Central location within a 10-minute walk of shopping,
dining, and public transit
Free made-to-order breakfast each day
Artsy lower-level cafe and bar with live music
Free daily activities and city tours
Wi-Fi is free
Trendy exposed brick walls and colorful decor
Coin-operated laundry on-site
Toiletry dispensers in the showers (not common in most hostels)
Shared kitchen with cooking supplies and stove-tops
Wi-Fi can be slow
Most shared bathrooms are tiny
Cafe closed at lunch
No on-site parking
HI Toronto is a branch of the worldwide youth hostel organization, located within a five-minute walk of the subway in downtown Toronto. Simple dorms and private rooms at this one-and-a-half-pearl hostel are designed for guests seeking a place to sleep rather than to linger. Shared and en-suite bathrooms are clean but most are tiny. The free freshly-prepared breakfast each day is a thoughtful extra. With comfy common areas, an on-site cafe and bar that features live music, and free group activities organized every day, HI Toronto is an affordable base for budget travelers to socialize and explore the city.
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Scene
Laid-back backpacker hangout catering towards young, budget-minded guests
HI Toronto exudes a classic hostel vibe with its comfortable sitting areas; bold wall colors; as well as blackboards and whiteboards scrawled with events and drink specials.
Bare brick walls, concrete flooring, and exposed pipes give the hostel’s interior a hip, industrial feeling. Rental bikes are parked casually against the walls around the lobby entrance, and window frames are stacked with used books. Twentysomethings sprawl in mismatched chairs typing on laptops in the TV room, and cook in the common kitchen.
Location
Downtown location on the periphery of Toronto’s Financial District
HI Toronto is located about a seven-minute walk from King and Bay, the heart of Toronto’s Financial District. This busy neighborhood is one of the most markedly urban areas of Toronto, home to some of the city’s tallest towers as well as excellent shopping and dining spots.
More shopping and dining can be found at the iconic St. Lawrence Market, reachable in less than six minutes on foot; as well as at the Toronto Eaton Center, which is half-a-mile away. The hostel is also a five-minute walk from King subway station, which provides quick access to the rest of the city.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise about the hostel’s downtown location is that it’s across the street from the historic Cathedral Church of St. James. Dominating the street with its magnificent 305-foot spire, the sound of the cathedral’s bells chiming can be heard faintly inside the hostel.
Rooms
No-frills dorms and private rooms offer tiny bathrooms equipped with toiletry dispensers
Anyone familiar with the HI network has a fairly good idea what to expect from the rooms at HI Toronto. The hostel offers mixed and same-sex four-bed, six-bed, eight-bed, and 10-bed dorms, as well as private rooms.
Dorms feature simple bunk beds with linens, towels, a reading lamp, and a safe for each guest. Most dorms have their own tiny en-suite bathroom, but others require guests to walk down the hall to a large shared bathroom. All showers include dispensers stocked with generic shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
Private rooms feature the addition of coffee-and tea-making facilities, mini-fridges, and safes. All include a flat-screen TV and desk, as well as cramped en-suite bathrooms with separate sinks built in the main room. Private rooms are tidy and practical, but perhaps overpriced for the basic facilities and small space they offer.
Features
Lower-level bar open for breakfast and dinner, coin-operated laundry, common kitchen, and free group activities
Set on the lower level of the hostel, The Cavern Bar looks like a mix between a post-apocalyptic hideout and an old-fashioned tavern. Low lighting illuminates wooden tables and a cross-processed-like mural of Toronto. Free breakfasts are served here in the morning, as well as dinner and drinks in the evening. The bar offers daily drink specials and entertainment, including live music performances and trivia nights.
Adjacent to the bar area is a long, narrow common kitchen and a small dining room. The kitchen is well-stocked with plates, cutlery, and cooking supplies, along with two full stove-tops and a microwave. Shelves are labeled for organized clean-up and put-away. Upstairs, there’s an austere laundry room with coin-operated washers and dryers.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hostel, and there are two computers set up in the lobby. The lobby leads into a comfortable TV room, where a whiteboard advertises the activities and events taking place each day, many of which are free for guests. Activities range from tours of the local Steam Whistle Brewery, to barbecues on the hostel’s seasonal rooftop patio. Public parking is available nearby for a daily charge.