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.

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.

Popped in for brunch after yoga today! It was such a cutely decorated hotel…read more We were sat by the window in the sun which felt great on this frozen day. I had the mushroom & onion omelet and my friend had the classic with bacon. Great service and freshly tasting food! Definitely would come back here.

Strangest hotel that seems to double up as an art gallery of sorts. It's really quite nifty and…read morehonestly the place has a very visual flair that no other place I've stayed at has and I am rather fond of it for that reason. However, at the end of the day I'm also rather practical, and as a place to *stay* it's high on style, but lower on execution. Not much in the way of sound proofing and HVAC is loud so earplugs recommended. It's kind of like somebody who designed a hotel (room) that doesn't actually use them. This leads to some fun things like a pool table with loads of books and artwork dotted around and communal spaces that function pretty well. But then you have other oddities like a chandelier above that pool table that gets in the way of actually playing it. They use a text service they emphasize over the traditional phone line, but then I couldn't get a fast response to it (I wasn't waiting more than an hour when I could just walk down and get an answer faster). All sorts of odd and small decisions that add up to a stay that's rather quirky for seasoned travelers. That's not getting into the super old elevator too (I'm sure it's charming for some folks, but it was definitely discouraging regular use and I can see it being a problem if you couldn't opt to take stairs). First off there's no space for *your* stuff. There's no space to really put any amount of luggage, no desk space, and the only trash can is in the bathroom. Very minimal places to put your things at all, which makes it feel even more cramped. Spaces for cabinets are just hollow metal stands underneath a tiny tray thing. For two people it's quite hard and we used the tiny bannister that was used for ambient lighting to also hold items cause we were desperate. I hit my head on the hanging rack since it's directly over the only place to put a backpack. It's like they didn't comprehend anyone having check-in sized luggage or someone taller than 5'3". There's barely room to setup a CPAP machine by the bedside, which I've never had to deal with in any other hotel I've stayed at (over ~50 stays to date). The electronic controls for the shade is neat. But then there's the door hanger which if you hang anything on at all will get crunched up against the wood bannister. It's more of a door handle since there's nothing else to pull on to open the bathroom. Then there's the piping like putting the sink in the bed area which is weird. The shower has no door or curtain so the water tends to just spill everywhere and the drain is where the divider would be. It was on the lower end of pricing in Toronto and for a place to crash it was serviceable given it's proximity to things. However, this was the only time my frugal brother told me to straight up just spend a bit more money. It was all fine, but definitely wouldn't be signing up for round two soon.

I am just returned from a three night stay at Holiday Inn Oakville (Ontario, Canada) for a…read morecombination of a little work and vacation. While my time in that area was most enjoyable and even at times, spectacular, in truth this accommodation was the least memorable part of the trip, and perhaps that is a good thing. The facility is right off the Queen Elizabeth Way, making it convenient and potentially, noisy. Luckily, I had a room with inside balcony, making for a quiet time. I overlooked the indoor pool which was not overly utilized, so it worked well for me. Beds were comfy, bathroom renovated, and room maintenance minimal by the staff. I had a ton of privacy. Only knock was the slow shower drain, which necessitated quick showers to avoid overflow. No biggie, but obvious that no one checks these things on a regular basis. The location was minutes from downtown Oakville, which turned out to be a blessing. My first time there, I was impressed by how well the town was planned out. Beautiful main streets, lovely nearby neighborhoods that I could see myself living in. Restaurants galore, with every ethnicity represented. My favorite meal was only 6 minutes from the front door. Made reservations through Trivago and Booking.com. Easy peasy, and priced very competitively. I would definitely stay there again if I had reason to return to Oakville, 50 km west of downtown Toronto.

This is a decent hotel option near the GO station in Oakville. I have used this hotel a couple of…read moretimes when hotel prices in central Toronto have spiked, as they occasionally do during peak times. This hotel is much more moderate in cost and the proximity to the GO Train allows easy access to downtown. Also, as an IHG Spire member, I am predisposed to seek out properties in this hotel family. Arriving at Pearson, I took a taxi from there to the hotel. The cost was $58 CAD flat rate plus tip. On my last stay, I had a room on the 6th floor. This worked well for me and afforded a nice view of the area. My room was clean and spacious with a pleasant decor. The bathroom was functional with an adequate amount of space. The TV offered a decent array of programming. The work area was good size and the WiFi functioned without any major issues. The bed was comfortable and the environs were quiet allowing me to get good sleep. There was a restaurant in the hotel offering an option for breakfast. I took advantage of this one morning and it was so-so. However, there were also two or three places within walking distance of the hotel. We went to Whole Foods one morning and Sunset Grill on another. The room rates were not bad for the quality of the stay and the location. The average daily rate was about $146 CAD. My total bill was just over $501 CAD for three nights with all taxes included. This was a pretty good deal. As such, I would not hesitate to recommend this place if you need a hotel in Oakville for business in Oakville or Mississauga or if you need an alternative to a downtown hotel.

Garden Inn was my first bed and breakfast and the experience was great. The place felt homie, The…read morebeds were very comfortable and breakfast was yummy. The location is just a Few block from the city and transportation was near by. I can see myself staying at this spot again. Thank you to the host. You guys were awesome.

If you need a friendly comfortable B and B to stay in the Downtown area look no further than…read moreToronto Garden Inn. I shared a twin room which can also be made into a double (Orchid room) with a friend. The price was really reasonable. Bryan and Sam the proprietors were really friendly and on hand without being in your face all the time. The price of the stay also included a huge self service breakfast. Trust me the fridge was stacked to capacity. The area did seem a little dodgy at first, but that would not deter me from coming back. It is also very close to the centre and has a lot of public transport nearby if you don't fancy making the short walk into town. They also have a sister B and B called Downtown Home Inn which I stayed in too and would highly recommend.

I stayed here for about 2 weeks earlier this year. The owner is a sweet lady and was very helpful…read morethrough out the stay. The place has a few bedrooms, some are bigger than the other, but all are very clean and well maintained. The house is located near trolleys and are just about 15 min away from downtown. There are a few grocery store near by and a mini market 1 stop away. I had a great experience staying here and I fully recommend this place if someone is looking for a good deal.

This is the best hostel I have ever stayed at! Other hostels should seriously take notice of their…read morebusiness model because it works! Even though the accommodations were shared, everything felt so private! Their beds or pods are so uniquely built and have privacy screens all around and it makes you feel like it's just you in the space. The showers were amazing and water was steaming! The showers and toilets are also built with a private feeling. Rooms are a little cramped but the styling makes up for it. The best part about the pods were the TVS inside each one! Everything about Two Peas is modern, clean and comfortable. I seriously did not want to leave! Staff was also super helpful and kind enough to give a tour of the space upon arrival. It's located in Chinatown on a really neat street as well. The only con I will say is that breakfast starts late at 8am. Due to my schedule I was not able to eat the free breakfast provided.

Super friendly. Free light breakfast with tea, coffee, toast, waffle. The bathroom are not the…read morecleanist but not awful.

It was clean, newly renovated and a few surprising complimentary items. The staff was very helpful…read moreand they made an effort to make the stay comfortable. Nice floors, clean bathroom with fresh paint, tiles and fixtures. The door though doesn't fit in the jam so it didn't close at all. I'd suggest they upgrade the furniture and add art to the room. Other than that, room was nice and comfortable.

Great hotel value for the money. Recently renovated and shows pride of ownership. Privately owned…read moreand operated giving this a more personal touch. Would certainly recommend it.