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Where to stay in Toronto

The best areas to stay in Toronto

Downtown by the CN Tower, Old Town by St. Lawrence Market, Yorkville by the ROM, Pearson airport hotels and a night at Niagara Falls. Here is where to stay in Toronto, with honest advice on what the hotel tax adds, how you get in from the airport and whether a night at the Falls beats a rushed day trip.

By the Best Travel Destinations editorial team Hotels rated 8.0 or higher on Trip.com

Compare the 6 areas
Downtown Toronto and the CN Tower under white clouds, reflected in still water
Short answer

For a first visit, the best area to stay in Toronto is downtown in the Entertainment District, a short walk from the CN Tower and Union Station. Old Town by St. Lawrence Market suits food lovers, and Yorkville puts you next to the Royal Ontario Museum. For an early flight, sleep at a Pearson airport hotel. To see the Falls lit up at night, stay by Clifton Hill.

The best areas to stay in Toronto, compared

AreaBest forNearest sightsKeep in mind
Entertainment District A first visit The CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, Union Station Parking around the CN Tower is paid.
Details

Nearest sightsThe CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, Union Station

Keep in mindParking around the CN Tower is paid.
Old Town Food and markets St. Lawrence Market, the Distillery District St. Lawrence Market closes on Mondays.
Details

Nearest sightsSt. Lawrence Market, the Distillery District

Keep in mindSt. Lawrence Market closes on Mondays.
Yorkville and the Annex The Royal Ontario Museum The Royal Ontario Museum, the Bata Shoe Museum The ROM closes on some Mondays.
Details

Nearest sightsThe Royal Ontario Museum, the Bata Shoe Museum

Keep in mindThe ROM closes on some Mondays.
Pearson Airport An early flight Pearson Terminals 1 and 3 Downtown is 28 minutes away on the UP Express.
Details

Nearest sightsPearson Terminals 1 and 3

Keep in mindDowntown is 28 minutes away on the UP Express.
Niagara Falls The Falls lit up at night Clifton Hill, the Horseshoe Falls It is about 1.5 hours from Toronto by car, longer at rush hour.
Details

Nearest sightsClifton Hill, the Horseshoe Falls

Keep in mindIt is about 1.5 hours from Toronto by car, longer at rush hour.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Wine country Queen Street, the Shaw Festival Theatre No GO train runs here: you need a car, a tour or the seasonal WEGO shuttle.
Details

Nearest sightsQueen Street, the Shaw Festival Theatre

Keep in mindNo GO train runs here: you need a car, a tour or the seasonal WEGO shuttle.

Every hotel in Toronto on Trip.com

Want more choice than our 24 picks? Open Trip.com’s full Toronto list with live prices, or start from its homepage.

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Area 1 of 6

Entertainment District: hotels near the CN Tower

Stay here on a first visit. The CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and Union Station are all close by.

Delta Hotels is about 350 m from the CN Tower and 550 m from Union Station. The Ritz-Carlton is about 600 m from the tower, and Le Germain is steps from Scotiabank Arena.

On a budget? The Clarence Park is a hostel within a 10-minute walk of the tower, with free breakfast.

The UP Express from Pearson ends at Union Station. Our guide to the CN Tower compares its tickets.

Keep in mind
Parking around the CN Tower is paid.
The CN Tower framed between two dark office towers at dusk

Our picks in Entertainment District

Area 2 of 6

Old Town and St. Lawrence Market: hotels for food lovers

Old Town suits food lovers. St. Lawrence Market is on Front Street East, and it closes on Mondays.

Nester Finn is about 260 m from the market, with a full kitchen in every room. The Omni King Edward is a historic hotel about 500 m away. The Holiday Inn Express is about 400 m away, with free breakfast.

The Broadview Hotel is about 1.2 km from the Distillery District, with a rooftop bar.

For guided tastings, see our guide to Toronto food tours.

Keep in mind
St. Lawrence Market closes on Mondays.
The red-brick Gooderham Flatiron Building on Front Street on a cloudy day

Our picks in Old Town

Area 3 of 6

Yorkville and the Annex: next to the Royal Ontario Museum

Stay here to be next to the Royal Ontario Museum. St. George and Museum subway stations are close by.

The Yorkville Royal Sonesta is about 160 m from the ROM, and the Park Hyatt about 170 m. The Hazelton is about 350 m away, with a spa and a saltwater lap pool.

The Kimpton Saint George is in the Annex, about 60 m from the Bata Shoe Museum. It is pet-friendly.

Keep in mind
The ROM closes on some Mondays.
A corner of the Royal Ontario Museum's angular crystal-shaped wing, with metal panels and glass strips against a blue sky

Our picks in Yorkville and the Annex

Area 4 of 6

Pearson Airport: the best Toronto airport hotels

Sleep here before an early flight. The Sheraton Gateway is connected to Terminal 3, with links to Terminal 1.

The UP Express runs from Terminal 1 to Union Station in 28 minutes, every 15 minutes.

For the train, bus and taxi options, see getting from Pearson to downtown.

Hotels near Toronto airport with a free shuttle

Three of our airport picks run a free shuttle. The Hilton is across from Pearson, with a free 24-hour shuttle. The Hampton Inn is about 5 minutes away, with a free 24-hour on-demand shuttle and hot breakfast. Embassy Suites is less than 3 km away, with a free shuttle too.

