Ottawa

Boutique Hotels in Ottawa | Experience the Capital From a Chic Boutique Hotel

Discover our selection of eight hidden-gem boutique hotels in Ottawa; perfect for a romantic city break or a weekend of soaking up Canadian history and dining on delicious delicacies in the Byward Market.

Canada’s capital city is a magnet for high-powered politicos, but it is also a draw for visitors who enjoy world-class festivals, museums, galleries and excellent food. For those who desire the intimate experience of a boutique hotel when it’s time to get away from it all, Ottawa delivers in spades.

Tucked in amongst downtown’s federal office buildings and commercial storefronts are a number of plush sanctuaries where warm, personalized service and plenty of perks allow you to recharge your batteries in style. Forgot Fido’s food bowl? Looking for an in-room spa treatment? Thirsting for an unusual craft cocktail or hungry for uniquely Canadian cuisine? These spots have you covered.

Experience Contemporary Canadiana at this Boutique Hotel in Ottawa

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Opened last April, Le Germain Ottawa, part of the Quebec City-based brand, has a subtly elegant, hip vibe. As you enter the lobby, your eyes are instantly drawn to the dramatic artwork, provided by the Ottawa Art Gallery that specializes in works by Canadian artists. Montreal’s LemayMichaud Architecture Design did the hotel interiors. Corridor walls are lined with light and dark linen wallpaper and underfoot is a white, black and grey patterned carpet.  The hotel’s 115 guestrooms have electric controlled drapes, USB outlets for charging devices, TVs with Google Chromecast and Tivoli radios with Bluetooth connections, the bathrooms also have underfloor heating for that added sense of luxury. The fitness room is open 24-hours and guests can request a Nama-Stay video and Lululemon mat to practice sun salutations.

At NORCA Restaurant & Bar Chef Dominique Dufour sources just about all her fruits, vegetables and proteins from Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces. The dinner menu features small plates such as Stanstead rabbit mousseline and large plates of organic grilled beef or East Coast lobster. Small bites include duck fat fries, homemade charcuterie and Quebec cheeses. Craft cocktail fans will enjoy the house-made tonics and off-beat ingredients such as sea buckthorn, sumac and sweet clover.

Although most attractions are walkable from the hotel, a courtesy Lexus is available for jaunts within a 15-mile radius. 

Le Germain Hotel Ottawa

Top rated
Ottawa
9.4 Excellent (1655 reviews)

History and Hospitality Swiss-Style at this Boutique Ottawa Hotel

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Step back in time on this stretch of Daly Avenue, where historical homes once housed many Fathers of Confederation, including Canada’s first prime minister John A. Macdonald. But when you step through the red door of Swiss Hotel, a converted Classical Revival residential unit built in 1872, you’ll be embraced by a fusion of yesteryear-meets-today. The 22-guestroom hotel spent stints as an apartment complex and rooming house before the Sauter family purchased the building and opened a European-style lodging known as Gasthous Switzerland in 1985. In 2010 it underwent a contemporary remodeling and was rebranded as Swiss Hotel.

Clean, modern Swiss decor prevails and rooms feature hardwood floors, ergonomically-designed furniture, 100 percent cotton bed linens and playful modern art. Some have fireplaces and all have 32-inch flat screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and Nespresso machines.

A highlight is the $15 breakfast, which includes housemade Bircher muesli, eggs, French toast with real maple syrup, croissants, muffins, cheese, fruit, yogurt, juice, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. One of the most delightful aspects of this property is the garden terrace. Although the hotel doesn’t serve alcohol, guests can bring in their own beverages to sip in this lush hideaway.

Swiss Hotel

Top rated
Ottawa
9.0 Excellent (1208 reviews)

Self-Contained Serenity at a Boutique Hotel in Ottawa's Byward Market

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The ByWard Market is Canada’s oldest public market space and it bustles with shops, restaurants and outdoor vendors. When it is time to get away from the hubbub, you’ll find sweet calm at the ByWard Blue Inn.

The 46-room inn offers queen and twin rooms, as well as a suite. Each space has its own kitchenette with fridge, coffee maker, microwave and dishes so you can make your own meals and snacks. A work desk, flat-screen TV (with cable), Wi-Fi, telephone (free local calls), quality bed linens, robes, slippers and complimentary bottled water complete these self-contained nests and there is a same-day dry cleaning and laundry service available.

Most rooms come with either a balcony or terrace with café table and two chairs, so you can savour your morning coffee as you watch the world go by. In summer, a general use patio and garden are other outdoor options. In winter, cozy up by the lobby’s gas fireplace while gazing at the colourful works by Ottawa artist B. F. Wallace that adorn the walls.

The complimentary hot breakfast includes items such as eggs, quiche, bacon, sausage, sandwiches, and cereals. Afternoon tea and coffee are also served, accompanied by sweet and savory snacks including homemade cookies, cheese, chips and pickles.

ByWard Blue Inn

Top rated
Ottawa
9.3 Excellent (2601 reviews)

A Comfortable and Pet-Friendly Boutique Hotel in Ottawa

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Part of the Hyatt family, Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market prides itself on the little touches that can make a guest feel at home and cared for. The 200-guestroom property offers complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks from each room’s minibar, local phone calls are unlimited, plush robes and slippers provide snuggly comfort when watching the 50-inch flat screen TV, a newspaper is delivered to your door daily and overnight shoe shine service guarantees tootsies look spot on in the morning. 

