of the smaller rooms have open-plan baths with only the toilet being private.

This 1874 Gothic revival home has been transformed into an impeccably decorated B&B with an eclectic interior. Owner Judy Spence has thrown all design rules out the window with her always-evolving mix of romantic and chic, including curios brought back from trips to Asia and irreverent pieces like a black-on-black zebra-print headboard. It somehow all works beautifully. Rooms have themes, like the sunny yellow-and-white Key West suite, with shell light-pulls and filmy fabric above the bed. The French country-cottage-style Loft, above the carriage house in back, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Two doors down from the Avon and Studio theaters, this brick storefront building dates back to 1906 and has an interesting bit of history—it once housed the International Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that started in the United Kingdom. Brightly painted rooms on the second and third floors are comfortable, if a bit basic. The hotel's street-level bar and restaurant and patio in front attract a lively mix of patrons.

A 1901 storefront enlivened with a striped awning is the unique facade of this residential-neighborhood B&B. The guest rooms have city themes: the extra-large New York suite has modernist chairs and a blue-and-black checkerboard floor, for example. Other rooms have more traditional and romantic furnishings but are just as creatively tailored to San Francisco, Paris, and London themes. The owners have traveled extensively in Cuba, where they sourced oversize modern-art canvases in the breakfast room and lounge. The storefront window makes for a sunny breakfast room, where individual tables are laid with the day's creation, such as ginger-mango crepes.

On a quiet residential street, this elegant and tastefully decorated trio of Edwardian and Victorian homes has been frequented by movie stars like Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The suites are spread over three floors and are packed with original art; each has a private balcony or veranda. The Garden House, in an 1870s carriage house, offers a quiet retreat and a four-poster bed. Breakfasts are three courses: fruit, eggs, and baked goods.