Planet Traveler Toronto

Toronto was the first city I got to experience Canada in, and I wouldn't have traded a hotel stay by myself for a bed in the Planet Traveler Toronto. 

Staying in a hostel is part of budget travel and that's important for an exchange student overseas. However, the planet traveler wasn't anything like a budget youth hostel. It was very clean and it had all the amenities I needed and it was a safe place to meet people from all walks of life. It was a nice clean friendly environment that I appreciated esp at that low cost. 

Why is Planet Traveler great for budget travel?

Overview

1. It cost me $35 CAD a night only

2. Breakfast is complimentary and available till 1pm

3. Its located close to UofT and is walkable from Ryerson University which is close to downtown

4. Its a green hostel - just a bonus, to make you feel  little socially responsible

5. They have awesome staff there, always ready to help. Its almost like they're seniors all ready to show freshmen into their new dorms :) And they know how to have fun too!

6. There are many activities for everyone to do together :) Pub crawls, Movie nights, Free BBQ on Saturday Nights, and the list goes on~

Technology

7. There is wireless and its strong in the lobby

8. There are (working) coms and phones for local calls for use in the lobby

9. Phones are in a small phone booth, with space for only one person; so you have all the privacy to make calls/use skype

10. There's are two washing machines and dryers, each costs $2 CAD to operate

Rooms

11. I requested an all female room - perfect for single lady travellers like myself

12. Each room has a toilet and it does not flood

13. Each person has a locker space, do bring your own padlocks

14. In each locker space is a power plug, so you can leave your electronics to charge in peace :)

OH YES. Popcorn is free!

For an honest review I'll also include the cons about the place, though these can be easily overcome..

Some gripes about the hostel:

1. You gotta cab here if you have a luggage because its impossible to lift it into those street cars

2. Rooms are a little small, so, I had to leave my larger luggage in the baggage room downstairs

3. Staircases are narrow and the lobby is in the basement so luggages can really become a huge burden

4. Wireless signal is weak in rooms

5. Lobby closes at 12am and opens at 7am, its not a 24hr service. ie. during those periods the only wireless you'll get is along the staircase to the lobby

The Entrance to the hostel, card accessed only

People who smoke at night come out here to smoke. So, that makes a smoke free hostel!

4 Mac Coms for use 

Kitchen

Notice Board for activities

Toilet in each room

Lockers with Power Plugs in each

6 beds a room, All girls' room

Complimentary Breakfast each morning

Cereals!

There are bowls but I felt more comfortable eating from my cup

High fibre breakfast for myself, also my first happy meal in Toronto

Rooftop Bar, also the area used for Saturday's BBQ

Complimentary BBQ on the rooftop on Saturdays

I see burgers!

 Even though this BBQ thing was complimentary, the hostel didn't scrimp on using proper ingredients. Patties were cooked on the grill then I had an array of sauces to choose from, all from mustard to freshly chopped white onions. This hostel really gives the best that it can :)

Free Popcorn!

So, there was a day when I returned to the hostel after  day out on my own, and after a lonely taco dinner which I ate hurriedly to avoid the gazes of pity from the other diners. Upon reaching the hostel, I met my roommates and they told me they were just going to the lobby to make popcorn for the movie night later on the roof. I was excited to see how they prepared the popcorn so I tagged along :) (Maybe I just craved some human-to-human communication) A slim bag or kernels slowly bloated up while spinning in the microwave! :O We don't usually prepare popcorn at home in Singapore so it was quite exciting waiting for the popcorn to get ready :) Of course, it was the company that I appreciated more :)

One of my Roommates from Germany

This girl was the first I got to know in the room because she was just getting ready to leave when I checked into my room. I was most comfortable with her :) She was an exchange student as well who was going to attend Ryerson but wasn't able to check in because her hostel wasn't ready yet, that's why she stayed at Planet Traveler. She told me she had been travelling out of her suitcase for 3 weeks prior to arriving Toronto. She was really nice and I felt really welcomed in the room :) Along with 3 other girls, one French, one Irish and one Canadian, they always invited me to join them in their activities. Good memories :))

View from the Roof Bar

Places I went to in Toronto, all in close proximity to the Hostel :)