In the evening, pop up to Copper Spirits and Sights on the 16th floor, the city’s tallest rooftop bar. At Feast & Revel, on the main floor, chef Stephen La Salle serves up “New Frontier Cuisine” which is built on a foundation of French and English traditions infused with Canadian specialities. Surrounded by wood panelling and hanging plants, you can tuck into dinner items such as bannock, Arctic char (Ocean Wise, approved by the Vancouver Aquarium as ocean-friendly), bison kebabs, duck wings and lamb poutine. Giving back to the community, the restaurant is part of the Mealshare program and donates a meal to a youth in need when certain dishes are ordered off the menu.

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market

Top rated
Ottawa
8.6 Excellent (2734 reviews)

Enjoy Classic Elegance at the Lord Elgin Hotel Ottawa

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The steep, green copper roof of the 355-guestroom Lord Elgin hotel fits right in with downtown Ottawa’s other storied structures, including those on nearby Parliament Hill. Built in 1941 by the Ford Hotel Company, it was named after the first Governor General of the United Canadas, James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin. His bust, along with that of his wife Mary Louisa, can be seen in the lobby. Designed by architects Ross & Macdonald, who also designed Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier and Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, the hotel got an added detail, direct from the country’s most prominent politician. Prime Minister Mackenzie King chose the limestone exterior that came from Ontario’s Niagara region.

The Churchill Suite, on the top floor, is named after one of the hotel’s most famous guests. Guestrooms come with a 49-inch HD TV, mini fridge, Keurig coffee maker and iHome docking/charging station. Marble-clad bathrooms have walk-in showers or tubs and Biedermeir-style furnishings add a classical elegance to the decor. 

Grill 41 Restaurant and Bar, helmed by Chef Neil Mather, features locally sourced ingredients and a generous wine list. Not-to-be-missed cocktails include the Lady Elgin with gin, elderflower liqueur and cucumber or the Earl of Elgin with vodka, Earl Grey syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters.

Hotel Lord Elgin

Top rated
Ottawa
8.9 Excellent (3276 reviews)

A Rustic and Chic Boutique Hotel with a Fitness Heritage

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Independently owned and operated, The Metcalfe offers a unique blend of history and rustic chic modernity. Built in 1906 as a YMCA it then went through a number of iterations as a hotel, including 10 years as the Hotel Indigo. In 2017 it became The Metcalfe.

Hardwood floors with area rugs contribute to the hominess of the hotel’s 106 guestrooms. Free Wi-Fi, 42-inch flat screen TVs, iHome iPad docking stations and alarm clocks keep guests connected, while Keurig coffee makers, cozy duvets, crisp linens and Revolution technology showerheads keep the comfort level high. The 24-hour fitness centre offers sessions with personal trainers for an additional fee and there is an indoor pool and sauna that are open year round.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in The Rox, on the main floor, with local beverages such as Happy Goat coffee, Harvey and Vern’s soda and Kichesippi craft beer.

The Metcalfe

Top rated
Ottawa
9.2 Excellent (2200 reviews)

A Hip and Happening Boutique Hotel in Ottawa

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Check into Arc The.Hotel and the welcome is instant. A complimentary glass of sparkling wine, a freshly baked cookie and a big smile from the front desk clerk accompany your room key.

Designed by Yabu Pushelburg, this modern, minimalist, 112-guestroom hotel has huge windows that let in lots of natural light and a décor that pops with vibrant purple and red accents.

Enhancing the Sandman’s job, there are pillow and aroma menus. Rooms come with bathrobes, slippers, bottled mineral water, free Wi-Fi, Keurig coffee makers, mini fridges, laptop safes, and luxurious bedding.

There’s a 24-hour fitness centre plus you can request a yoga mat and practice poses using the Pilates and yoga instruction cards in each room. In the lobby, grab a complimentary coffee or hot chocolate and get caught up on the news using an iPad specially designated for guests.

Chef Andrew Willis helms the Arc Lounge & Bar, specializing in organic Canadian ingredients, Canadian wines, spirits and craft brews. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Pets are welcome, there’s valet parking, a business centre, and in-room spa treatments can be arranged. Forgot your cufflinks, bow tie or belt? The hotel has lenders, plus they can arrange for bicycle or skate rentals, yoga classes and babysitting.

Arc The Hotel Ottawa

Ottawa
7.6 Good (2145 reviews)

A Bright and Playful Boutique Hotel in Ottawa

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Three “Cs” sum up The Alt Hotel – convenient, contemporary and comfortable. Part of the Le Germain hotel family, this 148-guestroom lodging opened two-and-half years ago and is bright, playful and affordable. The eco-friendly building features a geothermal heating/cooling system that recycles warm air and auto energy-saving light devices.

Rooms include workstations with ergonomic chairs, telephones with voicemail, Italian-designed armchairs, Keurig coffee machines, flat-screen TVs, Egyptian cotton bedding and goose down comforters.

The hotel sports a small gym with elliptical machine, treadmill, stationary bike, and weights, plus yoga mats and videos are available on demand at the front desk. At the Altctera Café, off the lobby, you can pick up grab and go snacks, or order an espresso, cappuccino, café au lait or tea. If you have more time, take a seat for a hot or cold breakfast, lunch or dinner. The café pool table is a popular draw and between five and seven p.m. there are daily drink specials. Warm and friendly staff members are easily approachable, ready to answer any question. Each month one posts on the hotel website a list of great places nearby to eat, plus their recommendations of local events and activities.

Alt Hotel Ottawa

Top rated
Ottawa
9.0 Excellent (2013 reviews)