Chinatown Travellers Home- Toronto, Canada

Address: 31 Grange Avenue, Chinatown, Toronto


Website: none

Our last stop of this epic trip ended on a nice note, in a city ironically very similar to our hometown, Sydney as well as another famous city Melbourne. Being a developed Western country, the hostel rates weren't cheap but the Chinatown Travellers Home was the cheapest that appeared on Hostelbooker and assured by positive reviews, we booked a room with shared bathroom facilities for CA$43 per night (which included 13% tax).
With no train station at the Pearsons International airport, it was a long and cumbersome trip to catch a bus then the local subway with one transfer before getting off at St Patrick's station and walking around 15 minutes to the Chinatown district. Grange Street turned out to be one of those confusing streets that are disjointedly split into two. We found ourselves at the wrong end of the street before having to double back and finally #31. This hostel is actually a residential home converted into a kind of homestay for guests, which kind of explained why it had no sign at the front proclaiming it a hostel. A family, with children in their early twenties as well as a set of grandparents share rooms on the ground level, and also share the main kitchen with guests! It definitely felt like one could make this home into one's own home, which many people evidently have, with the place housing several long term travellers who were there studying or working in some capacity. The comfortable, laid back feeling was a great atmosphere to come back to, which was just an extension of the friendliness of this city.
As they didn't have any available two person rooms when we arrived, we were given a large, spacious top floor room which was fitted with four beds. It had a window which let natural light through and cable tv. Wi fi was available in all rooms which was great, and there was always a family member around if one had an issue. There was a bathroom on each level but as the only other room on this level housed two guys who were not exactly clean, it wasn't exactly nice to go into. It was also quite small and squishy, with the slope of the ceiling going down over the shower, cutting head space by about half.
After the second night, we were told that a booking of four were checking in so they moved us to a room in the basement level which was obviously smaller but still fit our suitcases (just). It was slightly colder in this room so we asked for more blankets. The walls were in need of a good wipe (there were a few very suspicious dried globs on it) and a lick of pain as well, and the tv was smaller but still worked which was the main thing. The bathroom was much cleaner on this level, with an additional toilet here as well. The only computer in the house which provided internet access was located here, but the kitchen facilities here weren't kept clean, with half washed pots drying on the sink and the stove top sticky with dried oil and sauce. However the kitchen on the ground level which the family uses was much cleaner and anyways, it was great that they recognised the needs of its long term guests and provided such helpful facilities for them.

As the home was located in Chinatown, there were many Asian restaurants only one block or so away. Toronto is quite a small capital city, with all attractions within conveniently walking distance of each other, so the location was good. The Art Gallery was closeby which at the time, had a Egyptian exhibition on which was quite popular with visitors, and the 'streetcars' (we call them trams down here) were there, running down the main roads.

Overall, a pleasant and relaxing place and city to stay in before the long flight home. The place felt so laid back, it could so easily be considered home even if you weren't a long term guest, and save for the place being a tiny bit run down, it only added to the 'homey' feel of the place. A place that we actually miss, now being actually home!

Rating: 8/10