Where to stay in Toronto

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located on a harbour at the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario.

Toronto has an estimated population of over 3.2 million people as of 2024, and is the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) which has 7.1 million people. It also anchors the Golden Horseshoe region, which wraps around Lake Ontario from Toronto to Niagara Falls, home to over 11.1 million residents, approximately a quarter of Canada's entire population. Toronto is the fourth largest city and fifth largest urban agglomeration in North America.

Toronto is made up of varied and unique neighbourhoods. Covering 631 km2, Toronto stretches some 32 km along the shores of Lake Ontario. The city is laid out on a very straightforward grid pattern. Streets rarely deviate from the grid, except when topography interferes, such as the curving Don River Valley, and to a lesser degree the Humber and Rouge valleys at opposite ends of the city. Some main thoroughfares intersect the grid at angles. The dense urban core of Toronto. It includes many of the city's attractions and hotels. These are the older suburbs that ring the downtown followed by an outer ring of post-war suburbs.

Most Toronto hotels and hostels are situated next to or just outside of the downtown core. Prices for rooms generally range from $150 for a standard hotel, $60–80 for a motel, and $20–40 for a bed in a hostel. Apart from downtown, most other Toronto neighborhoods have few lodging options, so one must then look at outlying suburbs beyond the city limits. Toronto has a wide variety of hotels that can suit every budget. Many are located in the Entertainment and Financial Districts and Yonge-Dundas areas. Toronto has several youth hostels, including ones in the downtown area, such as HI-Toronto Hostel at the foot of Church Street.

Getting in

Toronto Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, is 30-50 minutes by car (depending on traffic) or 25 minutes by train from downtown Toronto and is served by most major international carriers. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 hosts all Air Canada flights and a few other international (mostly Star Alliance) carriers while Terminal 3 hosts all other airlines.

Getting around

Toronto is huge, and most roads run for very long distances. Streetcar rail, subway rail, and intercity rail services are clean and efficient, and it's entirely possible to get around Toronto without a car, especially downtown. You may find it quicker and easier to drive, but the highways regularly back up during rush hour (7—10AM and 4—7PM). Toronto has plentiful parking garages downtown, but they are very expensive. Many in Toronto travel by bicycle (especially in the warmer months) and this mode is very convenient for getting around the downtown district.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.