OverviewSituated at the entrance to the Byward Market, approximately a 4 minute walk from the Rideau Centre, this historic hotel is noted for luxurious accomodation and for special extras like the serving of High Tea daily. On-site amenities include a gym and a heated indoor pool.
There are a number of guest rooms to choose from, including Standard rooms and more spacious (and reportedly more elegant) Suites. All rooms include bathrobes, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer, voicemail and an iron and an ironing board. Parking is available for $29.38/day and guests are permitted to bring their small dog or cat for a charge of $25/day. There is a charge for WI FI of $15.76/day, however WI FI is offered free of charge to President's Club members, and enrolment in that program is free.
A host of restaurants are within a short walk away in the neighbouring Byward Market, but the Chateau Laurier is renowned for their on-site dining.
There are a few options available, including Wilfrid's (which boasts views of Parliament Hill), open for breakfast (Monday-Friday 6:30am-11:30am, Saturday 7:00am-11:30am and Sunday 7:00am-10:30am), lunch (Monday-Saturday 11:30am-2:00pm) and dinner (Monday-Sunday 5:30pm-10:00pm).
Zoe's Lounge offers lighter fare, and is open Monday-Thursday 2:00pm-12:00am, Friday 2:00pm-1:00am, Saturday 12:00pm-1:00am and Sunday 12:00pm-12:00am. Afternoon High Tea is served at Zoe's Monday-Friday, 2:00pm-5:00pm and Saturday-Sunday, 12:00pm-5:00pm.
Guests will be able to reach a number of Ottawa attractions within a short walk from the hotel, including Parliament Hill and the National Arts Centre, which are both less than a 5 minute walk away. In the other direction, up Sussex Drive, the National Gallery is about an 8 minute walk away. The hotel is located near the Museum of Civilization, which is a 5 minute drive across the Portage Bridge into Gatineau, Quebec. MacDonald-Cartier International Airport is about 15.1km from the hotel, and guests should expect about a 23 minute drive to get there (distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps).
Check-in is at 3:00pm, while check-out is at 12:00pm.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: WI FI, pet policy and parking (call date: July 4, 2012).
The GoodFor guests that enjoyed their stay at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, much of their praise can be attributed to luxurious accommodations and exceptional service from staff.
This hotel offered a certain special luxurious quality that enriched the stay for many guests, based on their comments. Phrases like "classic elegance", "suitably modernized with grand old spaces", "regal" and "pampered with luxury" were reflective of guest reaction to the unique qualities and services presented at this hotel.
Staff were excellent, and several guests mentioned staff members by name. Words like "intelligent" and "superb" characterized the service guests received.
Rooms were clean, spacious and well-appointed, according to a number of guests. One guest said their room was "spotless".
The location was highly praised from guests as well, who liked the convenience of being able to easily walk to access a number of shops, restaurants and attractions.
The quality of the food and of the service offered at the restaurants were well received by guests, who made particular mention of the Sunday Brunch.
There were a few additional comments from guests who enjoyed the pool and the gym.
The Bad
While a number of guest reviews used for this analysis were favourable, there were a few common complaints.
Although a number of guests found the historic appearance of the hotel to be charming, others felt that the decor in the rooms specifically needed updating. There was mention of bathrooms - peeling wallpaper and dirty grout.
A few guests felt that the beds were uncomfortable. Some guests found the mattresses too hard, and one guest said that the sheets didn't fit on the beds.
There were some peripheral comments from guests who found that the parking garage was awkward and difficult to access, and from some others who felt that both the room rates and the restaurant food were on the expensive side.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: WI FI, pet policy and parking (call date: July 4, 2012).
Booking.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 8.8 out of 10, or "fabulous", based on 203 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviewers rated this hotel 4.5 out of 5, based on 148 reviews. 90% of guests would recommend this hotel.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #17 out of 62 Ottawa hotels, based on 465 reviews.
