04-14-2021, 08:41 PM
Toronto has a vibrant and safe downtown area that's easy to get around on foot, by transit, or by taxi. Â Downtown is also where you'll find the largest cluster of attractions, restaurants, and shopping, so it is by far the best area for most visitors. Â (Downtown is roughly the area east of Spadina Avenue and west of Jarvis Street, running from the lake to just north of Bloor Street.)
It's not a good idea to stay by the airport, unless you have a flight to catch the next morning.  There's a good selection of airport hotels, but transit options from the airport area to downtown are either expensive or very slow.  Staying near the airport, especially without a car, will make it more difficult to see the city.
Book early if visiting the city in the summer. Â The busiest time of year for Toronto hotels is during the Toronto International Film Festival (ten days in early September, starting the Thursday after Labour Day).
The remainder of this page lists:
Staying in Downtown Toronto on a BudgetÂ
A downtown hotel in a good location doesn't have to break the bank.
Using Hotwire and Priceline
You won't find rooms advertised at under $100/night for any reputable downtown Toronto hotel, but both Hotwire and Priceline.com regularly offer such rates at major brand-name hotels.Â
On Hotwire, you specify your dates, and you'll see a list of hotel offers by area, star rating, and amenities. The name and address of the hotel are only revealed once you've made your non-refundable booking. In Toronto, stick to "Downtown West" for best results. You can use Better Bidding.com's Hotwire hotel list to try to guess which hotel you're being offered (the list was originally posted in 2003 but has been updated regularly; because listings do change there are no guarantees).
Priceline works similarly, except their "Name Your Own Price" system allows you to "bid" the rate you want to pay, and see if any hotels will accept your bid. The BiddingForTravel forum lists recent Priceline bids for Toronto-area hotels; again, make sure to specify "Downtown" in order to get a hotel in a convenient location.
Finally, make sure you're aware of the restrictions for both services:
If you want more flexibility than Hotwire and Priceline offer, the following hotels provide decent, clean accomodation in good locations:Â
Hotels by Location
With any downtown hotel, you shouldn't have to worry too much about location -- it's easy to get around downtown on foot or by public transit. But if you must be as close as possible to a particular spot, check the lists below or ask in the Toronto forum.
Location
Hotels Within 400m
(5-Minute Walk)
Hotels Within 800m
(10-Minute Walk)
Union Station
(VIA Rail,
GO Transit) and
Hockey Hall of Fame
(Maple Leafs
hockey, Raptors
basketball,
concerts)
Convention
Centre
SkyDome
(Blue Jays
baseball,
Argonauts CFL
football,
concerts),
CN Tower, and
Ripley's Aquarium
of Canada
(Roy Thomson
Hall, Princess
of Wales
Theatre, Royal
Alexandra
Theatre, TIFF
Bell Lightbox)
Centre, Yonge-
Dundas Square,
Ed Mirvish
Theatre,
Massey Hall,
Pantages
Theatre
Museum
(Yorkville
neighbourhood)
Several downtown hotels are connected to the maze-like PATH system of underground walkways. The PATH is lined with shops that typically cater to office workers above, and connects to the Eaton Centre, Union Station, and many of the downtown subway stations. Hotels with PATH connections are:
Before deciding to stay at the airport, make sure to read the note at the top of this page about getting downtown from airport hotels.
Trendy Hotels
Many of these are located in quiet, tree-lined residential neighbourhoods near downtown. There are over 116 Bed and Breakfast located in Toronto. Many are located in historic homes with award winning gardens. Others are conviently located near the subway line with easy access to the (TTC) Toronto Transit Commission. You can also discover the lovely charm of Toronto's many "villages" such at trendy Bloor West Village with it's Polish and Ukranian flavour, Cabbagetown or Little Italy. You also have the option of a quaint little B & B's on Toronto Island or even a Boatel (Boat Bed and Breakfast) in downtown Toronto waterfront.  If you haven't stayed at a bed and breakfast before, don't worry B & B owners are infamous for making people feel right at home in their home. So if you want unique accommodations that are a refreshing change from a traditional hotel then try a B & B in Toronto.   See B&B listings and reviews on TripAdvisor.
It's not a good idea to stay by the airport, unless you have a flight to catch the next morning.  There's a good selection of airport hotels, but transit options from the airport area to downtown are either expensive or very slow.  Staying near the airport, especially without a car, will make it more difficult to see the city.
Book early if visiting the city in the summer. Â The busiest time of year for Toronto hotels is during the Toronto International Film Festival (ten days in early September, starting the Thursday after Labour Day).
