Review: The Westin Ottawa

I chose the Westin Ottawa Hotel because I was in town over the weekend for a wedding; however, being a travel blogger, I wasn’t about to let that get in my way of seeing the town. I hadn’t been to Ottawa proper in probably 15 years, and so needed a hotel that was centrally located and with lots of access to places like the War Memorial, Houses of Parliament, and lots of eats and drinks.

While the hotel delivered on its location, and I felt the service was good, the room showed its age, which was a little bit disappointing. Let’s dive right into my experience at The Westin Ottawa.

Booking & Check-in

I booked the Westin Ottawa via the Marriott website, which was more of a habit because the app is actually a much smoother, more integrated experience usually. Cash rates are all over the place at the Westin Ottawa, but seem to be between $250-$350 per night. On the other hand, if you are interested in redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points, rates can range from 30,000 to 50,000 points per night.

That being said, the Westin Ottawa could present a good opportunity to use a Marriott Free Night certificate, especially if you are staying on a cheaper night where you don’t have to top it up with any additional Bonvoy points.

Both the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card and the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card offer an annual free night simply for paying the annual fee, making both of these cards excellent to keep for the long term.

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card

Apply Now Learn More Terms & Conditions apply

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

BONUS
60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

MINSPEND
$5,000

EST. VALUE
$540+

ANNUAL FEE
$150

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
–

It’s not much to look at from the outside, being a quasi-Brutalist building that seems so common for many older hotels in Canada, but on the inside, the ambience was warm and luxurious.

I made my way to the front desk, with whom I’d been chatting. They’d done their best to help me get set up for a quick check-in because I had dinner with people to get to immediately after. Service was fast, and they thanked me for my Titanium loyalty, offering me complimentary breakfast as my welcome amenity.

I then made my way to the elevators to go to my room, 2211, a 2 Double Beds, Parliament View, Deluxe Guest Room, which I’d been upgraded to due to my Titanium Elite status. 

As a result of the area, the Westin Ottawa had a feature I’ve never seen in hotels in Canada before: floor-locked elevators. You swipe and select your floor, and then a designated elevator is locked to stop there.

Location

I was told by the check-in staff that the location is everything, and I can believe it. The Westin Ottawa is within walking distance of just about every major tourist destination and government center, as well as the Rideau Canal.

This is vital for both business and leisure travelers, but it comes with downsides. Similar to downtown centers in many Canadian cities, there are a lot of homeless people in the area, and they seem to wander around the front of the building.

As you can see from the photos from my window vantage point, the view is stunning, as is the area.

 Overall, the Westin Ottawa gets a solid rating on its location.

Parking

Parking is located right next door at the Rideau Center shopping mall, and it does have a tiny entrance from within the drop-off area of the hotel. It’s ludicrously expensive at $30.25 per day with theoretically no in/out privileges. This is the cost of being in such a prime spot, but it still stings.

Room – 2 Double Beds, Parliament View, Deluxe Guest Room

After checking in, I took the elevator up to the 22nd floor and made my way down the hallway to my room.

Once inside, I was greeted by two queen beds. I had hoped for an Executive King suite, but this was the best they had to offer, and I wasn’t about to complain.

Within the room was a desk, a television, and it’s basically what you’d expect for a building that gets lots of people here to meet with the capital’s decision-makers. That’s probably why the closet has both an iron and an ironing board for the maintenance of formal wear.

I want to note something about the beds: they were some of the most comfortable I’ve had, and the bedding was super plush. I would buy one of these mattresses if the prices weren’t so high.

In between the beds was a central docking station for chargers.

On the mantle with the television was a lovely little welcome gift of a note, sparkling water, and artisanal chocolates. I had just been on a 4-hour flight, so I devoured them with abandon as they were excellent.

Underneath the mantle was an ottoman so it’s nice that the room had extra amenities to make it more comfortable to relax for the long term.

The coffee maker came with free water bottles that were replenished each day. I wouldn’t recommend the room’s coffee, especially as elites got to take away free Starbucks-branded coffee from the restaurant downstairs.

In the corner of the room was the stunning view overlooking the city and a brochure of other Westin properties.

To the side of the room entrance was the bathroom, which had a sliding door. That door was the first of my problems: due to the age of the room, it was a bit bedraggled and didn’t take any force to move. It also sorta flopped around and had no locking mechanism. Not great for privacy!

Within was the bathroom, which was what I’d describe as standard issue.

On the sink was a tiny set of hand soap and lotion, and not much else, though underneath the sink was where the extra towels were stored.

The toilet worked and was a decent distance from the floor.

The shower had decent water pressure. Soap and shampoo were provided in immovable dispensers drilled into the wall.

However, this was where I ran into issues. The shower worked fine, but the caulking around the edges was blackened and coming undone. Gnarly and unattractive, and really showing both the age of the room and a probable unwillingness by the franchisee to invest in cosmetic repairs.

The chair in the living room was also showing its age, with a huge disconcerting liquid coffee stain of some kind. This should really have been steam-cleaned or re-upholstered. If this were a no-name Best Western, I wouldn’t have been concerned, but the hotel is rated four stars.

I did raise the issue with the hotel staff after they sent me an exit survey, and they were courteous in their response. It didn’t seem like much, except a generic public relations response to me, unless they try to fix the problem.

Restaurants

Daly’s Restaurant – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

Breakfast is served via a predictable buffet at the Daly’s Restaurant.

Marriott Bonvoy Elites have the option of using their vouchers on the buffet or on Daly’s Express to get pastries and coffee, and coffee from the bottomless breakfast can be taken out, too.

Inside, the decor is older school Canadiana but perfectly comfortable and pleasant.

The buffet itself was without a doubt one of the nicer ones I’ve seen in Canada. It had a live omelette station, as well as over 40 items, all of which were of higher quality than the standard fare from specific suppliers often seen in such buffets.

The fresh fruit and yogurt selections were particularly nice as they had to be made each day, which was a nice touch.

There was also a little station for milk cartons, pastries, and milk. I was told by the staff that I was more than welcome to take out any of these I desired, which was a nice bonus, as many places will be rather insistent on what you can or cannot remove.

I had the eggs benedict with detox juice the morning after the ceremony and reception. Let me tell you, they reinvigorated me. Amazing breakfast. What is not amazing is the normal price: $40 per person plus tax and tips. Ouch!

The Shore Club

Within the Westin Ottawa is a renowned steakhouse called the Shore Club. It is apparently fantastic, and one of my friends even used to work here, but it didn’t fit into my schedule. I’ve heard it recommended from many whom I trust, though, and it would be wrong to exclude it.

Facilities

Fitness Center

The fitness center was not open on one of the days I was here, and I missed it the other. However, they did have bikes you could rent, and the front desk also told me that if I wanted, they could give me a room with a fitness machine, such as a treadmill (which I chose to decline).

Convenience Store

There’s also a convenience store on the ground level just past the main elevators that features an ATM, souvenirs, and absurd prices.

The convenience is nice, though, in case you need a late-night bag of Doritos.

Conclusion

Overall, I was satisfied with my stay. I don’t think it was superb, but the service was good, and the breakfast really stood out as being a cut above most of those I’ve had in other North American hotels. However, the age of the room and somewhat blasé response to highlighting it were not what I’d think a hotel of this pedigree should allow to happen.

If these things get fixed, I’d be happy to try out the Westin Ottawa again. If they don’t, I’d probably give another property a try next time I come to town.