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Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

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Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

Address: 234 Augusta Avenue
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market Price: $80 per night

The place

An airy, light-filled room above Dolce Gelato in Kensington Market.

The history

This building has been in the owner’s family for more than 60 years. The host is a tenant. She moved in a few years ago and made some minor upgrades.

The furniture is an eclectic mix of vintage pieces and family hand-me-downs:

Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

The host loves supporting local artists, and all the work on the walls is for sale. The paintings are done by her friend Montina Hussey, and the photographs are by Joseph Hammond. The giant metal piece is a countertop salvaged from a defunct grilled cheese restaurant:

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Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

The host lives in the apartment even when there are Airbnbers staying with her, so the main-floor kitchen, bathroom and patio aren’t completely private. Guests sleep in their own bedroom, and the host has a separate bedroom on the upper floor:

Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

There’s a vinyl record player by the window:

Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop

The entranceway has another painting, and a ladder to nowhere:

Airbnb of the Week: $80 per night for a spacious Kensington Market room above a gelato shop
Major perks

Guests don’t even have to leave the apartment to partake in some Kensington Market people-watching. Plus, Dolce Gelato is open until 1 a.m. on weekends, for any late-night dessert cravings.

Possible deal breaker

The bed is a pull-out sofa, so it may be slightly too cozy for two people. And if sharing a bathroom and kitchen with the host weirds you out, you’d best take a pass.

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By the numbers

• 600-square-foot room • $80 per night • 2 guests • 1 bedroom • 1 patio • 1 shared bathroom

The Hunt

Jean Grant has been a freelance writer since 2015, covering a range of lifestyle topics like shopping, interiors, wellness and culture for publications like Maclean’s and Toronto Life. She also enjoys working with brands to develop custom content, and shares personal essays through her Substack newsletter, Nobody is Thinking About You.
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