The remainder of this page lists:
- Budget Options (Hotwire, Priceline, and budget hotels)
- Hotels by Location
- Hotels by Category (trendy, suite, family, etc.)
Staying in Downtown Toronto on a BudgetÂ
A downtown hotel in a good location doesn't have to break the bank.
Using Hotwire and Priceline
You won't find rooms advertised at under $100/night for any reputable downtown Toronto hotel, but both Hotwire and Priceline.com regularly offer such rates at major brand-name hotels.Â
On Hotwire, you specify your dates, and you'll see a list of hotel offers by area, star rating, and amenities. The name and address of the hotel are only revealed once you've made your non-refundable booking. In Toronto, stick to "Downtown West" for best results. You can use Better Bidding.com's Hotwire hotel list to try to guess which hotel you're being offered (the list was originally posted in 2003 but has been updated regularly; because listings do change there are no guarantees).
Priceline works similarly, except their "Name Your Own Price" system allows you to "bid" the rate you want to pay, and see if any hotels will accept your bid. The BiddingForTravel forum lists recent Priceline bids for Toronto-area hotels; again, make sure to specify "Downtown" in order to get a hotel in a convenient location.
Finally, make sure you're aware of the restrictions for both services:
- You pay in full when you make the booking, and there are no refunds.
- You do not get to choose the number or type of beds. Priceline assumes double occupancy; Hotwire asks for the number of adults in the room.
- Some hotels sell their less marketable rooms -- low floors, near elevators, etc. -- through Hotwire and Priceline, so if you're picky about hotel rooms you may be disappointed.
- While many hotels will honour special requests and allow room upgrades for Hotwire and Priceline guests, they are not required to do so.
If you want more flexibility than Hotwire and Priceline offer, the following hotels provide decent, clean accomodation in good locations:Â
- Courtyard Toronto Downtown, on Yonge St., near College subway station (reviews)
- Super 8 Toronto Downtown, on Spadina Ave. in Chinatown (reviews)
- Bond Place Hotel, on Dundas St. East, near Dundas subway station (reviews)
- Cromwell Suites, on Isabella St., between Bloor-Yonge and Wellesley subway stations (reviews)
- Comfort Hotel, on Charles St., near Bloor-Yonge subway station (reviews)
- Howard Johnson Downtown Toronto-Yorkville, on Avenue Rd., near Bay and Museum subway stations (reviews)
Hotels by Location
With any downtown hotel, you shouldn't have to worry too much about location -- it's easy to get around downtown on foot or by public transit. But if you must be as close as possible to a particular spot, check the lists below or ask in the Toronto forum.
Location
Hotels Within 400m
(5-Minute Walk)
Hotels Within 800m
(10-Minute Walk)
Union Station
(VIA Rail,
GO Transit) and
Hockey Hall of Fame
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- The Strathcona Hotel (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Hotel Victoria (reviews)
- Cosmopolitan Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
- Novotel Toronto Centre (reviews)
- Shangri-La Toronto
- Westin Harbour Castle (reviews)
(Maple Leafs
hockey, Raptors
basketball,
concerts)
- Hotel Le Germain (Mercer Street) (reviews)
- Westin Harbour Castle (reviews)
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- The Strathcona Hotel (reviews)
- Hotel Victoria (reviews)
- Cosmopolitan Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Novotel Toronto Centre (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
Convention
Centre
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
- Residence Inn Toronto Downtown/Entertainment District (reviews)
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- The Strathcona Hotel (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain (Mercer Street) (reviews)
- SoHo Metropolitan (reviews)
- Radisson Plaza Hotel Admiral Toronto-Harbourfront (reviews)
- Hyatt Regency Toronto (reviews)
- Shangri-La Toronto
SkyDome
(Blue Jays
baseball,
Argonauts CFL
football,
concerts),
CN Tower, and
Ripley's Aquarium
of Canada
- Renaissance Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- Radisson Plaza Hotel Admiral Toronto-Harbourfront (reviews)
- SoHo Metropolitan (reviews)
- Residence Inn Toronto Downtown/Entertainment District (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Hyatt Regency Toronto (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain (Mercer Street) (reviews)
- Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Downtown (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- The Strathcona Hotel (reviews)
- Making Waves Boatel
(Roy Thomson
Hall, Princess
of Wales
Theatre, Royal
Alexandra
Theatre, TIFF
