Homestays in Ontario, Canada

This is a University of Toronto student dormitory, likely rented out to non-students during the summer break when many students move out. Access is by key card, so security and hygiene are good. The vanity had two disposable cups and a small bar of soap, tiny bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion, along with bath towels, face towels, and hand towels. The bathroom had one roll of toilet paper, and the closet contained three wire hangers. There were no water cups or toothbrush cups. On the second day, I asked the front desk for disposable cups and garbage bags but was told they were out. There's no toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, slippers, hairdryer, kettle, fridge, microwave, or safe. When I checked in, I asked to borrow a hairdryer and was told they'd have one in the morning. However, when I went back the next day, they said I needed a student ID as collateral to borrow it. The communal kitchen and washing machines are for students only. If you stay long-term, cleaning is provided once every seven days; otherwise, you're on your own. When booking, pay close attention, as some rooms don't have private bathrooms. Make sure to bring your own toothpaste, toothbrush, slippers, hairdryer, and kettle. A universal travel adapter (like a Bull brand one) would be very useful. Just one block to the left is a 7-Eleven. A bit further down is a larger supermarket with fresh produce, milk, eggs, bread, fruit, and other daily necessities. It's about 1 km to both the University of Toronto and Chinatown, making them easily walkable. The Royal Ontario Museum is about 1 km away, and the Art Gallery of Ontario is just under 2 km. Lake Ontario is about 5-6 km away as the crow flies. The room facilities are very convenient for students. I'm not sure if it's open to non-students outside of academic breaks.

I’ll start with the positives. This is a fantastic location. You are steps from major downtown Toronto attractions. Restaurants and shops are everywhere. The CN Tower rises right in front of the building, which is pretty hard to beat. The apartment was clean. There were lots of towels. The bathroom was bigger than expected. If you split this with another couple, the price becomes very reasonable for downtown. That said, the second bedroom is tight. There’s basically no space for suitcases or personal items. Now the not so good. Arrival and check-in were chaotic. It was pouring rain during rush hour and there was nowhere to park as instructed. My husband had to keep circling while I ran inside getting soaked. Despite completing online check-in and receiving an “online check-in complete” email, my security deposit hadn’t gone through. I had checked the many emails they sent and didn’t see anything flagging this. Even though everything else was fully paid in advance, they wouldn’t let me go to the room to dry off or grab my glasses to fix the issue. I had to authorize a manual credit card charge over the phone because I couldn’t read their links without my glasses. Not a great feeling. The building entrance is nice. Big, clean, and airy. The hallway to the unit is the opposite. Worn carpet, scuffed walls, chipped paint. Not the best first impression. Inside the unit was better. It looked freshly painted and was clean. I paid extra for a balcony thinking “Metropolitan Lofts – CN Tower” meant we’d be sitting out admiring the tower. That part is on me for not checking. The listing didn’t promise a view. Our balcony faced an office building and a parking lot. Below was a sad patch of grass filled with old boots, a broken broom, crushed beer cans, and what felt like 10,000 cigarette butts. The neighbour used their balcony as a full-time phone booth at max volume. If you’re not on the Front St side, don’t bother paying extra for a balcony. The unit had enough space for two, but it was too warm. The thermostat didn’t do anything. It stayed around 24–25°C the whole time, which made sleeping uncomfortable. The bedding didn’t help. The bottom sheet was just a tucked flat sheet. It came loose both nights. The duvet setup was also odd, with layers of flat sheets above and below the duvet that slid around. I kept waking up on the mattress pad or directly on the duvet. A fitted sheet and proper duvet cover would fix this. The worst part was the elevators. They are very slow. Plan an extra 10–15 minutes just waiting. The middle elevator felt unsafe. It opened and closed repeatedly for no reason. It stopped at every floor with no one there. It randomly changed direction mid-trip. One time it didn’t line up with the floor and we had to step down. That was enough for me. I took the stairs after that. Overall: 5/5 for location, 4/5 for cleanliness. If you’re a group of four, the two-bedroom can be a decent value, just expect tight space. If you care about smooth check-in, reliable elevators, temperature control, and decent bedding, this might not be your place.

I stayed at this hotel for one night, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best short stays I’ve had in a long time. From start to finish, everything exceeded my expectations. The host was absolutely amazing — extremely helpful, responsive, and professional throughout the entire stay. They answered all of my questions quickly, even after I had already checked in, which made the whole experience feel very smooth and stress-free. It’s rare to find that level of attentiveness and genuine care. The view was simply stunning. I loved the beautiful water view — waking up and seeing the water right outside was such a peaceful and memorable experience. It truly elevated the entire stay. The unit itself was spotless and exceptionally clean. You can tell that a lot of care goes into maintaining the space. Everything felt fresh, organized, and very well taken care of. The kitchen was fully equipped with everything we needed, which made it so convenient to prepare our own dinner. Having a proper kitchen setup really makes a difference, especially for a comfortable and relaxed night in. The location is another huge plus. The area is fantastic — so many restaurants and bars within walking distance, and even grocery stores nearby. Being able to walk everywhere made the stay even more enjoyable and convenient. Overall, this place is a solid 10/10. I would absolutely stay here again without hesitation and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a clean, comfortable, well-located place to stay downtown. Truly a five-star experience!

The front desk is very welcoming. I need to change a few coins and take a bus on weekdays. Most of them can help. The room was very spacious, the quilt was a bit thick, and the air conditioner had to be turned down at night to sleep or it would get hot. Wifi is free and works well, no problem watching videos. Free breakfast, in the door on the left side of the entrance door, is a large hall with several tables and chairs. Breakfast is very simple but nutrition is enough. Two types of bread slices, several types of bagels, three types of muffin cakes, three types of crispy cereals with milk, peeled white boiled eggs, cold milk, several cold juices, hot coffee, hot water, and bags The Quaker Instant Oatmeal comes in two flavors: apples and oranges, all of which are whole. There are several stations around, close to kingston center, only a few minutes walk, there is the bus terminal and several supermarkets, shopping and transportation are convenient. In short, the price is very high.

This was a great bed and breakfast, close to all amenities! It was clean & the hosts were friendly.

Helpful customer service by Ms June. Clean place with full equipped kitchen. Highly recommended.

Downtown, close to everything, 15 minutes walk north to University of Toronto, 10 minutes walk south to the coast, but the bed is a bit small

Pros: The hotel is in a good location, within a five-minute walk of the Toronto CN Tower and Rogers Centre. The room is quite large, and it is not a problem for two adults and two children to stay. You can buy some food and cook. The equipment is complete. There is a Starbucks downstairs, which is very convenient. There is a large 24-hour supermarket on the corner. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to the main attractions. Cons: Full self-service check-in, no cleaning. You have to wash your own towels and take out the trash yourself. Overall, it is worth staying