Need Suggestions for Hotels in Ottawa
 

Hello,
My husband & I will be spending 3 nights in Ottawa in July. Would like to stay in the downtown area so we can be within walking distance of most attractions. Trip Advisor gave places like Radisson & Embassy Suites mixed reviews. Courtyard Ottawa Downtown got good reviews; however, sites like Travelocity have non-refundable rates of $152 USD per night; non-refundable seems unheard of to me. Am I correct about this? The price jumps to $173 per night for refundable reservations. Would like to spend no more than $150 USD per night.

Another poster suggested the Sandy Hill neighborhood, & I found McGee's Inn, which seems nice and reasonable, & we do like B&B's. Is Sandy Hill walkable to the main attractions, such as Parliament, Byward Market, etc.?
Thanks.

The part of Sandy Hill where McGee's is located is certainly walkable to the places you want to visit. Sandy Hill is a very nice neighbourhood, full of Victorian-era houses and terraces, many embassies/chanceries as well as some medium-rise more modern apertment buildings. It is also studenty, with the University of Ottawa adjacent. Good walking around area.

Summer hotel rates probably remain pretty high in Ottawa in summer - prime tourist season and the string of music festivals.

I find that non-refundable hotel rates are becoming more prevalent everywhere I travel. Probably in part a response to the kind of people that make a half dozen different reservations for a city, then cancel all but one of them at the last minute.

Even hotel websites themselves now sometimes offer "advance purchase" i.e. non-refundable rates these days which usually save some money over the regular rate.

I usually stay in a Suite hotel in Ottawa of which there are a number. The Albert at Bay offers condo-like rooms which are usually a pretty good value. It is a little farther walk than some other hotels but we don't mind it - maybe 10 minute walk to Parliament Buildings and 20 minute walk to Byward Market district. The Residence Inn by Marriott is a bit closer to these and is OK and includes breakfast.

Ron,
Thanks for your detailed & helpful response. I'll contact McGee's about availability & research more B&B's in Sandy Hill. We prefer those over the big, chain hotels, anyways, but I initially wanted to stay in downtown. But knowing that Sandy Hill is walkable to the places we want to visit is very helpful & may be our first choice.
How far in advance should we book our accommodations? We will be in Ottawa most likely from July 26 through July 29.
Thanks.

Mat, thanks for your info, too. I'll check out the places you mention. We don't mind a 10-20 minute walk.

I would book as soon as you can. Ottawa does get busy in the summer. I used to walk past McGee's regularly going to work; their car park always seemed full in the mornings in the summer. I should add that Sandy Hill is fairly large, and a B&B on the eastern edge near the Russian Embassy and Strathcona Park, would be a longer walk, perhaps 20 minutes. (Would a nicer walk, tho, than from say, the Albert & Bay.

The Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival is on during your stay, as is the new Rideau Canal Festival. http://www.chamberfest.com/ and http://www.rideaucanalfestival.ca/

I meant to add, if you were to stay in Sandy Hill, it would very handy to the outdoor theatre performances in Strathcona Park, http://www.odysseytheatre.ca/index.p...der-the-stars/

In Sept.2008 we stayed at the Capital hill hotel +suites and payed 258 CAD for two nights.(including the parking charge).The hotel is perfect for visiting the town.Paul