Hostelling International Toronto

This is a great hostel that has a cool vibe. The guests are friendly, the staff are helpful and personable, and the breakfast is indeed pretty good. For the price, this place is great. This was my first experience hostelling but one of my roommates said that it was the best hostel they’d been too. It’s clean and there’s a place to sleep and food to eat. It looks funky and the live music almost nightly is a great touch. The location is great: I walked everywhere and only took transit once other than getting to the airport. I walked to: Union Station, St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District, University of Toronto, Royal Conservatory of Music, Eaton Center, Yonge-​Dundas, Kensington Market, and Queen Street West.
I highly recommend this place if you’re on a budget.

The elevator smells like a restroom. It’s horrid. I literally held my breath while going up and down. The WiFi on the top floor (8^th and 9^th) is extremely inconsistent and when I told the staff about it they just gave me a blank stare. Don’t ever, ever try to change your reservation for any reason because it will be a hassle. The people at the front desk are just incompetent and/​or haven’t been trained well. Asking them to do anything out of the ordinary is just too much for them to handle. Also there are certain questions that they can’t seem to answer. You would think they would have a general knowledge about the city. Outside of the maps, google will be your friend.
I only stayed in a 4-​bed and it was decent and clean. I took a peak inside the 6/​8-​bed with bath inside and it was grimy so I can only imagine the hall baths. The 4-​beds seem to have been treated a little more gently over time and obviously they stay cleaner because less people. I overheard a girl from the 3^rd floor complaining that she could hear the noise in the Tavern very clearly. It was Australia day so the Australians were there partying all night and sleep was evading her because of the noise.
The breakfast is served restaurant style during non-​peak times (if the hostel is not at capacity) and buffet style during peak times. This was a nice thing because other HIs require you to make your own breakfast.
I didn’t try but I heard there is a fee to use the computer. Also, there is only a paid uncovered parking next to the hostel and a paid covered parking garage just around the corner.
All in all, it’s safe, in walking distance to things to do, fairly clean and a great way to meet people and have planned activities to see the city.
If I went back, I would stay again but only in the 4-​bed.

Hostel is clean, fun, safe and charming. It’s situated in a good location, convenient to many things within walking distance (restaurants, parks, bars/​night life, and other establishments) and near bus lines. The hostel has a lounge with fooseball and a pool table, a restaurant and a bar. The bar is lively and chill all at the same time. The rooms have adequate space, not too many people, have lockers to store your stuff safely (bring a lock) and beds are comfy. The kitchen and eating area downstairs is really neat. it looks like it’s underground. well technically it’s the basement, but it feels like a tunnel with brick all around, even on the curved ceiling. it looks really neat! The staff is really friendly and there are an assortment of group tours and trips offered. My friend and I took the group trip to Niagra Falls. I’ve been there numerous times, but it was my friend’s first time. I made friend’s with one person who stayed in the hostel and went to the Falls. We still keep in touch today! He lives on a different continent. Staying at hostels is a great way to meet new friends, hear great travel stories, learn tips on where to go in future travels and just to have fun! Also, staying at this hostel, my friend and I were able to re-​connect with a friend we made in Brussels, who lives in Ottawa, but took the bus visit us while we were visiting. My friend and I stayed one night before and after he came and he was there one or two nights. so we stayed a total of 3 – 4 nights.
*It is important to note that Toronto is very LGBT friendly, and the hostel is no exception. All welcome.

I came here for one night while visiting Canada for a weekend with my bf. I enjoyed the place. It has a really relaxed vibe and everyone is really nice. The location is great. The prices are great and the food is decent. The one thing I didn’t like were the beds, they made too much noise and they were way too soft so I woke up with my back feeling like shit buuuut at the end of the day its a hostile so eh what do you expect right? Aside from other than that I had no qualms about this place.

I thought this hostel was great. Many of the issues identified by dissatisfied (or partially satisfied) reviewers seem to have been addressed. The hostel was clean and quiet. The bunk beds were comfortable (mine felt like, but was not, memory foam). There are lockers in the room. You can buy locks for $ 5 if you are an HI member and $ 8 if you are not. If you want to leave your bag before or after you check in/​out, there is a luggage room next to the front desk where they will store your stuff.
There were fun activities both days I was there and the hostel also serves as a pick up location for a niagara falls/​winery tour. If you want to stay in town, it is centrally located, about a 10-​minute walk from union station and a 20-​minute walk to the Rogers Centre, Steam Whistle, and Ripley’s Aquarium. It is also a 5-​minute walk to the St. Lawrence Market and a 15-​minute walk to the distillery district.
There were soap, shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the shower. Everyone who worked at the hostel was really nice. Free breakfast and 50 percent off dinner your first night there. There is wifi all over the hostel, fast enough to watch Netflix with no buffering. As hostels go, this was tops. I deducted a star because the bathroom was a little grimy and my free breakfast was weirdly slightly cooler than room temperature, but everything else was great!

