Ottawa accommodations
Ottawa accommodations welcome you to a destination nicknamed “The City That Fun Forgot”. Known for its museums, art galleries, riverfront parks / beaches, waterfalls, hiking areas, Beaver Tails (fried dough), Canadian cheese, maple chocolate and hockey tradition, Ottawa is located at the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers’ confluence in southeastern Ontario. About 2 hours west of Montreal and 3.5 hours northwest of Burlington Vermont (driving), Ottawa’s iconic riverfront forms a natural border between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Ottawa is about midway between Quebec City (northeasterly) and Toronto (southwesterly). Ottawa main attractions include Parliament Hill (neo-Gothic complex / Canada’s legislature – artworks, tours), CF Rideau Centre (shopping mall), ByWard Market (Beaver Tails origin, outdoor farmers market stalls, specialty food stalls, street art, retail / crafts stores, eateries), Canadian Museum of Nature, National Gallery of Canada (art gallery), Canadian War Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa Train Yards (shopping mall), JOEY Rideau (restaurant), Canada Aviation and Space Museum, TD Place (stadium), Mooney’s Bay Park and Beach (riverfront park – beach swimming, playgrounds, sledding hill, family events / festivals), Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica (19th-century Catholic church), Hog’s Back Park (waterfalls, dam, hiking trails, green space, picnic areas), Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum (massive underground bunker museum – exhibits, military artifacts, events), Britannia Park and Beach, Commissioners Park (lakeside park – paths, picnic areas, tulip festival), Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Royal Canadian Mint (museum), Major’s Hill Park (city park – walking paths, seasonal events / gardens, river views), Mer Bleue Bog (boardwalk trail), Strathcona Park (riverfront park – seasonal splash pad, paths, benches, shade trees), Rockcliffe Park and the Rockeries, Ottawa Art Gallery, Remic Rapids Park (riverfront park – balanced rock sculptures), Fitzroy Provincial Park (wooded park – swimming beaches, boating, hiking trails, centennial trees, campgrounds), Stanley Park (riverside park), Chapman Mills Conservation Area (nature preserve), South March Highlands Conservation Forest (457-hectare nature preserve – hiking, mountain biking), Westboro Beach, Rink of Dreams (outdoor ice skating rink), Pinhey’s Point Historic Site (museum), Pine Grove Trail (hiking area), Eagle Creek Golf Club and Dewberry Trail (hiking area). Northward across the Ottawa River, in Gatineau Quebec, points of interest include Canadian Museum of History, Casino du Lac-Leamy (casino), Canadian Children’s Museum, Leamy Lake Park and La Baie Park (riverside boardwalk – walking / cycling trails, restaurant, café). Southward from downtown you may find Hard Rock Casino, Orchard View Wedding & Event Centre, Shouldice Berry Farm, GreyHawk Golf Club, Green Corners Farm (pick your own flowers) and Domaine Perrault (winery). Ottawa’s main airport is Ottawa International Airport, while the city’s light rail transit system is known as the O-Train. Good to know is that Uber rideshare does operate in Ottawa, with service to include the airport. Ottawa is a relatively small city. But for those who would like to rent a car, airport car rental agencies include National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Mont-Tremblant Resort, Nakkertok South and Camp Fortune make for some of the area’s best ski locations. Found on the city’s southwest side, the Canadian Tire Centre is the Ottawa Senators‘ home arena. English is widely spoken in Ottawa, though learning some French words and phrases might prove beneficial. Ottawa’s currency is the Canadian Dollar, cars travel on the right-hand side and the drinking age is 19 years old. Ottawa top events include Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa Fringe Festival, Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, Music and Beyond, Oh Canada, Eh!?, Ottawa Busker Festival, Ottawa Chamberfest, Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, Almonte Celtfest, CityFolk Festival, Halal Ribfest Ottawa, Ottawa International Children’s Festival and Latin American Film Festival. Ottawa accommodations are some of eastern Canada’s best. Before we get to Ottawa accommodations, let’s take a look at some more background information on the area to help you along the way.
