Royal Oak Inn

We came to Toronto for an event and needed a reasonably priced room near the venue for one night. The royal oak suited us well. Staff were great, and the room was small, about the size of an average bedroom with its own bathroom, but enough for our needs. It's not a fancy place, just a good value for someone who wants the basics. Transit is right outside, and the service was great. We'd stay again if we need to and would recommend it.

Solo women travelling should think carefully about the location. I stayed here alone for two days, attending an event, and both nights I came back after midnight. Men crossed the street to catcall me, or shouted from a distance near filmore. There were people on drugs all along the way from the filmore hotel to the church by the hotel, and several people were doing fentanyl bend overs in the middle of the road. I also heard loud screaming on the first night. The nearby homeless camps made the area feel very unsafe. I'd spend more for somewhere safer if I were travelling alone. The hotel service was great, and the room was alright for what it was. I just wouldn't return because of the location. They should consider moving so guests can feel more comfortable getting there.

The location is near lots of things in Toronto, but it wasn't worth the stay. The whole building smelled odd and was filthy, and the floors looked like they hadn't been swept. When housekeeping came once during our four-day visit, I was changing and said no, but the guy came in anyway. I was shocked there weren't bugs in the bed. The shower was tiny and leaked all over the floor, soaking my clothes. Paint was chipped, half the things in the room were falling apart, and there was just one trash can. Nobody emptied it during those four days. The TV didn't connect to anything. The surrounding homeless camps aren't the hotel's fault, but they still left us uneasy and unsafe. Worst hotel stay I've ever had.

Shahzeb Shaikh at the front desk is polite, knows the area fairly well, and doesn't mislead people about the rooms. Most of the other agents are pretty good too. My problem is with the woman who works with them. I know reservations have to be accepted before a booking is complete, and it was awful service and business practice to rent out the room I was staying in without asking whether I was extending my reservation. If she's actually the hotel manager, she doesn't seem to understand how to run a business properly. The rooms are small but adequate, and the location is kind of crap.