toronto It’s Canada’s version of New York. It’s a diverse, multicultural city with a vibrant nightlife, amazing food, and countless fun things to see and do—no matter what season you visit.
While it may lack historical charm montreal or natural beauty VancouverToronto is a large city that allows you to entertain yourself easily.
However, it can also be an expensive city to visit.
Budget hotels are in inconvenient locations and Airbnb prices are rising every year. Luckily, the city has some affordable hotels that can help you save money – money that you can use to enjoy the city and all it has to offer!
To help you plan your trip, here is a list of my favorite hotels in Toronto. If you don't want to read the longer list below, the following hotels are the best in each category:
Best hostels for budget travelers:
Best hostel for couples/families:
Best hostels for solo female travelers:
Best hotel for parties:
Want to know the specific conditions of each dormitory? Here is my complete list of the best hostels in Toronto:
1. Planet Traveler Youth Hostel
Planet Traveler is a great hotel because they truly cater to our traveler needs. All rooms are ensuite (including all dorm rooms), have a fully equipped kitchen, free breakfast until 1pm (which is actually pretty good), two private lockers for each guest, and best of all, a great rooftop terrace with incredible views of downtown Toronto.
It's a fun hotel where it's easy to make friends and the super friendly staff run regular weekly events such as trivia nights and pub crawls. The beds are also very comfortable so you can get a good night's sleep (a big plus in my opinion!), and several rooms offer pod style beds for extra privacy. The hostel is located in Kensington Market, one of Toronto's coolest neighborhoods, with tons of affordable restaurants and interesting shops right on the doorstep.
Planet Traveler Hostel Overview:
- hold many events
- Free breakfast (until 1pm)
- Excellent central location
2. The only backpacker hostel
This is your standard casual backpacker hostel. They have a bar (with over 200 beers on tap), a cafe, many common areas (including an outdoor patio), and free breakfast. The staff are very friendly and it's located near the metro so you can easily get around the city and explore.
Although the dormitory here is small, the mattresses are thick and very comfortable. Everything is bright and colorful and the whole place has a bit of a DIY feel. In short, this is your casual, classic backpacker hostel, and a good choice for solo travelers looking to meet friends.
List of the only backpacker hostels:
- free breakfast
- Helpful staff
- Cool outdoor terrace
3. Parkdale Inn
This is the most affordable hotel in the city. No free breakfast, but the money you save makes up for it. There are many common spaces as well as a communal kitchen. It's not as central as other hostels, but is close to Vegandale (the city's burgeoning vegetarian area) as well as Echo Beach and Fort York (a national historic site). The facilities and design aren't the most modern, but it's super cheap and has a warm, welcoming feel.
If you don't want to socialize and just want to save money, this is the hotel for you.
Parkdale hotel overview:
- super affordable
- social atmosphere
- Close to many great restaurants
4. Clarence Park
This centrally located hotel is just blocks from the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Toronto Harbourfront and many other famous attractions. If you want to be in the center of it all, this is a great place to stay. Of course, you'll need to pay a little extra for the privilege.
Clarence Park is a social hotel with a cozy lounge with free tea and coffee, weekly activities and a rooftop terrace and BBQ (open seasonally, this is Canada after all!). There is also a spacious, well-equipped, modern kitchen, perfect for cooking your own meals and saving some money. Each room has a desk, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
Clarence Park at a glance:
- Communal kitchen
- weekly social events
- Rooftop terrace and BBQ facilities
Booking a trip to Toronto: Logistical tips and tricks
Book a flight
use Skyscanner Find cheap flights. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines all over the world so you always know no stone is left unturned!
Book accommodation
You can book a hostel via hostel world Because they have the largest inventory and the best prices. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hotel, use Booking.com Because they always provide guesthouses and budget hotels at the cheapest prices.
For a list of the best areas to stay in the city, take a look at this post.
Don’t forget travel insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft and cancellation. It provides complete protection in case any issues arise. I wouldn't travel without it as I have used it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the cheapest company?
look at mine Resources page Providing you with the best companies to use when traveling. I’ve listed all the ways I use to save money while traveling. They also save you money when you travel.
Want to learn more about Toronto?
Be sure to visit my Rich destination guide to Toronto Learn more planning tips!
