Clean facility, Good security, Quiet neighborhood, Historical house (circa 1880) with outside…read morecharacter that does not follow through to newer (mixed) decor in room itself. Nice alternative to hotel ---and adding in the parking fee, is essentially a similar price to a mid-level hotel. Smaller room than hotel, but that should be expected given the edifice. Overall: recommended.

When planning my Toronto vacation (for September 1-5, 2017) the toughest decision I had to make was…read morein deciding where I was going to stay. I wanted to be in or near downtown but the hotels in the heart of the city were so expensive around Labor Day. After searching a few other travel pages, I went to the trivago.com site and was fortunate to find out about Victoria's Mansion. The first thing I noticed was the affordable price, then the location and finally the positive reviews. I'd never stayed in a vacation guest house but in this case affordability outweighed fear of the unknown. The trivago site switched me over to hotels.com and from there I made reservations. I'm an early planner, so it was in March when I booked a basic single room for my September vacation. I paid about half the cost right away and didn't have to pay the rest until I checked in. The total price was only $277.98 in US dollars! After making the reservation, I got an email from Victoria's Mansion thanking me and telling me other things I needed to know (like check in times are between 3-7pm, they don't have elevators and if you're driving you need to make parking arrangements ahead of time). Their courtesy made me feel even better about my decision. Victoria's Mansion is in a very convenient location. After I got off the subway at Wellesley Station, all I had to do was turn left and walk about half a block until I got to Church Street. Then I made left down Church St., walked maybe two blocks until I got to Gloucester St., made another left and it was right there. One thing I immediately discovered while walking there is that the neighborhood is in a predominately gay/transgender area. Rainbow flags are hanging outside most of the nearby stores and I saw gay couples & a few TG/TV while on my way to the house. Also there is a gay nightclub and another club that has nightly drag queen shows close by on Church St. This wasn't an issue for me because I respect people's sexual orientations. Besides, the neighborhood is safe and clean. There is a local grocery, pizzerias, a Baskin Robbins & other fast food restaurants like Hero Burger. It was a little after 1pm when I arrived and the front door was locked. After I called on my phone, someone came, let me in and I completed my check in even though I was early. I was given a passcode to dial when entering the front door and manual keys (not a card key) to room 5. I had to walk down some steps and my room was on the same floor as their laundry room. The house looks & smells older in person but it's well managed. It's not really a mansion but a large house with lots of rooms. My room was very small, with a low ceiling that had a light I kept hitting my head on even though I'm only 6ft tall. With the exception of some dust on the phone (which looked like it hadn't been used in a long time) my room was clean. It has a television, a little refrigerator, a microwave, a cabinet with dishes inside, and a tiny restroom. The bed was about the size of a twin bed but was very comfortable. My room was small enough to where I once had to leave the room so housekeeping would have enough space to clean it. But since I was traveling alone the size of the room wasn't that big of a deal to me. Not all rooms are the same size as mine but I chose the cheapest one available. Here are a few other things you should know: 1) There is only one iron & ironing board and everyone staying there shares it. They keep it in the laundry room. 2) One of the rules there is that you cannot bring people who aren't staying there inside. So if you meet someone you're attracted to, you're going to have to take that person someplace else for a "nightcap." 3) There is no check out process. When you leave, all you do is just drop your keys in a slot by the front desk. 4) There is a dark, grungy 24 hr internet cafe on Yonge St. about a 10 minute walk away. I went there to print my airline boarding pass for the flight home. You'll see the weirdest people in Toronto at that internet cafe though. 5) I left early in the morning before the subway was running. I paid a whopping $65 (Canadian dollars) for a taxi from Victoria's Mansion to Pearson Airport! 6) Just about everything (CN Tower, the Toronto Island Ferry, Rogers Centre, Royal Ontario Museum) is easy to get to via public transit. Dundas Square (Toronto's answer to Times Square) and the Brass Rail strip club (read my yelp review on this club) are within walking distance. 7) I only saw one housekeeper while I was there, so the time your room is cleaned varies. I really enjoyed my stay at Victoria's Mansion. The little room grew on me and even though there were other guests staying there it was quiet and I never really saw them. It was like crashing at a relative's home where they let you come and go as you please, so long as you obey the house rules. It suited my needs perfectly and I would definitely stay there again.

I stayed for two nights and really enjoyed it. The single bedroom was bigger than I expected and…read morethe bed was really comfy. The shared washrooms and showers were quite small but that wasnt really a problem. The location of the guest house is super convenient. Everything is a walking distance away. I still cant believe that I found such a decent place for such a low price. And the owner lady was so nice!!

