Kensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College BackpackersKensington College Backpackers
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Hostel in downtown Toronto near public transit with common kitchen but mixed reviews
Pros
- Free Wi-Fi, free breakfast
- The hostel's rates were found to be budget friendly
- Guests liked the central location close to subway, bus, shopping and eateries
Cons
- Parking is $15 per night
- Guests reported a very basic breakfast of cereal, toast, spreads and coffee
- Many guests reported poor Wi-Fi
- Many guests had difficulty with rooms that were either too hot or too cold
- Guests complained of having a $20 key deposit sprung on them
- Guest reviews were mixed over cleanliness and the courtesy of the staff
Freebies
Free Wi-Fi
Free Breakfast
Editor's Review
Updated Mar 16, 2015
Overview
Located about a 5-minute drive from Toronto's city centre in Toronto's Kensington Market district, College Backpackers is geared towards travellers who require a centrally located hostel with free Wi-Fi and a free breakfast.
more This smoke-free hostel offers dorm-style and private rooms, each equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV and a fan. Shared bathrooms are provided on each floor. Private rooms additionally offer a desk, storage space and a balcony.
The hostel also offers a common kitchen, a TV lounge, free towels and linens, a business centre and a free basic breakfast (toast, spreads, cold cereal, coffee). The hostel is not wheelchair accessible and there is no elevator. Pets are not permitted. Guests are charged a $20 key deposit which must be paid in cash.
Public parking is available across the street and the hostel offers on-site parking at $15 a night.
The CN Tower and Toronto Eaton Centre are both about a 5-minute drive away, while the University of Toronto (St. George Campus) can be found 15 minutes away on foot (or 12 minutes by streetcar). Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is roughly a 25-minute drive from the hostel. (All travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, public parking nearby (charges apply), no pets, not wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: March 8, 2014)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, public parking nearby (charges apply), no pets, not wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: March 8, 2014)
The Good
Guest reviews sourced for this analysis were mixed, but showed positive responses towards the hostel's location and rates.
The hostel's location was praised by numerous reviewers. They found it close to Chinatown, downtown Toronto, Little Italy, restaurants, shopping, public transit, parking and the University of Toronto.
Several lodgers were satisfied with the hostel's rates, describing them as budget friendly and cheap. One guest noted, "For the price it's worth it".
The Bad
Guest complaints showed negative responses towards the Wi-Fi, free breakfast, room temperatures and key deposits, but guests gave mixed responses toward the staff and toward the cleanliness of the hostel.
Guests who were disappointed with their accommodations at the hostel reported cleaning issues, old appliances and supplies in the kitchen, no air conditioning and broken heating. Many guests felt that the free breakfast was too basic with weak coffee, toast, spreads and cold cereal. Many guests were surprised to be asked for a cash deposit of $20 for the room key.
The hostel's shared bathrooms and kitchen were criticized by numerous reviewers. They reported unclean conditions, broken toilets and plumbing issues in the bathrooms, as well as odours and dirty dishes in the kitchen.
The staff were considered friendly by some and argumentative by others. Additionally some guests said the hostel was clean and others said it was dirty.
Sources
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 5.8 out of 10 from 286 reviews.
The author called the hotel on March 8, 2014 to verify some information.
Guest Reviews
Ranked by Guests
# Location
- Toronto Western Hospital (0.5 km)
- Art Gallery of Ontario (0.9 km)
- Mount Sinai Hospital (1.0 km)
- Princess Margaret Hospital (1.1 km)
- Toronto General Hospital (1.1 km)
- Sick Kids Hospital Toronto (1.1 km)
- Women's College Hospital (1.3 km)
- Royal Ontario Museum (1.4 km)
- Toronto Film Festival (1.5 km)
- Princess of Wales Theatre (1.6 km)