I recently got to indulge in a staycation at The Annex Hotel in Toronto to kickoff the launch of their Reader in Residence program with the new Kobo Libra H20 eReader. Reading and sleeping are two of my absolute favourite activities so it was a big ol’ hell yes from me.

I had no idea how COOL The Annex Hotel is until I stepped into the lobby (where the event first started before retreating to our respective rooms as readers in residence). There’s no front desk - check-in happens online and you’re sent a code to unlock your room, but they have a digital concierge just a text message away if you need anything! The lobby bar has lots of cozy seating plus a cute outdoor space (who can resist twinkle lights?) PSA: they have half-priced bottles of wine every Monday.

Let Your Reading Retreat Begin!

We were introduced to the new Kobo Libra H20 and even got to speak with the engineers and designers who created the technology. It was fascinating to pick their brains as they were so attuned to detail and incorporated people’s reading habits into every aspect of the device.

The Kobo Libra H20 has so many amazing features that seem intuitive but were carefully thought out:

• It’s WATERPROOF (um, what?!) I read a lot in the tub or by the pool / beach when I’m on vacation so this is amazing not to worry about it getting wet or drips on it

• I have small paws and the ergonomic design (that’s fun to say) fits snugly into one hand, it’s so light!

• Locking ability from portrait-to-landscape mode (I flip from my back to my side to my stomach while I read in bed so this actually is a super handy feature)

• Page-turning buttons (I discovered I prefer pressing the button to tapping the screen and a lot of devices don’t have both options!)

• Automatic light adjustment (the fancy term is ComfortLightPro) from blue to yellow light depending on the time of day or whether you’re inside or outside (this has been a gamechanger when I read at night because I don’t have to keep the lamp on and disrupt my boyfriend who’s trying to ZZZ and I also don’t have to strain my eyes in the dark since the screen naturally adjusts…so clever!)

• Links to the Toronto Public Library so you can borrow books FO FREE !!! Another reason why I’m obsessed with the TPL.

• One of my favourite things about the Kobo is that it analyzes your reading speed and tells you how much long it’ll take to finish the book or chapter, as well as the % read — i.e. “12 hours to go!” “14% read” — I am always flipping ahead with a physical book to see how many pages left until I’ll have to bookmark it and knowing how long it’ll take me on avg to finish a book is just the coolest thing to me for some reason.

• Highlight passages or take notes in the virtual margins — they’ll all be saved under Annotations for you to refer to anytime (this would be great for a digital textbook if you were a student or if you like to highlight favourite quotes like me!)

• The Kobo Libra H20 comes in black or white (I personally like the white) and you can also get a cute little sleep cover (there’s 4 colours, the dusty rose pink is my fav) that folds up like origami to prop up on a table, makes it easy to grip, and keeps the screen protected when you slip it into your purse or backpack

• The battery life is INSANE - I use it daily to/from work on my commute and I didn’t have to charge it until nearly 2 months later

Afterwards, I checked into my room upstairs and dove headfirst into my reading retreat. Firstly, I just have to say, the rooms are wicked. As a writer, I’m always impressed with hotels that have ample desk space and natural light (of which it had both) to hunker down and get work done.

The rooms have a scandinavian feel with artisanal touches everywhere including a cool illustrated city guide, Canadian snack bar goodies and toiletries, Annex candles, and walls featuring local artwork and photography.

I don’t know what kind of linens or mattress were on the bed but holy hell it was comfy. I had a hard time peeling myself off of that fluffy white cloud. There’s a record player and an iPad but no TV as the whole point of their Reader in Residence initiative is to encourage people to go back to basics, unwind from the chaos, and escape into a great story.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic,” said Stephen King

I couldn’t agree with him more. The transportive power of reading is that you can expand your mind, go on an adventure, and gain new perspectives all without ever leaving your bed.

Each room at The Annex Hotel is now equipped with a brand new Kobo Libra H20, Rakuten’s newest eReader, so every guest can do just that. The hotel staff has preloaded a curated collection of their eight favourite books onto the device for you to enjoy, or, discover your own titles if you like.

I honestly will be back for another staycation as a Reader in Residence at The Annex as I was able to quiet my mind, immerse uninterruptedly in a good book, and had the best sleep to boot.

Let me know if you do check it out and I’d love to hear what your’e reading on your Kobo eReader!?

If you’re interested in getting a Kobo Libra H20 of your own (I truly can’t live without mine) you can check it out on their website and also at Chapters Indigo and they also have the sleep covers !