The word “Ottawa” derives from the Ottawa River, whose name itself comes from the Algonquin adawe, meaning “to trade”. Around 6,500 years ago, indigenous peoples settled in the Ottawa region after the Champlain Sea receded. As evidenced by archaeological findings (arrowheads, tools, pottery), the Algonquin likely engaged in hunting, fishing, foraging and trading. Thus, the area served as an important trade / travel center for thousands of years. During the 15th century, Europeans began settling and colonizing North America. Huron interpreter and guide Étienne Brûlé became the first known European to pass through the Ottawa-area on his way to the Great Lakes circa 1610. French explorer Samuel de Champlain, three years after Brûlé, passed through the area and wrote of its waterfalls and his encounters with the Algonquins. New England farmer, lumberman and entrepreneur Philemon Wright founded the area’s first non-Indigenous settlement, a lumber town (present-day Hull), on the river’s north side March 7, 1800. Wright’s Town became an agricultural town comprised of 6 families and 25 laborers. Pioneering the Ottawa Valley timber trade, which fueled the local economy, Wright transported timber via river from the Ottawa Valley to Quebec City. The British arrived in 1826 to construct the Rideau Canal and establish a community on the river’s south side. “Bytown” was named after British Lieutenant-Colonel John By, who oversaw the Rideau Canal’s construction. The Rideau Canal would help provide a secure route between Montreal and Kingston Ontario for supply ships, which were exposed to enemy fire near the border of New York during the War of 1812. Modern Parliament Hill was originally occupied by military barracks. Lieutenant-Colonel By also laid out a street grid and created the neighborhoods of Upper & Lower Towns. Upper Town was comprised of English-speaking Protestants, while Lower Town housed French / Irish Catholics. In 1827, ByWard Market was established. The Rideau Canal was completed in 1832, a year in which the area’s population had eclipsed 1,000. Arising from tensions amongst lumber operators, Shiners’ War (1835-1845) between Irish-Catholic immigrants and French Canadians led to Irish arrests. “King of the Shiners” Peter Aylen departed for Lower Canada near the conflict’s end, and the Shiners fizzled out. Evidenced by the 1849 Stony Monday Riot, Tories objected Bytown’s consideration as the Province of Canada’s capital. Nevertheless, Bytown was renamed and incorporated as Ottawa in 1855, and two years later became capital. Ottawa was chosen as capital due to its isolated location at the border between Canada West and Canada East. During the 1850s, lumber barons built some of the world’s largest sawmills in Ottawa. Parliament Hill, originally a limestone outcrop in primeval forest, was constructed between 1859 and 1876. Rail lines were built in 1854 and by 1885, Ottawa had become Canada’s only city with downtown street-lights powered entirely by electricity. The original Ottawa Senators ice hockey team, one of Canada’s first organized hockey clubs, existed from 1883 to 1954. Chaudière Falls hydroelectric generators started being utilized by local industrialists through “water leases” in 1889. In 1870, a horsecar transportation system began operating, but was replaced in the 1890s by an electric streetcar system, which ran until 1959. The 1900 Hull–Ottawa fire devastated much of Hull and Ottawa. Château Laurier hotel and Union Station opened alongside the Grand Trunk Railway on June 1, 1912. The city’s original Centre Block, destroyed by fire on February 3, 1916, was subsequently rebuilt in 1922, centered around Peace Tower. A former commercial district, Confederation Square was coronated by King George VI in 1939. The 1960 Greber Plan was implemented to make the National Capital Region more aesthetically pleasing, fit for a political scene. The 1960s-80s saw a large uptick in construction. Grant and Pam Hooker, founders of the legendary Beaver Tails pastry enterprise, opened their first store in Ottawa circa 1980. High tech was ushered into the city during the 1990s-2000s.
