Convenient location on the University of Toronto campus
Numerous shops, restaurants, and public transportation options found
within a 10-minute walk
Clean guest rooms include large dresser units with
full-length mirrors
Common areas on every floor include full kitchens
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Hot breakfast available
Coin-operated laundry facilities on every floor
Use of the university's fitness center available (for a fee)
Variety of meeting rooms and event spaces
Rooms are small, lackluster dorms
Shared bathrooms show signs of wear
Fees for breakfast and use of fitness facilities
Rooms only available May to August
No-onsite parking
If the 260 plain guest rooms at Wilson Hall Residence look like dorms, it's because they are. The University of Toronto’s downtown campus rents out dorms from May to August, when school isn't in session. The lovely central location is within a 10-minute walk of two subway stations, as well as attractions like Chinatown and the Royal Ontario Museum. Guests have free access to common rooms
with kitchens, but most other amenities, from fitness facilities to breakfast,
come at an extra fee. The two-pearl property is uninspiring overall, but it offers
some of the best rates in the city for its location, making it a competitive choice
for guests prioritizing price over amenities. Suite Dreams Toronto Bed & Breakfast is a nearby budget option, open year round with free breakfast.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
No-frills accommodation geared toward budget travelers
Wilson Hall Residence is a student residence from September to April, and it looks like one. The brick-and-concrete
interior, shiny flooring, and echoing stairwells perfectly fit the image of a
typical school building. Six floors are a sprawling maze of guest rooms, classrooms,
and quiet, open-concept study areas, with no real division between guest areas
and spaces that summer students at the university might use.With its basic services and guest rooms, the residence makes
its target market of backpackers and budget travelers quite clear. Despite the
many common areas, the residence doesn’t exude a social, hostel-like
atmosphere, and instead appears to be more of an in-and-out place to crash for
most guests.
Location
Pleasant downtown location on the University of Toronto campus
Wilson Hall Residence is located on the large downtown
campus of the University of Toronto, which stretches for 180 acres, bound by
Bay Street, Bloor Street, Spadina Avenue, and College Street. The residence is
on the periphery of the Annex neighborhood, an attractive, student-driven
district filled with tree-lined paths and historic homes. Dining and nightlife at the Bloor-Spadina intersection can
be reached in 10 minutes on foot, and more bars, clubs, and restaurants are found down Bloor Street. The Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal
Ontario Museum, Chinatown, and Kensington Market are all located within a mile
of the residence. Slightly farther away are the upscale shops and restaurants
of Yorkville, which can be reached in a 20-minute walk. Two subway stations,
Queen’s Park and Spadina, are also located within half a mile of the residence. Toronto Pearson International Airport is about 41 minutes away by public transportation or a 34-minute drive. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is even closer -- about 25 minutes by public transportation or a 17-minute drive.
Rooms
Utilitarian rooms include desks and large dressers
Guest rooms at Wilson Hall Residence look like the student dorms that they are, with drab gray or brown flooring and walls. Room
sizes vary significantly, but all include one or two single beds, a wooden desk
and chair, as well as a dresser unit with a full-length mirror on the inside
door. Small plastic cups and off-brand bars of soap are set on the desks, and
thin white towels are draped over dated bedspreads. Most rooms include large
windows with views of the pretty surrounding campus. None of the rooms have TVs, but they do have phones, and Wi-Fi is free. Shared bathrooms look similar to large public washrooms,
arranged in long rows of sinks and stalls. Toilet and shower stalls are
separate. Some include a bathtub and others have just a shower. The bathrooms
are fairly clean overall, but there are noticeable signs of wear-and-tear,
including spots of rust and chipped bits of porcelain. Guests should bring shower shoes.
Features
Common areas with full kitchens, free Wi-Fi, and laundry facilities
Common areas are found on every floor of Wilson Hall
Residence and, like the guest rooms, they vary in size. All include couches and
flat-screen TVs, as well as full kitchens with refrigerators, stovetops, ovens, and
microwaves. Some have table-and-chair set-ups for dining. However, there are no cups, cutlery, or any cooking utensils
provided for preparing meals. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the residence, and guests
also have the option of using an ethernet cord for wired Internet access. Hot breakfasts are available in the enormous dining hall on weekdays (and some weekends) for an extra charge. Each
floor offers guest laundry facilities with coin-operated washers and dryers.The residence includes a number of meeting and event rooms,
which range from a 250-seat auditorium and 300-person banquet hall, to small
classrooms and boardrooms. Guests can pay a
daily fee to use the facilities at the neighboring University of Toronto
Athletic Centre.
