From five-star luxury to quirky and chic accommodation, these are the best luxury and boutique hotels in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.
Canada’s capital city offers a range of accommodation options that are truly unique. The opulent luxury hotels in Ottawa hint at the style and character of the city when it was a destination on the new Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Meanwhile, the boutique hotels in Ottawa take some of the city’s old-world charm and mix it with the latest design styles and technology.
To complete the list, you’ll find plenty of cool hotels in Ottawa where you can enjoy the highlights of the city’s culture and get to know the city’s friendly locals.
Whether you’re visiting for business or pleasure, this guide to where to stay in Ottawa will give you some great options to choose from.
Why visit Ottawa?
Situated at the confluence of three rivers, Canada’s capital city is a cosmopolitan mixture of cultures and history set against a backdrop of spectacular natural landscapes. Home to the indigenous Algonquin people for millennia, Europeans first settled in Ottawa in 1826. Today the city connects these historical roots with some of Canada’s most high-tech urban designs.
The Rideau Canal is the centrepiece of downtown Ottawa. Completed in 1832, this UNESCO World Heritage site is a summer playground of hiking trails, farmer’s markets, historic buildings and outside eateries. In winter, the canal transforms into an icy wonderland of snow sculptures, coloured lights and the world’s longest naturally-frozen skating rink!
Canada’s rich urban and rural history is celebrated in seven of the country’s nine national museums. Meanwhile, the story of everyday Canadian life can be experienced in Chinatown, Little Italy and Byward districts.
With hundreds of kilometres of urban trails and the city’s proximity to vast parkland and wilderness spaces, Ottawa is a great base for hiking, cycling, skiing, kayaking and skating adventures.
With downtown Ottawa crammed with exciting dining and entertainment choices (many are moments from these hotels too!) Ottawa offers a perfect city break for couples or friends. If you’re ready to start planning your trip, here’s a quick guide to the best luxury and boutique hotels in Ottawa.
The Best Luxury and Boutique Hotels in Ottawa, Canada
Fairmont Chateau Laurier
Starting at the top (literally) is this grand old hotel. Built in a French Gothic style, it epitomises refinement and style. Completed in 1912, the hotel was constructed to cater for discerning tourists travelling on the Grand Trunk Railway.
These days, the hotel’s tradition of grandeur, luxury and hospitality continues in its bright and spacious suites and newly-renovated rooms. With food and drink options ranging from the iconic Zoe’s Bar and the Reading Lounge, to the graceful Wilfred’s Restaurant, you can enjoy the finest and freshest Canadian produce while you gaze at the city below.
This hotel is conveniently located close to many of Ottawa’s top attraction. Plus, if you feel like kicking back and relaxing, the hotel’s Fairmont Gold lounge, Bed & Breakfast or Grand Romance packages will keep you and your partner in the lap of luxury.
Lord Elgin Hotel
One of the best luxury hotels in Ottawa, this really is a slice of the city’s history reimagined for the 21st century. With 335 elegant, Art Deco rooms to choose from, you can relax in a spacious king guestroom with views out over Confederation Park, or snuggle down in style in the top floor Churchill Suite.
The hotel’s Grill 41 restaurant and bar is one of Ottawa’s top restaurants. Its well-stocked cellar will match your meal of locally-sourced dishes with the perfect wine, spirit or cocktail.
Andaz Ottawa Byward
Located in the heart of the historic Byward Market neighbourhood of downtown Ottawa, this luxury hotel takes opulence and comfort to new heights. With 200 guest rooms, including seven spectacular suites, the Andaz capitalises on design spaces by the award-winning Canadian Mason Studio design firm to create a unique accommodation experience. Each room has a rainfall shower, plush robes to wrap yourself in and beds draped with 400 thread-count linen. Oh, the luxury!
Andaz Ottawa’s restaurant, Feast + Reveal, continues the innovation with signature dishes that combine the freshest Canadian ingredients in delicious new ways while up on the 16th floor, the Copper Spirits and Sights bar serves up the drinks with a big side order of stunning city views.
