– HOTEL REVIEW: THE WESTIN OTTAWA –
The Westin Ottawa is a top-ranked 4-star hotel in the nation’s capital, perfect for those traveling on business or for leisure. It is conveniently located on the famous Rideau Canal in the heart of downtown within a walking distance to all major Ottawa attractions.
We stayed at the Westin Ottawa during the weekend of Canada’s biggest celebration, the Grey Cup Festival. Because we arrived in the hotel 2 hours before check-in, our room was not ready, but the front desk kindly held our bags and took note of our number with the promise to send us a message when it was ready. An easy 10-minute walk put us in the heart of Byward Market, where we were able to enjoy a beer before getting the green light on our rooms.
The hotel itself is 24 stories with 496 guest rooms. It has a pleasant atmosphere and modern decor. Firework shaped chandeliers hang above stylish leather sofas in the lobby, but it’s really the 14-ft wide glass fireplace that makes the big impression when you enter for the first time.
We stayed in a Standard Guest Room. It was spacious, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window featuring stunning views of Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa. As I walked in I instantly fell in love with their signature heavenly beds, topped with fluffy white duvets, and down and feather pillows. The beds surprisingly beat out the view for the rooms best feature, and I slept like a baby every night!
Since I work while traveling, I appreciated the large work area, but even more the free high-speed Internet access that the hotel receptionist kindly gave us as an exception, as normally you have to pay for it. I was also very pleased to find some additional touches in the room: a coffee maker with Starbucks coffee and to go cups, free bottled water, lavender oil beside the bed as aromatherapy, a terrycloth bathrobe and white tea bath products.
The Westin Ottawa has everything you need, including several dining options, meeting rooms, a salt water indoor pool and a 24/7 access fitness studio. Their professional and friendly staff were very accommodating and did their best to make our stay a pleasant one. Especially our cleaning lady, who was the friendliest I’ve met, and was happy to provide us with extra coffee. Second was the concierge, who was full of great tips and information on what’s going on in the city.
The hotel enjoys a terrific location, and it’s place in downtown was ideal for walking along the canal, visiting the Peace Tower and Parliament Hill, enjoying the Grey Cup atmosphere and taking advantage of the efficient public transportation. Specifically, on that last note, the hotel was only steps away from the shuttle to TD Stadium, which was very convinient for us. We also loved that the hotel is connected to the high-end Rideau Shopping Centre. And it is always a great plus to have a Starbucks and Chipotle close to your room; in this case, both are less than 50m from the entrance.
Our stay at The Westin Ottawa was an excellent choice for us. Great views, competitive rates and an excellent customer service in walking distance to all the major downtown sights. We look forward to our next stay in this great hotel!
Check out some extra photos from Westin’s website:
