HI Toronto

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.