Canada’s capital, Ottawa today is home to over 1 million “Ottawans”. Ottawa is Canada’s fourth largest city, and naturally the country’s governmental center. Building height restrictions have kept Ottawa’s skyline minimal, though its tallest building is Claridge Icon at 469 feet. The oldest part of the city, known as Lower Town, is located between the Rideau Canal and rivers. Earthquakes, though rare, are possible due to the city’s location within the Western Quebec Seismic Zone. Home to a humid continental climate, Ottawa experiences four distinct seasons. Humidity is common during peak summertime, while snow and ice are typically abundant throughout winter. Also found in winter is Ottawa’s Christmas Market, which is located at Lansdowne Park in the central Glebe neighborhood. Additional points of interest include Downtown Ottawa, Rogers Centre, Centre Block on Parliament Hill, National War Memorial, Rideau Canal Skateway, Peace Tower (bell / clock tower), Library of Parliament, National Arts Centre, Gatineau Park, Discovery Trail (hiking trail), Lusk Cave (hiking area), Lac Philippe – Parc de la Gatineau (beach), Mont Cascades (waterpark), Eco-Odyssee (tourist attraction), Cafe Le Hibou (restaurant) and Caverne Laflèche par Arbraska (amusement park). Local foods include poutine (French fries, cheese curds, gravy), smoked meats, bacon, lobster rolls, bagels, bannock (flat-bread), butter tarts, French toast and Beaver Tails. Popular drinks are whiskey, lager beer, wine, various cocktails and hot chocolate. With some background information on the area, we’re ready for Ottawa accommodations that will help make for a fun trip.
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Ottawa Airport
135 Thad Johnson Private
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Ottawa Airport features free bikes, free WiFi, a fitness center, a 24-hour front desk, a business center, flat-screen TVs and a hot tub. Dadam Cafe (restaurant), EY Centre (event venue), Hylands Golf Club (golf club), AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex (sports complex), Nonna’s Famous Inc (pizza delivery), My Hookah Canada (oriental goods store), The Central Band of the Canadian Forces (band), The Keg Steakhouse + Bar – Hunt (restaurant), Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club (golf club), Royal Rooster Shawarma (Syrian restaurant), The Met (church), RCCG Overcomers’ Chapel (church), House of Plants (garden center), Cindy’s Restaurant (restaurant), 50 TWO Sandwiches & More (sandwich shop), Frankie’s Deli (sandwich shop), Skela Foods Inc. (deli), West Hunt Club Centre (shopping mall), Mandarin Restaurant, Chop Steakhouse & Bar (steak house) and more.
Within feet:
Within 1.7 miles:
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- North Sawmill Creek Park
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Within 2.1 miles:
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- Sieveright Park
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Within 3.7 miles:
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- Mooney’s Bay Train
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Within 7 miles:
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- Canadian War Museum
- Confederation Square
- Peace Tower
- Bytown Museum
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Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Ottawa Airport is within feet of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Studio Suite): $158
Cost per person (five people): $31
Byward Blue Inn
157 Clarence St.
Byward Market
Byward Blue Inn features a snack bar, continental breakfast, a garden, a terrace, free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk, concierge service, luggage storage, a lobby fireplace, a business / conference center and limited on-site self parking.
In the area: Byward Market Square, University of Ottawa and Rideau Canal
Auberge des Arts Bed and Breakfast
104 Guigues Ave
Notre Dame Basilica
Providing free WiFi, daily breakfast, air conditioning, a shared kitchen, laundry facilities and free parking, Auberge des Arts Bed and Breakfast is close to Bridgehead (coffee shop), Smudge Beauty Bar (nail salon), Julian.Marc.Salon (beauty salon), ebb & flo (clothing store), Vanity (body piercing shop), Flower to the People (florist), L’HEXAGONE (men’s clothing store), PARLOUR (hair salon), Khao Thai Restaurant, Modmop Hairdressing, Amaze (escape room), Not Your Father’s Barber (barber shop), Scooteretti – Electric Bikes (bicycle shop), Fiazza (pizza restaurant), The Rainbow Bistro (live music bar), The Snug Pub (bar), El Camino (restaurant), Shelby Burger (restaurant), Wedel – Touch of Europe (gourmet grocery store), Jigsaw Escape Rooms, Dal Moro’s Fresh Pasta To Go (Italian restaurant), Peace-Garden Vegetarian Paradise (vegetarian restaurant), Piccolo Grande Artisan Gelateria (ice cream shop), Salon Rouge (beauty salon), Pili Pili Grilled Chicken (restaurant), Hing Lung Chinese Food, C’est Bon Cooking (culinary school) and more.
