I enjoyed my stay at the Pod-Inn overall. The showers, however, are right next to each other with no changing area, so it’s possible to end up changing at the same time as someone else. Personally, I would prefer a single shower with a locking door, even if it meant waiting in line, rather than opening the shower door to find someone changing only a few centimeters away, which did happen to me.
On the positive side, the toilets were very clean, the kitchen area was tidy, and my room itself was clean. The staff was also very kind and welcoming, which made the stay much nicer. The main downside for me was the beds—they are extremely loud, so even small movements make a terrible noise, and it’s worse if the person above you moves. I also had concerns about the lack of sheets on the mattress, since you lay directly on it and I’m not sure how thoroughly it gets cleaned.
Overall, this hostel does the job for short stays, but I wouldn’t recommend staying longer than about 3 days. The location, though, is excellent—right in Downtown Toronto, just a 5-minute walk from the City Train and Subway. You really can’t beat the location for the price, and I felt very safe walking back late at night after my shows.
Would recommend for short stays!