This is not a fancy hotel, but it is good accommodation for the price. I don't write a lot of…read morethese reviews, but when I saw that it only had one review, and that review was negative, I felt compelled to write something. I think the world would benefit from more places like this, inexpensive accommodations with unique character with private rooms and shared bathrooms. I stayed for a week in October 2012. It was an easy walk to the University of Toronto, where I was attending a convention. I was a single guest, but they upgraded me to a room with a double bed at no extra charge -- maybe that was all that was available. The narrow windy halls and short flights of stairs give the place a quirky atmosphere. They ask you to take off your shoes in the front hallway. This helps to keep things clean. The carpets had some stains, but they were otherwise clean. The bed was comfortable, and they were happy to provide me with extra pillows. I did not encounter any bed bugs. The room was nicely furnished with a wardrobe with hangers and a big desk. The ceiling was low. The walls between rooms were thin, but there was little traffic noise from outside, even with the window open, because the place is set back from the main street. The shared bathrooms were clean, and the showers functioned well. The front desk is not always attended, and the bedrooms are only cleaned between guests, or once a week, in case of extended stays, but that was fine for me. The woman who usually sits behind the front desk was friendly and helpful, though her English was not very good. They have a kitchen and laundry facilities available for guests, which were big pluses in my mind. I paid for just one day first, and then paid for the rest of the week when I decided I wanted to stay longer. They do ask you to pay up front.

Stayed for three nights in the self-catering suites. Phenomenal stay... Room was very…read morewell-appointed, the welcoming and orientation process was warm and thorough. Awesome location if you want to be in a chill neighbourhood but within easy access of TTC subway and streetcar and onward to the rest of Toronto. All-in-all, if you're interested in staying somewhere where you can live like a local and be left to come and go as you please, this is your place!

Wonderful, cozy, clean room in quiet, quaint, convenient location. Self-catering option was…read moreperfect, and we had our own fridge in which to store food. As another review says, you feel tucked away, yet are right next to public transportation. The surrounding neighborhood and nearby High Park are lovely areas to stroll through, and the backyard of 89 Indian Grove is perfect for relaxing. You also feel very secure and safe in both the room/house and surroundings. Ziggy and Margo were very welcoming and accommodating as well, yet non-intrusive. Would absolutely stay here again!

the worst place I have ever slept in. The bed was so hard and uncomfortable, I actually had to…read morebook another hotel room just o get out of there! When I was leaving for the other hotel the "manager" came running up to me yelling at me and asking where I was going!

been calling for two days, nobody ever called back! washing…read moremachine broken and some reeking liquid coming out of it. they charges big bucks and service is crap!

We came to our furnished apartment (Victoria) and it was filthy. There was hairs and a dirty…read moresponge in the bath tub. The toilet seat was indescribable. Light fixtures were broken and lights were missing. The carpets soiled. The bathroom door did not close. Finally to top it all the neighbourhood was dangerous and a high crime area. Don't use them they have nice pictures on the Internet and a tempting description, but you come in a dump. It is highway robbery. They ask the highest price and give the lowest quality. It is to cry when you think that you would not give 10 dollars a night and paid 20 times more for this awful place.

We stayed here recently for 3 nights. Very clean and comfortable place. Lisa and Doug are great…read morehosts. Their employees were wonderful too. They provide a huge, delicious breakfast. Very reasonable rates. Therese B.

This B&B was a great location while seeing the sites Toronto has to offer. Parking is available…read morenext to the B&B (for a daily rate) which was a big plus for us. The house was tidy and the breakfast tasty. The breakfast consisted of homemade granola, yogurt and fruit to start with and eggs (made to order), bagel, fried potatoes, and Canadian bacon to follow. If you are a light sleeper, I'd recommend the third-story rooms. We were in a second-story room and could hear the creaking floors with the foot steps of the guests upstairs. The second floor has a shared bathroom, which was clean and handy to the bedroom. Our room felt a bit cramped. It had too many pieces of furniture in it to feel roomy. Overall, it was what we were looking for during our couple days in Toronto.

I stayed on a Friday night because I had an early thing the next day. The booking system is kind of…read moreweird as you have to email them on their website and then they get back to you. They're quick to respond but I would've preferred an online system to book. The rooms are also at different prices. The upstairs are a bit more ($120) than the downstairs rooms ($105). I requested a quieter room so was booked upstairs, but I didn't find out until I got there. Its an extra $15 if you have an extra guest. For the location, I think this is actually cheaper than a lot of airbnbs and you also get breakfast. There's lots of restaurants on the same street and you're also not far (5 minute walk) from Dundas and Spadina where the Chinatown restaurants are. I met Issa at the house to check in and she was really nice. She showed me the house and the room with the codes for the door. The house is really clean and warm. They have a shared kitchen space with a stove and microwave which was nice if you want some snacks late at night. Upstairs, there's a cute little library and tv. For a Friday night, I expected the house to be loud but it was pleasantly quiet. I left too early for the breakfast but wish I had a chance to try -- the menu looked yummy!

