OverviewIn the core of downtown Ottawa on Laurier Avenue West, located an 8 minute walk from Parliament Hill, this hotel is popular with business travellers, and with families who seek extra space and amenities in their rooms, and who want to be within walking distance to a number of attractions. On-site amenities include a heated indoor pool, a fitness centre, a whirlpool and an Aveda salon and spa.
This 480 room all-suite hotel is non-smoking and offers Studios or Suites with one or two bedrooms. In all rooms, guests can expect WI FI, a full kitchen or kitchenette, a 37-inch flat screen TV, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer and an iron and an ironing board. Parking is available on site for a cost of $19/day. Pets are permitted at this hotel for a cost of $85/stay.
This hotel is located nearby a number of restaurants, but guests have a few on-site dining options, including Phi Bistro, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday-Friday 6:30am-11:00pm and open for breakfast and dinner only Saturday- Sunday 7:00am-11:30am and 4:30pm-10:00pm. For guests wishing to have a quick cup of coffee, there is a Tim Hortons on site, as well as a market for grab and go snacks. A complimentary hot breakfast is served daily in the lobby (Monday-Friday 7:00am-10:00am and Saturday-Sunday 6:30am-9:30am).
There are a number of attractions located within walking distance from this hotel, including the Byward Market, the Rideau Canal and the National Arts Centre, all about a 10-15 minute walk away. There are a few museums in the area as well, including the Canadian Museum of Civilization (about a 9 minute drive over the river in Gatineau, QC) and the Canadian Museum of Nature (about a 12 minute walk south of the hotel). Guests travelling by air should budget about 21 minutes to drive from the hotel and MacDonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) (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, breakfast and parking (call date: June 29, 2012).
The GoodFor guests who had a positive experience at this hotel, convenient location and in-room amenities, like kitchen facilities were largely responsible.
Guests appreciated being able to walk to reach a number of tourist destinations, shops and restaurants. Business travellers in particular liked the proximity to the office buildings and the Congress Centre for meetings.
A number of guests, particularly families, liked the convenience of having good kitchenette/kitchen facilities at their disposal. Several of these rooms had been recently renovated, and guests commented favourably on the appearance of their rooms. A few guest mentioned specifically that bathrooms and kitchens were very clean.
Guests received good service from staff here as well, and used words like "friendly" and "helpful" to describe their impression. Several guests said that staff were helpful in recommending restaurants and attractions to visit.
There were a few additional comments on comfy beds and on the quality of the breakfast
The Bad
While many of the comments used for this analysis were favourable, there were a few common points among complaints, mostly centring on parking and noise issues.
Some guests thought the fee for parking was expensive, and some other guests felt that the parking lot was awkwardly configured and difficult to access.
A few guests felt the walls were thin, and were bothered by noise from inside the hotel. They mentioned that elevators, in particular, were very noisy and disturbed guests inside their rooms.
There were a few peripheral comments, centring on things like thin linens and carpets in some common areas.
Confirmed with a front desk agent: WI FI, breakfast and parking (call date: June 29, 2012).
TripAdvisor.com guest reviewers ranked this hotel #22 out of 62 Ottawa hotels, based on 167 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviewers rated this hotel 4.1 out of 5, based on 7 reviews. 100% of guests would recommend this hotel.
Hotels.com guest reviewers rated this hotel 4.4 out of 5, or "excellent", based on 12 reviews.
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Analyzed by Heather W.
Driven by the sense that every person, place or thing has a story to tell and a skill for being in the wrong place at the right time, Heather is a well-traveled writer.
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