The Most Budget-Friendly Hotels in Toronto

Yorkville’s impressive budget-friendly hotel creates an ambiance that is both modern and retro. Each of the 113 rooms comes equipped with a record player for you to play LPs at your leisure, along with a mini fridge that you can fill with everything you need to mix your own cocktail. A real bonus to anyone looking to experience style on a budget. Meanwhile the Mediterranean restaurant, Constantine, never ceases to impress, with vivid dishes that put extravagant twists on simple classics.

For luxury on a budget in the center of downtown, the InterContinental is unbeatable. Not only does this cheap hotel in Toronto benefits from a convenient location and excellent amenities, it also has a level of service that is expected from well-traveled business people on the road. Even the most simple of rooms offer views of the lake and CN Tower which, as the sun sets, is quite the delight.

The high-end neighborhood of Yorkville offers great nightlife and shopping, and the Annex is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a modern and arty residence to explore it from. With 24 rooms over three floors, this impressively stylish budget-friendly hotel in Toronto scales back the normal hotel experience by keeping things simple. Much of your stay is organized through their in-house app, so you can navigate your way through the busiest of trips with minimal fuss.

St Lawrence’s four-star Novotel attracts travelers looking for a centrally based hotel without any surprises or gimmicks. It simply concentrates on delivering comfort and welcoming its guests. There is no secret to friendly staff and rooms that are as spotless as they are modern. The complimentary breakfast buffet also has all the dietary choices you could wish for. Throw in an impressive pool on the top floor and you’re all set for a great trip.

Sports fans, look no further. The Marriott City Centre Hotel shares a home with Toronto’s Major League Baseball team, the Blue Jays, and some of the 348 available rooms and suites even have views of the baseball field itself. In season, you can watch games directly from the luxury of your own hot tub, and when the game is over, you’re perfectly placed to head out and enjoy the bright lights of the Entertainment District.

You’ll struggle to find more impressive views across Lake Ontario than from the Westin Harbour Castle, a towering cheap hotel in Toronto built to provide sweeping vistas from the comfort of your room. The waterfront has been redeveloped to make it possible to kayak, paddleboard, cycle, jog or even ice skate at different times of the year, while going for a simple stroll along the boardwalk is just as much of a joy on a bright day. When the temperature drops outside, the indoor heated pool and jacuzzi are a godsend.

Hotel Ocho, a boutique hotel on a budget near Chinatown, Toronto, is set in what was once a huge textile factory. With only 12 rooms, the focus is very much on the guest – the hotel never shirks from its responsibilities. The exposed brick style is highly favored by a more youthful crowd, and in being only a minute away from The Horseshoe Tavern – a legendary live music venue – this is a hotel that knows its audience.

In a past life, this 12-story skyscraper was home to the Dominion Bank – and this glamorous condo budget hotel in Toronto has preserved many of the building’s original elements, such as the old teller wickets, grand Corinthian columns and opulent golden plasterwork on the ceiling. Located on the corner of King and Yonge Streets, One King West’s 370 rooms and suites flash dark, moody and luxurious furnishings that suit the surrounds of Toronto’s Financial District. Yet, ironically for a trip to the bank, a stay here is actually kind on your pocket.

Most airport hotels are just a bed to crash in before an early-morning flight. Not this one. Alt Hotel’s 153 rooms are furnished with coffee machines and Quebec-made Bella Pella bath and body products; the Altcetera food counter serves fresh meals 24 hours a day and the lobby beams with the Alt Expo photo mural, which is made up of 80,000 Instagram snaps. The cheap room rate at this Toronto hotel reflects the distance from downtown, but the UP Express links the airport to Union Station in only 25 minutes.

Gazing over the Eaton Centre on the other side of Yonge Street, this postmodern limestone building was designed by acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie to blend in with the theaters it neighbors – and Pantages’s floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the views. This 89-room boutique hotel’s many amenities include artisanal Nest toiletries in every room, the newly renovated Rainforest Relaxation Room and the first-class Stages Restaurant and Lounge, which serve hand-crafted cocktails and charcuterie platters.

Toronto’s longest-running jazz club has offered rooms upstairs for the past four decades, with vintage decor that evokes the era in which they opened. The Rex is a music venue-slash-boutique hotel on Queen Street West that dishes up delicious pub grub in its Restaurant; hosts live music seven nights a week and provides simple rooms, with the muffled sound of the blues lulling guests to sleep every evening.

Only one block away from the fountains and free concerts in Yonge-Dundas Square, this lofty budget-friendly hotel’s super-central location offers incredible views of the Toronto skyline. Bright pops of teal, plenty of hardwood and modern white spa bathrooms streak through Bond Place’s 285 rooms, which include a range of premium suites created by local designers Cecconi Simone. What’s more – the price tag represents some of the best value you’ll find downtown.

This Edwardian building dates back to the early 20th century, but your stay here will be far from stuffy. Crowned by a huge neon sign on the roof and a “what’s on” light box over the front door, Filmores features a gentlemen’s club on the ground floor and a family-run hotel upstairs. The rooms are basic, but the downtown location on Dundas Street East is enviable, as is the price.

This gray concrete block hardly looks like The Ritz from the outside, so the luxurious interior comes as a surprise – look forward to chandeliers in the lobby, a sun-drenched outdoor pool and 109 traditionally appointed rooms. The midtown location – about 4mi (6.5km), or 15 minutes on the subway north of downtown – ensures excellent value.

Situated in leafy Brampton – the Flower City – around 30mi (48km) northwest of Central Toronto, this bed and breakfast is a serene escape from the chaos of the city. Newton Villa offers six floral-themed rooms – Daisy, Tulip, Lilac, Jasmine and Orchid, plus the glamorous Lavender Suite – each sparkling with gold and silver touches, as well as access to a common kitchen, dining room, lounge and sun terrace.

The Chelsea is truly enormous – almost 1,600 rooms squeeze into this tower, two blocks north of downtown’s Eaton Centre. But quantity doesn’t compromise quality on the food front, thanks to the swish T Bar and Restaurant, the convenient Market Garden canteen, as well as a shady outdoor patio for chilling out post-meal. This cheap hotel in Toronto is particularly family-friendly, thanks to the 130ft (40m) corkscrew waterslide into the indoor pool, rabbits and fish to play with in the Family Fun Zone and games in the Club 33 Teen Lounge – while parents can escape to the Deck 27 pool and fitness center or the E-Club Lounge.