When you confess your sins, Dorian Gray’s portrait grows more grotesque…
“Anonymously share a confession, a secret, or anything else you’d like to reveal.”
When you check into your room at The Dorian, a card with this request and a QR code greets you. Put down your bags, kick off your shoes, and ponder your past. Then, scan the code and admit to something you regret or a sin that you’d like to get off your chest.
Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s 19th-century novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a digital portrait hangs in the lobby of this luxe lodging in downtown Calgary, Alberta. In the book, Dorian Gray remains young while only his portrait ages, becoming increasingly monstrous as he commits more and more evil deeds. Similarly, the more heinous the sins that hotel guests confess, the more grotesque this picture in the lobby becomes.
So, what’s the story behind this Canadian lodging with a literary legacy? Here’s the scoop:
The Dorian, a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel
Opened in 2022, The Dorian mixes Victorian design drawn from Oscar Wilde’s era with the features you’d expect in a contemporary luxury hotel.
Like the Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel, The Dorian is part of the Marriott family and is located in Calgary’s central business district, where you’ll find many of its visitor attractions, from the Calgary Tower to the Glenbow Museum (slated to reopen in 2026 after a major renovation). It’s also within walking distance of Canada’s excellent music museum, the National Music Centre at Studio Bell.
If you’re planning to visit Banff National Park, Calgary has the closest international airport to this Canadian Rockies destination, making it a good stopping point before or after your mountain adventures.
A king-bedded guest room at The Dorian
Guest Rooms and Amenities
The 137 boutique-style guest rooms at The Dorian start bold, with vibrant wallpaper in a gold and blue print behind the king or queen beds. A patterned dressmaker’s form stands nearby, ready for you to hang your ballgown, although there is more traditional closet space in the mirrored armoires.
In-room amenities include a bar cart with an assortment of beverages and a selection of glasses appropriate for different types of drinks. There’s a mini fridge for your snacks, a tea kettle, and a Lavazza coffee maker as well.
Guest rooms at The Dorian mix Victorian style and modern comforts.
Robes and slippers are provided, as are Aēsop bath products in the spa-like bathrooms.
The standard rooms are spacious, at 323-355 square feet, although if you need more room to spread out, consider the one-bedroom suites, measuring nearly 700 square feet, with a separate bedroom and living room.
Prologue Cafe, for coffee, brunch, or drinks
Facilities and Services
On the lobby level at The Dorian is a 24-hour fitness center and the Prologue Cafe, which starts with pastries and coffee in the mornings, adding full breakfasts as well as light lunches, dinners, and cocktails later in the day.
The hotel’s flagship restaurant and lounge is on the 27th floor, The Wilde on 27, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. It’s an especially popular spot for sunset drinks. The dinner menu leans heavily on Alberta ingredients, including bison, duck, and locally-raised beef.
Colorful art in The Wilde on 27, The Dorian’s rooftop lounge
If it’s been a while since you read The Picture of Dorian Gray or if your English reading list didn’t include the novel, don’t worry. There’s a copy of the book in each guest room — perhaps something to read as you consider what sins to confess in this creative Calgary hotel.
The novel that inspired the design of this Calgary hotel
Rates
Double room rates at The Dorian start at around CAD$250 (US$175) per night. The hotel’s 24-hour valet parking service is available for CAD$50/day on weekdays and $35/day on weekends.
Check rates online at Expedia or Booking.com.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller. Tourism Calgary provided support for my Calgary research trip, including my Dorian stay.
