The Westin Ottawa

Wow! Best dosa, idly and sambar that I have had outside of India! Great patio and really central location…. Definitely will be returning often.

This past weekend was the Ottawa Marathon Weekend, with over 35,000 participants. I was in town at staying at the Westin, participating in the event early Sunday morning. Given my early start Sunday morning, I went to bed at 9pm on Saturday evening. Unfortunately the Westin had booked a very large and very noisy wedding which was held one or two floors above my room. Exceedingly noisy and absolutely impossible to sleep until wedding music and dancing slowed down at 1am. Given the hotel was packed with marathon participants, all of whom would have wanted an early night and restful sleep the night before the marathon, I can’t believe hotel management would have booked a large wedding.

They care, they really care, about the guest experience. Clean wonderful rooms. And the BEST computerized elevator system I’ve ever seen. Parking is inexpensive - $30 for 24 hours - and the garage easily accessed on the reception floor. And of course there could not be a better location in Ottawa.

The Westin is in an excellent location in the Centre of Ottawa next to Canal and Parliament. We had a large room with a view of Parliament and the heart of Ottawa. The room has a safe, fridge, and the usual amenities of a superior hotel. I found the bed comfortable but a bit soft for my taste although my spouse oved it. The room lighting is subdued and the sliding door to the bathroom sticky but overall we were very happy. Breakfast buffet is simply superb and with a great view as well. Dinner at The Shore Club is also great with a menu of meals cooked for you and the service is excellent. The pool is OK but the ladies room is not easily accessible. The hot tub was just warm when we were there. All in all an expensive stay but worth it and highly recommended.

As a frequent guest at the sister City Center property decided to try Westin, they share the same GM Ross Meredith so assumed it would be an experience to the same level. The actual stay has been nothing short of amazing in this property's inability to tackle even the smallest issue. You speak to staff about anything, they ask numerous questions then ask you what you want to do. Upon speaking to locals was told the same thing "Oh no, don't stay there, its only for conferences and government announcements" Highlights of the trip have been - A room move from a unit with a broken bed, to one with broken HVAC - Completely inaccessible valet parking (its 15 to 20 minutes to get your car, unless you figure out how much to pay them to keep it out-front, an M3 has been there all weekend, I gave them $30, wasn't enough) - Frequent calls asking for my EV to be plugged in (only way to charge onsite is pay for valet) - The worst breakfast imaginable - Being told I could not have a room key because the previously mentioned room change meant I didnt know the new number - Found a knife infront of the hotel, and watched the staff and valet walk by it with zero concern. - Promised a credit for issues on the stay, but was not applied and my card was charged in full. - Staff entered our room midstay Any, or all of this could of been explained if they had a single solution, but while travelling for business and having to follow up multiple times for something as minor as getting your car out of $55 valet is impossible. If its paid for by someone else, and your just here to attend conferences, or something nearby that does not require a car would be an option, or absolutely anyone else do not stay here for any reason