Le Germain Hotel Ottawa
Flooded with natural light and serenity, the rooms at Le Germain have been carefully crafted to create a feeling of cosiness and calm. With goose-down duvets, feather pillows, modern furnishings and tranquil timber decor, the hotel is the ideal haven to retreat to after a hectic day exploring Ottawa!
Located in the Byward Market area of downtown, the hotel’s Norca restaurant boasts one of the city’s finest menus. Dishes range from east coast scallops to bison steaks and elk striploin. You’ll even find tasty salmon dishes from the cold waters of Canada’s west. With a fitness centre, flexible check out and office space in the downstairs lobby, you’ll never want to go home!
Metcalfe Hotel
This stylish hotel deserves all of the five-star rating and rave reviews from its guests! Creating a perfect balance between historic architecture and modern design, the Metcalfe Hotel embodies the hospitality of the Canadian people in its newly-renovated rooms and its snazzy 5-storey atrium.
It’s home to 108 rooms and suites, each one decorated in a bright, clean, modern way. This smart hotel is situated in the heart of Ottawa’s cosmopolitan downtown, with a plethora of restaurants and bars (known locally as the Golden Triangle) to choose from.
Confederation Park is just a short stroll away from the hotel door. Plus, you can wander along the Rideau Canal to the Byward Market area in just a few minutes.
The Westin Ottawa
Conveniently located in downtown Ottawa, the Westin is handy if you’re visiting the Shaw Convention Centre or the CF Rideau retail complex. The hotel’s 492 rooms come in a variety of sizes and styles. From comfy double rooms to grand, top-floor suites, they’re all tastefully styled with the latest design trends and furnishings.
If you’re getting peckish, order lunch or enjoy an elegant dinner in the hotel’s classy Shore Club restaurant. If you have any energy left over, the Westin has a fully-equipped gym and indoor swimming pool.
The Rideau Canal is right across the street from the hotel and, depending on the season, you can stroll, jog, cycle, paddle or skate along the canal or one of its pretty trails.
McGee’s Inn
Described by former guests as “a very British experience”, McGees Inn is a historic B&B located in the historic Sandy Hill area of downtown Ottawa. Oozing Victorian charm, the hotel’s bridal suites feature double-jetted cosy fireplaces for romantic canoodling on cold winter nights or for relaxing after summer-day excursions!
The hotel’s three floors have individually-decorated rooms. These range from a Victorian chic room with a four-poster bed, to a bright, airy ultra-modern annexe room with a tiled shower.
Delicious breakfasts are served each morning in the dining room or in the sunny, bay-windowed parlour. Once you’ve refuelled, you’ll be ready to explore the local area. Byward Market is close by, or wander further afield to see more of Ottawa’s vibrant centre.
Alt Hotel Ottawa
Located close to Ottawa’s Federal Parliament buildings, this super cool and quirky hotel is decked out in colourful design palettes and clean, sharp lines. It’s somewhere to fall in love with style and design!
The hotel’s Altcetera Café serves yummy snacks and beverages all day, along with hot and cold meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you still have some energy left after a day exploring Ottawa, there’s a fitness centre too.
Kokomo Inn B&B
Billing itself as “the only tropical riverfront B&B” in Ottawa, this quirky boutique hotel is located in the Gatineau area of the city. Connected to more than 800 kilometres of local cycle trails, you could enjoy a starlit campfire after a day’s exploration or create your own breakfast masterpieces in the 24-hour kitchen!
Along with cycle paths, this part of Ottawa (the Kokomo is on the Quebec shore of the Ottawa River) is filled with golf courses, hiking trails and winter skating facilities. There are also lots of great restaurants, cafés and laid-back spots in the leafy streets surrounding the hotel. Plus, if you’re feeling lucky you can fritter your fortune (or win someone else’s) at the nearby Casino Lac-Leamy!
I hope this guide helps you to pick one of the best luxury or boutique hotels in Ottawa. If you’re planning any more travels in Canada, don’t miss my guides to Montreal and Banff.