Bell Lightbox)
- Hyatt Regency Toronto (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain (Mercer Street) (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- Residence Inn Toronto Downtown/Entertainment District (reviews)
- SoHo Metropolitan (reviews)
- Shangri-La Toronto
- The Strathcona Hotel (reviews)
- Hilton Toronto (reviews)
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- The Rex Hotel (reviews)
- Sheraton Centre Toronto (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
Centre, Yonge-
Dundas Square,
Ed Mirvish
Theatre,
Massey Hall,
Pantages
Theatre
- Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre (reviews)
- Pantages Hotel Toronto Centre (reviews)
- Cambridge Suites Hotel (reviews)
- Bond Place Hotel (reviews)
- Sheraton Centre Toronto (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
- Eaton Chelsea Hotel (reviews)
- Metropolitan Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- Cosmopolitan Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- Hotel Victoria (reviews)
- Hilton Garden Inn Toronto City Centre (reviews)
- Hilton Toronto (reviews)
- Grand Hotel & Suites Toronto (reviews)
- Courtyard Toronto Downtown (reviews)
- Holiday Inn Express Toronto Downtown (reviews)
- Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre (reviews)
- Shangri-La Toronto
- The Rex Hotel (reviews)
Museum
(Yorkville
neighbourhood)
- Park Hyatt Toronto (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville (Bloor Street) (reviews)
- The Hazelton Hotel (reviews)
- Windsor Arms Hotel (reviews)
- Howard Johnson Hotel Toronto Yorkville(reviews)
- Holiday Inn Bloor-Yorkville (reviews)
- Four Seasons Toronto
- Toronto Marriott Bloor-Yorkville Hotel(reviews)
Several downtown hotels are connected to the maze-like PATH system of underground walkways. The PATH is lined with shops that typically cater to office workers above, and connects to the Eaton Centre, Union Station, and many of the downtown subway stations. Hotels with PATH connections are:
- Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre (reviews)
- Sheraton Centre Toronto (reviews)
- The Fairmont Royal York (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
- Cambridge Suites Hotel (reviews)
- Hilton Toronto (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- Delta Toronto Hotel (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
Before deciding to stay at the airport, make sure to read the note at the top of this page about getting downtown from airport hotels.
- Directly connected to Terminal 3 is the Sheraton Gateway Hotel (reviews)
- Adjacent to the LINK inter-terminal shuttle train is the ALT Hotel Toronto Pearson (reviews)
- Nearby hotels, most of which offer free shuttle bus service to/from the airport, can be found via a TripAdvisor hotel search
- Starting in mid-2015, it may be just as fast (though likely more expensive) to take the Union-Pearson Express train into the city and stay downtown, where you'll have much more within walking distance of your hotel
Trendy Hotels
- SoHo Metropolitan (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square (reviews)
- Hotel Le Germain (Mercer Street) (reviews)
- Gladstone Hotel (reviews)
- Drake Hotel (reviews)
- Cosmopolitan Hotel Toronto (reviews)
- Windsor Arms Hotel (reviews)
- The Old Mill Inn & Spa (reviews)
- The Hazelton Hotel (reviews)
- The Ritz Carlton Toronto (reviews)
- Park Hyatt Toronto (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville (Bloor Street) (reviews)
- Intercontinental Toronto Centre (Front Street) (reviews)
- Four Seasons Toronto (opens fall 2012)
- Shangri-La Toronto (opens fall 2012)
- Residence Inn Toronto Downtown/Entertainment District (reviews)
- One King West Hotel & Residence (reviews)
- Cambridge Suites Hotel (reviews)
- Eaton Chelsea Hotel (reviews)
- Courtyard Toronto Downtown (reviews)
- Cambridge Suites Hotel (reviews)
Many of these are located in quiet, tree-lined residential neighbourhoods near downtown. There are over 116 Bed and Breakfast located in Toronto. Many are located in historic homes with award winning gardens. Others are conviently located near the subway line with easy access to the (TTC) Toronto Transit Commission. You can also discover the lovely charm of Toronto's many "villages" such at trendy Bloor West Village with it's Polish and Ukranian flavour, Cabbagetown or Little Italy. You also have the option of a quaint little B & B's on Toronto Island or even a Boatel (Boat Bed and Breakfast) in downtown Toronto waterfront.  If you haven't stayed at a bed and breakfast before, don't worry B & B owners are infamous for making people feel right at home in their home. So if you want unique accommodations that are a refreshing change from a traditional hotel then try a B & B in Toronto.   See B&B listings and reviews on TripAdvisor.