The tiny, unassuming front of the house belies the warm, homey interior you encounter once inside…read moreBaldwin Village Inn. The entire home is very clean, spacious and well maintained. The building itself is very secure and you get your own passcode to enter. Parking is at a nearby lot, which by Toronto standards is an affordable $20 for a day, and is enclosed so your car is safe from the elements and most harm. The rooms themselves are comfortable, with a queen size bed, fresh linens and towels, a desk, your own tv, and we even had a couch. The shared bathrooms are nice and clean, although given how popular and large the B&B is with visiting professionals and professors it means that first thing in the morning there is a little bit of jockeying for the shower. But since everyone is friendly they do their shower shift quickly so that the next person can hop in. They also offer a huge selection of movies if you wanted to stay in and watch something in the common area, which is relaxed and comfy. Tess and her husband are fantastic - very friendly hosts, and they have a lot of interesting people stay there at the B&B, including business men, doctors, researchers/professors, and even students for the universities, and of course travelers like ourselves. The breakfast conversations are therefore lively and interesting. The breakfast itself is great, they have bagels and breads with different spreads and cheeses, fresh fruit, cereals, fresh coffee and juices (they had almond milk!!), and they will make you any egg dish that you want. The location is fantastic, right in the heart of the city near Chinatown and a bunch of museums and universities, and the street itself is filled with Japanese and a few other Asian restaurants, cafes, and vegetarian friendly places. It's a shame that we couldn't stay longer - but that just means that we'll have to come back to Toronto soon!

The staff at the Inn were super friendly - likely the nicest hotel staff I've ever encountered…read more(Shout out to Ash at reception!) The room was small, but cute and clean. The walls however were paper thin and you could hear everyone going in and out at all hours of the night. There was construction happening outside our window as well (not the hotels fault) which started around 7am each day - the walls being so thin you could hear conversations from the construction workers. The bed wasn't very comfortable, and it was squeaky anytime anyone moved - but we made it work. The location was fairly good if you don't mind a small jaunt to the subway station, about 15 minutes to either College or Dundas (which is next to the Eaton Centre) Overall, we did have a good stay, the complimentary tea/coffee in the morning was nice. And, the staff were able to store our luggage for the day when we checked out so we didn't have to carry it around with us before we head to the airport. Based on the tin walls and the bed, we would probably look for other accommodations first next time, but the Pembroke Inn wouldn't be a hard no if it came down to it.

I am so sad to report that this establishment publicly misrepresents itself. My husband and I…read morebooked our stay 6 weeks in advance and we were so excited to bring along our two canine companions for our Toronto adventure. Unfortunately, Pembroke Inn decided to change their pet policy after we made our reservation and did not inform us. We reached out two days beforehand to confirm all details were set, and that is when they shared they now only allow service animals. After much conversation with the front desk manager, they admitted we made our reservation before the policy changed, so they would allow us to bring....*one* dog. At that point I realized we needed to completely rethink our plans and scramble to find a new place to stay with one day's notice. Anyone traveling with a feline or canine companion, please know - this establishment is not pet friendly and I highly do not recommend it. Their handling of the entire situation was deeply disappointing, and not only does their website still claim to be pet friendly but they still show up when searching for pet friendly establishments.

Nicely furnished & clean rooms, good facilities (laundry, kitchen, etc.), great location (close to…read moreWest Queen West, great restaurants, TTC, etc.), friendly & helpful proprietor. Only gripe: Ensuite bathroom was really tiny -- couldn't shave in the sink w/o almost banging the back of my head on the mirror. All in all, excellent value as compared to a hotel -- we paid $75.00 / night incl. taxes & fees for a room w/ queen bed & ensuite bath. Would definitely stay here again.

This is a very nice guest house and my experience there was positive. I stayed for about a week…read morefrom late Jan-early Feb, 2012. Seems that an Asian family is running the place and they are nice people to deal with. I made the arrangements over the phone and through e-mail. They could certainly work on their branding/identity. "Toronto Guest Houses"... I mean, really? Could they have come up with a more generic name? Perhaps the generic nature of the name helped me find their website through Google, but it's a terrible name either way. Their website could also use improvements. In any case, the room I stayed in was nice, clean and fairly spacious. It even had a pretty nice view, with CN Tower visible from window. The price (~$340) was kinda high for just one week, imo, but still a little lower than what most guest houses in TO were charging. They seem to keep the washrooms clean as well, although there was no shampoo left when I went to shower. The shower on the top floor is probably the most ancient, old-fashioned type of shower I've ever seen. Looks like it's from the 19th century. Kinda charming but I couldn't get used to it. There is a more modern one on the basement level but the ceilings in that washroom are extremely low... even for me and I'm only 5'9". The laundry room was also a little messy. On the whole, though, I'd recommend it... certainly no insect or bed bug issues, which is something a lot of guest houses in TO have to deal with.