Hostelling doesn’t seem to be what it used to be. The public spaces in this hostel seemed rather small for the number of people it can accommodate, and everyone had their head buried in their devices. (Obviously not HI’s fault, but there wasn’t much to attract people to get to know other guests…)
The rooms were also quite small and not as well taken care of as I would have liked. It’ll do, definitely, but these are premium prices for hostels and I would have expected a bit more on the inside for the money. The location is very good though.

The hostel is clean but its only problem is its staff: unfriendly, distant and uncooperative — sometimes downright rude.
I stayed there for three nights and enjoyed my clean bed at night. But whenever I approached the front desk I was met with impoliteness and unprofessional behaviour. I asked one receptionist to tell me if I could extend my stay for one night and she told me, in a very aggressive tone, that I should have booked earlier and refused even to put me on a waiting list! I asked another receptionist for directions to other hostels or hotels around and she feigned ignorance and didn’t help…
I say this because later that night I went to Canadiana Backpackers Inn asking for help. They told me they were fully booked, but they provided me with every help I needed to find another hostel around and even put me on their waiting list… Can you discern the difference? The hostel I was staying in for three successive nights refused to help me and the one I reached out for help although I wasn’t a client gave me every help I asked for!
What a disgrace to hospitality business!

It’s quieter than that hostel in the Entertainment District. Breakfast is amazing, like gourmet food, but the line up gets long. The elevator is a nice to have, but annoyingly slow. Seems better to just take the stairs most of the time. Internet works but not that fast. Interesting clientele ranging from 80 year old grandmas to new college grads. The pub downstairs is small but cool to have.

Best location, nice bar (the cavern), free wifi for custumors and fair pricing. Nice Staff. I love the staff, the travelers and the atmosphere here. Even though the ATM isn’t working with every card, it works well with my MC. The food in the cavern is nice, but it’s only included in the 4– and 6-​bed rooms. Otherwise you’ll have to pay round about $ 7, but that’s fair for Toronto. There is always entertainment in the cavern starting at 9pm. The beds are good and the rooms are ok. But you only sleep in them, so that don’t matters for me. Most rooms and showers are unisex with shower cabins. For girls, there are girls rooms as well. The laundry is working fine, but you need to pay the cleaner yourself. The community kitchen (like the cavern– also in the basement) is nice and offers everything you’ll need except your food. And it lacks an oven. That’s all by now.

I stayed only for 3 days there but it is one of the best Hi hostels ever. Nice staff clean rooms a lounge with pool table and a bar in the basement. What do you want more?

I stayed here for only one night in an 8-​person room, but I am very glad I did. This is one of the best hostels I have ever stayed in, and this is from a person who travels a lot.
This place has a lot of personality for a hostel. The internet was fast, there was a pool table in the rec room, a computer lab for those who need internet access but lack a computer, and the staff was extremely polite and helpful. Also, they have organized events almost every day of the week.
Depending on what you want to see in Toronto, sign up for one of the events or guided tours. They offered everything from pub crawls to city walks to visiting any of a number of notable locations (museums, CN tower, Steam Whistle brewery). Best part is, the events didn’t cost anything extra to sign up for aside from entrance admission to any places it led you.
There is also an excellent bar/​bistro on the bottom floor that I highly suggest anyone try. It’s a small cozy place, but perfect for meeting fellow travelers and getting a pretty good burger and beer.
Overall, the atmosphere and convenience makes this hostel a great choice for anybody visiting Toronto.

I’ve stayed in several Hi hostels and this is the best. It just has a cool vibe. The desk staff is awesome, friendly and helpful. They even serve beer!

I stayed here in June 2011, and I was only here for one night. It is, however, the nicest HI hostel I have ever stayed in. I seriously need to get back up to Toronto soon.
I was passing through Toronto on my way to fly to Austria. (Flying to Germany or Austria is cheaper out of Canada than most of the US. Spread the word.) They let me check in an hour early, upgraded my room, and made sure I got my ISIC discount. The girl checking me in was super friendly and helpful. She made sure to tell me where I could convert money, etc. The wifi was fast. The hostel was secure. This hostel actually had enough lockers, and they were nice and spacious. WAY better than all of the US hostels with HI.
I had a solid 24 hours at the hostel. I mostly wandered the city during the day, but when I came back at night I didn’t know what to do. However, the other hostellers here were WAY friendlier than the other hostels I have stayed in. I met some guys from the UK, and we were going to go to the Pub Crawl. One of the awesome front desk guys (He was from Glasgow?) told us about another bar we should check out. So we went out, and I had my first legal drink (Oh the joys of just turning 19.). I did come back to a lower bunk mate with crazy sleep apnea, and she kept me up ALL NIGHT snoring. I’m sorry, but she should have been forced to take a private room. However, I did beat jet lag in Austria since my body was a disaster from not sleeping. So score.
The restaurant in the hostel was only ok but convenient and a good way to meet people. The front desk staff helped make sure I knew how to get to the airport, and I appreciated it.
I wish I had had the time to take in all of the discounts this hostel provided. Discount hockey tickets were really popular. I absolutely adored this hostel, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I stayed here during the weekend of the Toronto Marathon (May 2012) and will stay here again in May 2013. I had a great time. This hostel knows who their customer base is, and they serve them well. I got fresh, clean towels and sheets upon request. I felt secure in storing my belongings (I brought my own lock). The staff were very helpful and accommodating (especially after running 42 km and hobbling through the lobby when coming back from the finish line). I didn’t see any other runners staying there, but with so much to do in the immediate area, the small lounge didn’t really bother me. The night after the marathon I went up to the rooftop deck, sat down and put my feet up. It was a warm night so I got to hang out up there and do my writing. Met some other backpackers who were playing their guitar and just enjoying the evening. Night 1 I stayed in the private room (#902) which is super luxurious for a hostel; night 2 I stayed in the dorm to save money. In comparison, as much as I liked having my private space/​shower/​washroom, I didn’t mind sharing the dorm room.

