Why choose a hostel in Toronto?
Toronto rewards curious travellers with a dense mix of culture, food, and architecture spread across walkable neighbourhoods. The CN Tower remains the city's most recognizable landmark, while the Royal Ontario Museum draws visitors with its broad natural history and art collections. Staying in hostels in Toronto puts you close to all of it, without paying hotel rates in one of North America's pricier cities.
Hostels here work well for solo travellers, students, and anyone who wants to spend more on experiences than on accommodation. Shared dorms keep costs low, and most properties also offer private rooms if you want your own space. Compared to hotels, hostels deliver far more social value and usually include communal kitchens and common areas. Private rentals can match the price, but hostels offer something they rarely do: a built-in community from the moment you arrive.
How to find the best hostel deals in Toronto
Want to use the same magic that powers our award-winning flight search to find incredible room rates online? Here are a few tips to find the perfect stay and save in seconds.
Book in advance
The earlier you book, the better. You're more likely to land a cheaper price on a hostel in Toronto and have more options.
…or bag a last-minute Toronto hostel deal.
Although prices tend to climb the closer it gets to the date of your stay, sometimes hostels cut their rates at the last minute to avoid having empty rooms. It's more likely this will happen in the low season.
Flexible on dates? Say hello to better rates
Cheap hostels can be easier to find when you're flexible. Play around with different seasons or months, or travel midweek instead of weekends to keep costs down.
Where to base yourself in Toronto
Kensington Market is worth considering if you're drawn to budget hostels in Toronto, since the neighbourhood keeps prices low and puts you close to eclectic cafes, cheap eats, and independent shops. Streetcar lines run nearby, making it easy to get around the broader city. The Art Gallery of Ontario sits just a short walk away, along with Baldwin Street's casual restaurants. Further east, the Annex sits close to Bloor-Yonge station, one of the city's main subway interchanges. From there, you can reach most major attractions without much effort. Bloor Street carries a good spread of bars, mid-range restaurants, and small music venues. Casa Loma, the city's hilltop castle, is a short ride north. The choice between the two comes down to whether you want a lively market neighbourhood or easier subway access.
Best hostels in Toronto
Hostels on Skyscanner include traveller ratings based on real guest reviews. They typically cover core areas like location, cleanliness, service, value for money, and facilities. It makes it easier to discover the ideal stay for your trip, whether you're on a tight budget or prefer a little more comfort.
Best all-rounder hostels
For a stay that checks every box, you can't go past ODE. It gets excellent reviews for its cleanliness, rooms and sleep quality.
The Clarence Park is another solid option. Guests give it strong ratings for its location, value and its cleanliness, so you can expect more than just a bed for the night.
Highest-rated hostels for cleanliness
If a clean and comfortable hostel is a must, ODE fits the bill. Guests consistently rate it highly for cleanliness, with extras like heating and air conditioning.
The Only Backpacker's Inn keeps the standard high as well, with guests giving it strong cleanliness ratings. Here you'll have access to a barbecue, a bar and more.
Hostels with the best customer service
When it comes to customer service, ODE is one of the highest-rated hostels in Toronto. This option comes with air conditioning and luggage storage.
Samesun Toronto also stands out for its customer service, with travellers mentioning the staff for going above and beyond. A games room and luggage storage are a couple of the amenities here.
Centrally located hostels
Location is where ODE really lives up to its reputation, according to the travellers who've been there. It offers everything you need, including air conditioning and heating.
Or get your trip off to a great start at The Clarence Park. Extras like tour services and parking add to the comfort of staying at this well-located base.
Hostels near the best neighbourhoods in Toronto
Hostels in North St.James Town
North St.James Town is a dense, diverse residential area with a strong sense of community. The food scene reflects the mix of cultures that call it home, and transit connections make it easy to reach downtown Toronto and beyond. Hostels in North St.James Town give you a grounded base in a part of the city that feels genuinely local. Nearby Bloor Street and Sherbourne add cafes, shops, and parks within easy reach.
With a guest rating of around 4.8 out of 5, ODE is one to keep on your radar. This accommodation option in North St.James Town comes with amenities like luggage storage and heating.
All Days Hostel also knows how to make guests happy. This stay is rated around 4.1 out of 5 by travellers and has perks like parking and a safe deposit box.
Hostels near the best attractions in Toronto
Where to stay near CN Tower
The CN Tower is a freestanding concrete communications and observation tower in Toronto. It held the title of world's tallest free-standing structure for over 30 years. The tower includes observation decks, a glass floor, and a revolving restaurant near its top. Travellers staying at hostels near CN Tower have easy access to one of Canada's most recognizable structures.
Making your way to CN Tower is simple when you stay at The Clarence Park. Parking and heating are part of what's available at this hostel in Toronto.
Saint Lawrence Residences and Suites is another convenient choice close to this attraction. Amenities such as a safe deposit box and tour services are a couple of the things you'll find here.
Hostels close to Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum pulls in travellers with one of North America's largest collections of art, culture, and natural history under one roof. You can spend hours moving through ancient Egyptian artifacts, dinosaur fossils, and world cultures galleries without covering everything. Staying at hostels near Royal Ontario Museum puts you right in reach of all of it, with enough variety to keep you coming back for more than one visit.
All Days Hostel makes an excellent base for exploring Royal Ontario Museum. You'll find a laundry and Wi-Fi at this hostel in Toronto.
Another solid option within easy reach of this attraction is Tartu College Student Residence. This hostel comes with amenities like a restaurant and heating.
