Where to Stay in Toronto (2027): The Best Areas, 12 Hotels and the 6% Accommodation Tax plus 13% HST

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Two taxes sit on top of every Toronto hotel rate: the City’s 6% Municipal Accommodation Tax and Ontario’s 13% HST, which is charged on the room and on that tax together. On a $300 room that is $59.34 a night before you have left the lobby. Prices in this guide are in Canadian dollars. Where you stay decides the rest of the cost, in time and transit fares.

This guide covers seven areas, from the Entertainment District to the airport hotels, 12 hotels, the airport links and the tax. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in early November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.

Toronto’s accommodation tax and HST

Two charges apply to a Toronto hotel room:

The City’s page says the MAT is charged on the purchase price of the room portion, and that other services, including food and beverage, are excluded if they are itemised separately on the bill. It also says HST is payable on the MAT portion. A temporary 8.5% rate ended on 1 August 2026, so any guide that still quotes 8.5% is out of date.

Our arithmetic, not an official figure: on a $300 room the MAT is $18.00, which makes $318.00; HST at 13% on that is $41.34, so the night costs $359.34, or about 19.8% more than the rate you were quoted.

Getting in from the airports, and around

• From Pearson, by UP Express. The train runs from Toronto Pearson to downtown Toronto, ending at Union Station, in 28 minutes. The adult fare is $12.35 one way, or $9.25 when you pay with PRESTO or a contactless card. Children aged 12 and under travel free.
• From Billy Bishop, by free shuttle. Complimentary shuttle buses connect Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Union Station every 15 minutes; the Union Station stop is on the west side of the Fairmont Royal York.
• From Billy Bishop, on foot and by streetcar. The ferry to the mainland is free for pedestrians and runs every 15 minutes, from 5:15 am to 12:07 am. From the Bathurst and Queens Quay West stop, the 509 Harbourfront streetcar reaches Union Station in under 15 minutes.
• In town, a TTC adult fare is $3.30 with PRESTO or a debit or credit card, and $3.35 in cash. Customers who pay cash get no two-hour transfer and no monthly fare capping, so tap a card or phone instead.

Union Station and the Financial District: the first-trip base

Union Station is where the UP Express ends and where the Billy Bishop shuttle stops, so a stay around it is the easiest first night in the city. The Financial District’s towers sit to the north and the lake to the south. It is busy on weekdays and quieter at weekends.

Where to stay in Union Station and the Financial District

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

• Fairmont Royal York, splurge. A landmark on Front Street West since its opening in 1929, with the REIGN restaurant, Fairmont Gold rooms and suites, and the Billy Bishop shuttle stop on its west side. Choose it for a grand hotel at the arrival point. Watch out: price, and a large hotel with the pace of one. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Hotel Victoria, good value. A hotel on Yonge Street for more than 110 years, with 56 rooms, Mossop’s Social House downstairs and pets welcome. The hotel puts the Financial District and Commerce Court seconds away, St. Lawrence Market a few blocks east and the Entertainment District to the west. Choose it for a small heritage hotel at the middle of the map. Watch out: with only 56 rooms it can fill early on busy dates. Check rates on Booking.com →

Downtown and the Entertainment District: theatres and King Street

The Entertainment District, west of Yonge Street, is the area of King Street’s bars and restaurants and the theatres. Further east, around Victoria Street and Yonge, the downtown core meets the theatre district. It is loud on show nights and well served by streetcars and the subway.

Where to stay in the Entertainment District and Downtown

• Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer, comfortable. A boutique hotel on Mercer Street in the heart of the Entertainment District, within walking distance of King Street bars and Queen Street shops, with the PUNCH restaurant, a library-style Mercer Lounge and a rooftop terrace on the 11th floor. Choose it for a design hotel by the nightlife. Watch out: valet service is offered, at additional fees. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Pantages Hotel, good value. In the theatre district, with 106 suites, a fitness centre, in-room Keurig machines and pets welcome. Choose it for space downtown at a fair price. Watch out: check-in is at 3 pm and check-out at 11 am, so ask the front desk about storing bags if you arrive early. Check rates on Booking.com →

Old Town and St Lawrence: a heritage hotel and a market

Old Town is the older, east side of downtown, around King Street East and St. Lawrence Market. It is calmer in the evening than the Entertainment District and close to the Financial District on foot.

• The Omni King Edward Hotel, comfortable. At 37 King Street East, with a heritage dating to 1903, 301 rooms, the Mokara Spa and traditional afternoon tea. Choose it for old-world character in the east of downtown. Watch out: the hotel describes itself as near a subway station, not at one; check the walk on a map. Check rates on Booking.com →

Yorkville: shops and a quiet, upmarket base

Yorkville is Toronto’s upmarket district, around Bloor Street and Yorkville Avenue, with boutiques, galleries and restaurants. It is a base for shopping and calm evenings rather than nightlife; the Financial District is a subway ride away.