The Sheraton Gateway needs no shuttle: you walk in from Terminal 3.

Keep in mind
Downtown is 28 minutes away on the UP Express.
The Toronto Pearson control tower in silhouette at sunset

Our picks in Pearson Airport

Area 5 of 6

Niagara Falls: hotels by Clifton Hill, Canada

Stay at the Falls if you want to see them at night. They are lit up every night, all year.

Vittoria Hotel & Suites is within a 5-minute walk of Clifton Hill. Cannery Lofts is steps away, with a kitchenette in every room. The Sheraton Fallsview is about 230 m from a falls lookout.

Bedham Hall is a B&B about a 5-minute drive away, with free breakfast and parking.

Our guide to Niagara Falls attractions covers the boat and Journey Behind the Falls.

Keep in mind
It is about 1.5 hours from Toronto by car, longer at rush hour.
The Horseshoe Falls in a cloud of mist, with a tour boat on the river below

Our picks in Niagara Falls

More hotels in Niagara Falls on Trip.com →

Trip.com’s list of hotels in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with live prices.

Area 6 of 6

Niagara-on-the-Lake: inns in wine country

Stay here for wine country and a slower pace. 124 on Queen is a spa hotel about 800 m from the Shaw Festival Theatre.

The Olde Angel Inn is in the Old Town Historic District, about 700 m from the theatre. Harrogate House Inn has just four rooms, and it scores 10 on Trip.com from 40 reviews.

The Holiday Inn Express is just off the QEW, about a 12-minute drive from Niagara Falls, with free hot breakfast.

Keep in mind
No GO train runs here: you need a car, a tour or the seasonal WEGO shuttle.
Bunches of green grapes on a vine in sunlight

Our picks in Niagara-on-the-Lake

More hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Trip.com →

Trip.com’s list of hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with live prices.

Toronto or Niagara Falls for the night?

Spend a night at the Falls if you want to see them lit up. A day tour from Toronto gives you only 3 to 4 hours there.

The Falls are lit every night of the year. In November and December, the lights come on at 4:30 p.m.

The Winter Festival of Lights runs from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, and it is free.

By car, the Falls are about 1.5 hours from Toronto. At rush hour or on weekends, the drive can take twice as long.

Short on time? Stay in Toronto and take a day tour.

What a Toronto hotel night adds: the 6% MAT and HST

Municipal Accommodation Tax on the room
6%
HST on the room and the MAT
13%

Toronto adds a 6% Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) to the room price. It covers the room only, not food or internet billed on their own.

Ontario’s 13% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) comes on top, and the City says the MAT is subject to HST. In its own example, a CA$100 room comes to CA$119.78 with both taxes.

Taxes come on top of the room, and so do the expensive things to do in Toronto, from the CN Tower to a day at Niagara.

Tips before you book

A few checks save money and trouble later.

  • Check if the price on screen includes the 6% MAT and the 13% HST.
  • No car? Stay downtown, in Old Town or in Yorkville. The subway runs from about 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., Monday to Saturday.
  • Driving? Parking costs extra: Casa Loma, for one, charges a flat CA$20 per car.
  • We print no hotel prices, because they change every day. Trip.com shows the live ones.
  • Trip.com scores change too, so read the latest reviews before you book.
  • Your first day: from downtown, the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium are a short walk away, and the Toronto CityPASS covers both. Coming by train? The SkyWalk links Union Station to the CN Tower.

Questions people ask about where to stay in Toronto

What is the best area to stay in Toronto as a tourist?
For a first visit, stay downtown in the Entertainment District. The CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and Union Station are a short walk away. Old Town by St. Lawrence Market suits food lovers.

Where should I stay in downtown Toronto?
Pick the Entertainment District to be near the CN Tower, or Old Town to be near St. Lawrence Market. Delta Hotels is about 350 m from the tower. Nester Finn is about 260 m from the market.

Where should I stay in Toronto without a car?
Stay downtown, in Old Town or in Yorkville. The subway runs from about 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and from about 8 a.m. on Sunday. The UP Express links Pearson with Union Station. Parking adds cost: Casa Loma charges CA$20 per car.

How much is the hotel tax in Toronto?
The Municipal Accommodation Tax is 6% of the room price. The 13% HST is charged on the room and the MAT. In the City’s own example, a CA$100 room comes to CA$119.78.

How do I get from Pearson airport to my hotel?
The UP Express runs from Terminal 1 to Union Station in 28 minutes. It costs CA$9.25 with a PRESTO card or CA$12.35 on a paper ticket. Airport hotels such as the Hilton and the Hampton Inn run free 24-hour shuttles.

Is it better to stay in Toronto or Niagara Falls?
Stay in Toronto for the city and day trips. Stay at Niagara Falls to see the Falls lit up, which they are every night of the year. A day tour from Toronto gives you only 3 to 4 hours at the Falls.

We opened each Trip.com link in the browser: it showed the hotel, rated 8.0 or higher there. Scores and review counts can change. We list no hotel prices because they change daily; Trip.com shows the live ones.

Sources (22)

Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.