Pros:
–very central
–efficient staff
–reasonably priced
–feels safe
–clean
–A/​C
Cons:
–breakfast not included
–lack of windows in the corridors (feels a bit cramped and claustrophobic).
–dorm rooms are small
–lounge area too small for so many guests… feels overcrowded

I had a great stay in this particular hostel for 5 nights. As others have stated, it is located within walking distance of the Union Station and within the centre of the city. The neighborhood is safe and peaceful and most importantly, has many places of importance to a traveller such as a 24 hr Metro grocery chain store and Starbucks and Tim Hortens. My particular room did not have lockers, those are in the lobby; we did have a small tv which was a plus if you had time for it; there where bedside night tables with drawers so each occupant had a drawer; the room also included a shower and a bathroom (warning both are extremely confining). The meal ticket could be used for breakfast or dinner (serving only Sun., Tues, Thurs.); the breakfast was one of a number of choices, all of which looked good and hardy (beware that breakfast is very busy at opening). In the lounge is a small pool table, on the top floor is where alcohol can be bought and in the basement is the café, a very cramped space where meals are served. The wifi service is outstanding, I was on floor 8 and the reception was still excellent. If you are driving a car, beware that the authorities in Toronto are very strict. A parking lot lies adjacent to the property for 14.95.

I had a really good experience staying here a few weeks ago — I stayed for two nights, traveling alone, in a ten-​bed female only dorm. I didn’t participate in any activities, because I was just too sleepy, but the people I spoke to who did seemed to have had fun on the pub crawl.
I didn’t get to check out the rooftop deck because it was pouring rain the whole time I was there (ain’t it always the way?), but the other shared facilities were really nice and very clean, but NOISY. I think people were partying no matter what time I was in the lobby, even at about 6:30am. You could hear the party in the lobby in my room on the second floor.
When I arrived before check-​in, they were out of lockers and so agreed to hold my things until I came back to go into my room, which was nice. The only downside, for which I’m docking them a whole star, was that they didn’t seem to provide soap. They might have, if you asked at the desk. I just went and bought some soap instead because I get embarrassed sometimes.
The location is great. GREAT! It’s really easy to get just about everywhere, including Yonge Street, Dundas Street, the TTC station, and the Toronto Coach Terminal. If I go to Toronto again, I’ll probably be back. Maybe with some friends next time.

Good location. Good price! The rooms are clean and there are a lot lockers for your luggage. The bed are comfortable. If you check-​in in this hostel you will win a dessert for free in the restaurant. It’s true that they didn’t have any dessert but they offered my a Coke for free.

I stayed here for a couple of nights this past week. I love the number of areas to hang out it in: entry floor/​computer room, café, dinning area, TV room, kitchen. I’m quite happy with it.
The location is good. Easy walking to the underground. There is a nice Irish Pub two blocks up as well as two Thai places. If you head up Queen St, Eaton Centre is quite close.
There is also a Starbucks across the street. The only down side is the cost of parking, but that is more of a Toronto thing. The people I met here were great. The front desk staff was friendly and helpful.

I stayed here in September, 2009, for a huge political science conference. I thought I was the only person smart enough to choose this option, but I saw dozens of attendees staying there and taking advantage of the incredibly low rates. Hosteling Intl usually have great places to stay and HI-​Toronto was no exception. It was easy to find and was a giant halal bowl of skittles with the sheer number of backpackers, tourists and thrill seekers from all over the world. I especially loved the little restaurant in the basement and the excellent and cheap food. It is near everything worth seeing and I look forward to returning. I met some really cool people from all over and was pleasantly surprised to find one of my roommates fasting too (it was Ramadan). Toronto is like a friendly version of NYC and I look forward to returning and staying here again.