Where to stay in Yorkville

• Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, splurge. At 60 Yorkville Avenue, near Bloor Street and Bay Street, with floor-to-ceiling windows, Café Boulud, a cocktail bar and a spa the hotel calls the city’s only Forbes 5-Star Spa. Choose it for full-service luxury in Yorkville. Watch out: price. Check rates on Booking.com →
• The Hazelton Hotel, splurge. At 118 Yorkville Avenue, with Deluxe King rooms starting at a minimum of 465 sq ft, granite bathrooms with soaking tubs and Juliet or walk-out balconies. Choose it for generous rooms in Yorkville. Watch out: the Luxury Two Queen Room is at the back and overlooks a laneway. Check rates on Booking.com →

Queen West and West Queen West: galleries and live music

Queen Street West runs west from the downtown core, and West Queen West, further out, is the stretch of galleries, bars and independent shops. It is a neighbourhood for walking and eating, and the two hotels below are both on Queen Street West, at numbers 1150 and 1214.

Where to stay on Queen West

• The Drake Hotel, comfortable. At 1150 Queen Street West, a boutique hotel of 51 art-filled rooms in a Modern Wing and a Classic Wing, with live shows at the Drake Underground. Choose it for art and music downstairs. Watch out: live shows run in the building, so ask for a room away from the venue if you want a quiet night. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Gladstone House, good value. At 1214 Queen Street West, a hotel since 1889 that calls itself the city’s longest-operating, with artwork throughout. The Studio Queen is 180 sq ft, the Studio King 210 sq ft, the Loft King 310 sq ft and the Corner King 325 sq ft. Choose it for West Queen West at the door and a lower price. Watch out: the cheapest room, the Studio Queen, is 180 sq ft. Check rates on Booking.com →

The Waterfront: the lake, the ferry and the CN Tower

On the lake, Toronto has Harbourfront, the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium, and the Billy Bishop ferry leaves from the foot of Bathurst Street. It suits visitors who want the water and the attractions close.

• The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, comfortable. At 1 Harbour Square, with views of the Toronto Islands through the fitness studio’s windows, an indoor pool, a whirlpool and a tennis court. Choose it for the lake and the pool. Watch out: it is also a convention hotel, with 70,000 square feet of meeting space, so expect conference crowds. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square, comfortable. At 75 Bremner Boulevard, a 167-room boutique hotel by the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and the waterfront, steps from Scotiabank Arena. Choose it for the attractions at the door. Watch out: on event nights at the arena, the area around it is busy. Check rates on Booking.com →

Near Pearson Airport: an honest note

Most visitors will not need an airport hotel, because the UP Express reaches downtown in 28 minutes. But for an early flight or a late arrival, one is worth a night.

• Alt Hotel Toronto Airport, good value. A few steps from the flights, linked to the terminals and the economy car park by the free 24/7 LINK train, with a 24-hour gym on the 14th floor and breakfast in the lobby. Choose it for a short night before a flight. Watch out: it is in Mississauga, outside the City of Toronto, so the City’s 6% MAT table above is not necessarily the municipal tax on its bill; compare the final total. Check rates on Booking.com →

How to book Toronto

• Count the tax. Add the 6% MAT, then 13% HST on the room and the MAT together: a $300 room costs $359.34 a night.
• Pick the airport first. Pearson means the UP Express to Union Station, from $9.25 with PRESTO. Billy Bishop means the free shuttle or the ferry, and the Entertainment District and the Waterfront are the closest bases.
• Check the room size. Some hotels here publish small standard rooms: Gladstone House’s Studio Queen is 180 sq ft, while The Hazelton’s Deluxe King starts at 465 sq ft. If you need space, book the category above the cheapest.
• Compare totals. Hotel booking sites compared goes through where to book, and hotel taxes around the world shows how Toronto’s compare.

All 12 at a glance

Before you go

• Before you fly, sort out mobile data (the best travel eSIM) and cover (the best travel insurance). Planning the rest of Canada? Our guides to where to stay in Montreal and where to stay in Vancouver cover the other two big cities.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• City of Toronto: Municipal Accommodation Tax, rates and exemptions
• Government of Ontario: Harmonized Sales Tax
• UP Express: fares
• UP Express: fares with PRESTO
• TTC: fares and passes
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport: shuttle
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport: public transportation
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport: ferry
• Official websites of each hotel named above, checked in early November 2026

Prices, fares and hotel terms change. Every detail here was checked in early November 2026; confirm rates, room types and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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