Within feet:
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- Notre Dame Basilica
- U.S. Embassy
- Major’s Hill Park
- Art Mode Gallery
- Rideau Mall
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Within 1.4 miles:
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- Canadian War Museum
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Within 1.9 miles:
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- Casino Lac-Leamy
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Within 3.9 miles:
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- Dow’s Lake
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Within 9 miles:
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- Pineault Ski Lift
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Auberge des Arts Bed and Breakfast is 8 miles from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $104
Kokomo Inn
1175 Jacques-Cartier
Rideau Falls
Offering flat-screen TVs, continental breakfast, a campfire under the stars, two terraces with river or garden views and bike and ski storage, Kokomo Inn is in the vicinity of À La Dérive brasserie artisanale (brewpub), Mon Café (bistro), Quai-des-Cageux (park), Boutique Librairie l’Essence-Ciel (metaphysical supply store), Sterling (steak house), Quai des Artistes (marina), THE GOD BARBER (barber shop), Pâtisserie L’Étoile (bakery), Beauté Paramédika (spa), Caf’Noisette (nut store), Crêperie Meld&Melt (crêperie), Ga-Ga Patates (fast food restaurant), Marché Al Andalous St louis (supermarket), Studio Cofia (hair salon), Au Centre du Party (party store), Penningtons (women’s clothing store), À l’Ēchelle du Monde (game store), Frerot (restaurant), Le Club House (breakfast restaurant), Restaurant La Creppa (breakfast restaurant), Plaisirs Gourmands (bakery) and more.
Within feet:
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- Rideau Falls
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Within 1.1 miles:
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- Rideau Hall
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Within 2 miles:
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- Canada Aviation and Space Museum
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Within 2.2 miles:
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- National Gallery of Canada
- Casino Lac-Leamy
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Within 4.3 miles:
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- TD Place Stadium
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Kokomo Inn is 8 miles from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (presidential suite): $178
The Century House Bed and Breakfast
62 Stewart Street
Ottawa Art Gallery
The Century House Bed and Breakfast has free WiFi, hardwood floors, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, private bathrooms, a snack bar, free parking and hot breakfast for a fee. This B&B is close to McGee’s Inn.
Within feet:
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- Ottawa Art Gallery
- University of Ottawa
- Carleton University
- Rideau Mall
- Rideau Canal
- National Arts Center
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Within 1 mile:
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- Museum of Nature
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Within 1.3 miles:
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- Rideau Hall
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Within 3 miles:
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- Canada Aviation and Space Museum
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Within 3.6 miles:
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- National Museum of Science and Technology
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The Century House Bed and Breakfast is 8 miles from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $166
Clyde Hall Bed and Breakfast
131 Mill Street
Timber Run Golf Country Club
With an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a solarium with wrap-around terrace, wooden floors, seating areas, flat-screen TVs, spa baths, a common living room with baby grand piano and fireplace, a breakfast with bacon, eggs, eggs benedict and waffles and a dining room with antiques, artwork and Victorian furnishings, Clyde Hall Bed and Breakfast is near Timber Run Golf Course, Lanark Landing (restaurant), Temple’s Sugar Bush (sugar shack), Baird Trail (hiking area) and Mal’s Camping (campground).
Within feet:
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- Timber Run Golf Country Club
- Lanark Landing Restaurant
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Within 6.2 miles:
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- Braid Trail
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Within 7.5 miles:
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- Town of Perth Market
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Within 9.7 miles:
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- Perth Museum
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Within 29.8 miles:
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- Mt. Pakenham Ski Lift
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Clyde Hall Bed and Breakfast is 40 miles from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $185
So there they are, Ottawa accommodations that will help make for a memorable trip. We hope you have found this information valuable and most importantly, that you enjoy your time in Canada!